Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL) has published its first sustainability report for 2020. “For us, this documentation is the starting signal for the establishment of a sustainability strategy in our company. In the future, we will embed this as an important building block in our overall strategy,” says HSL’s Thorsten Koch, outlining the goal.
With its focus on inland waterway transport and rail, HSL has always been committed to climate-friendly logistics concepts and green logistics. Of all modes of transport, inland shipping has the best eco-balance in terms of noise and climate gas costs as well as energy consumption. For Koch, this is an incentive: “It is precisely because of these good conditions that we want to be at the forefront and work out ways in which we can offer climate-neutral services reliably, cost-effectively and transparently in the future.”
In three modules to a holistic strategy
HSL has divided the project into three modules. The first milestone has been reached with the survey of the status quo, which is documented in the sustainability report. In the second module, a climate strategy is currently being developed, which Koch expects to be completed in the first quarter of 2022. The third module will then focus on concrete implementation.
HSL develops this holistic approach in close cooperation with the German Association of Energy Purchasers (VEA), which offers broad support for medium-sized businesses in particular. In addition, HSL is itself involved as a member of the VEA Climate-Friendly SME Initiative. “Joining was important to us because we are aware that Germany’s goal of becoming climate neutral by 2045 can only be achieved together and must be supported by a broad base,” Koch emphasises.
Initial measures in the company are already showing success. For example, since 1 January 2021 all HSL sites have only used electricity generated from renewable energies. By switching to energy-saving devices, LED lighting and smart control, also in the area of the heating system, the power consumption is also reduced.
Motivation at all levels
Internally, HSL achieves a great deal through its motivated employees, for whom climate commitment has a high priority. For example, the training on the topic of sustainability via the online training system “SAM” is already a great success. In addition, the Future Team, which is made up of young professionals who are involved in the company’s forward strategy, has launched two further projects. One involves an ideas platform through which employees can submit suggestions for more environmental friendliness in everyday operations via a web form.
With the other project “HSL goes green – move for nature” employees have the opportunity to upload their sporting activities in an online form. According to the number of kilometres achieved, the achievements are rewarded by tree planting in a local reforestation project. “Our goal is to reach 18,870 km together, for which we will plant a total of 500 trees,” says Charlotte Fischer from the Future Team. The number 18,870, by the way, was not chosen at random. It is meant to remind us of the founding year 1887.