
Sustentabilidade na WEICON

Produtos químicos e sustentabilidade - será que isso é possível?
A nossa empresa familiar, que opera a nível internacional, produz produtos químicos há mais de 70 anos. Mantemos as indústrias mundiais a funcionar com os nossos adesivos e vedantes, que são utilizados na produção, reparação, manutenção e assistência técnica. Mas, inevitavelmente e com razão, surge a questão: será que nós, enquanto empresa química, podemos atuar de forma sustentável?
A nossa resposta a esta questão é definitivamente sim. Atualmente, todas as empresas têm a responsabilidade de abordar a questão da sustentabilidade em profundidade. E cada empresa pode tomar medidas dentro das suas possibilidades para permitir que as gerações futuras tenham um futuro que valha a pena viver.
Nesta página explicamos como lidamos com o tema da sustentabilidade na WEICON. Revelamos quais as pequenas e grandes medidas que tomámos para viver de uma forma sensata hoje em dia e como iniciamos novos desenvolvimentos para ajudar a moldar um futuro cheio de esperança.


„Qualquer empresa que, nos dias de hoje, ainda acredite que a questão da sustentabilidade não lhe diz respeito, não compreendeu o que está em causa.“
ANN-KATRIN WEIDLING, DIRECTORA-GERAL DA WEICON
O que fazemos

Poupar e reduzir o CO2

Utilizar a energia de forma responsável

Cartão em vez de plástico

Aluguer de bicicletas e mobilidade eléctrica

Série de ferramentas sustentáveis

Digitalização em vez de pilhas de papel

Recolha de água da chuva

Mesmo os pequenos passos fazem a diferença

Dizer adeus ao material publicitário
Empresa Ökoprofit


Sustentabilidade: uma visão holística
Relatório de Sustentabilidade WE Care
Temos o prazer de apresentar o nosso Relatório de Sustentabilidade 2024.

A dimensão social
A sustentabilidade envolve muito mais do que a implementação de objectivos ambientais. As considerações sociais (para além das ambientais e económicas) são um dos três pilares. Desde 2017 que apoiamos instituições de caridade em todo o mundo, incluindo organizações que lutam pelo ambiente e pelo bem-estar das pessoas e dos animais. Os nossos funcionários decidem quais as organizações a apoiar com os nossos donativos.

O que é que o futuro nos reserva
A ação sustentável não é um item de uma lista de tarefas que se pode riscar num determinado momento. A ação sustentável é um processo sem fim.
Sabemos que não somos perfeitos. Ainda há muitos desafios que temos de enfrentar para criar uma empresa ainda mais “verde”.
Não podemos fazer milagres e transformar cola em rebuçados, mas estamos constantemente a rever a implementação de várias questões e processos de sustentabilidade. Por exemplo, estamos atualmente a analisar novas medidas de eficiência energética nos edifícios existentes. Isto inclui a utilização de novas tecnologias em termos de iluminação, ar condicionado, aquecimento, etc. ou a expansão dos nossos sistemas fotovoltaicos.
A sustentabilidade e a gestão ambiental são complexas e demoradas. É por isso que a WEICON tem um colega, Henning Voß, que, como membro da nossa equipa de gestão EHSC (Environment + Health + Safety + Compliance), é responsável por este tópico.


„Mesmo sendo uma empresa química, podemos fazer muito para garantir a sustentabilidade. Juntamente com colegas e profissionais externos, avalio regularmente o que podemos fazer da melhor forma possível.“
HENNING VOß, DIRECTOR DE GESTÃO DA EHSC NA WEICON
A-Z da sustentabilidade
Anfangen (starting)
Just start! Can you do anything wrong when it comes to climate protection? For fear of being accused of greenwashing, some companies seem paralysed and remain hesitant regarding sustainability measures despite good intentions. But if you do nothing at all for fear of doing something wrong, you are definitely doing something wrong!
Balance
Our consumption (such as energy or fuel consumption) is converted to the CO2 equivalent using emission factors. This figure is the result of the emissions balance on which our climate protection strategy is based. One tonne of methane, for example, represents 25 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Corporate Carbon Footprint
Together with Fokus Zukunft GmbH & Co. KG, we measured our corporate carbon footprint in Germany in 2022 based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The carbon footprint is divided into Scope 1, 2 and 3. Scope 1 includes all self-generated emissions (for example, emissions generated by combustion in one’s own facilities). Scope 2 includes emissions associated with purchased energy (for example electricity). Scope 3 includes emissions from services provided by third parties and purchased preliminary services (for example business travel, paper consumption, etc.). We have tried to calculate our carbon footprint in Germany as comprehensively as possible – Scope 3 emissions can only be partially accounted for, however, as not all processes along the entire value chain are known to us or can be influenced by us.
Chemicals
Many of our products are based on chemical substances that give them their specific properties, such as high adhesive strength or an especially high resistance to weathering. We pay close attention to the numerous legal requirements for our products and analyse and evaluate them further according to our own strict standards – also with regard to environmental compatibility.
Digitalisation
Many companies have now realised that the digitalisation of processes can significantly reduce C02 emissions in many areas. We have already taken several measures to digitalise our processes. For example, we have made our invoice filing or personnel administration paperless. We have also digitised processes in the warehouse and in the shipping process and replaced many face-to-face events with digital meetings.
Employer branding
Voluntarily reducing emissions and offsetting unavoidable emissions increases awareness among our employees, suppliers and customers for the way we use resources. Positioning ourselves as a sustainable employer is an integral part of our employer branding strategy.
Fahrrad (bike)
Thanks to our bike leasing offer, our employees can make their way to work pollution-free. Of course, colleagues who live far away are still dependent on their car, but many people from Münster arrive by bike – as befits our bicycle-friendly city.
Ganzheitlich (holistic)
Those who are serious about the fight against climate change do not merely rely on offsetting CO2 through climate certificates. Only companies who take a holistic view of the three main pillars of carbon neutrality – i.e. saving, reducing and offsetting CO2 – achieve more than mere damage limitation.
Home office (remote work)
Working from home makes it unnecessary for many of our employees to travel to work by car, thus reducing the burden on the environment and, additionally, on the wallet.
International climate protection
Climate change is global, so it does not matter where in the world CO2 is offset. The Kyoto Protocol, which is binding under international law, stipulates that climate protection projects that avoid or store greenhouse gas emissions should be located where they are most economical. Many projects are therefore carried out in emerging and developing countries, where they are also intended to contribute to improving the economic, social and environmental situation.
Junges (young) team
Many young people work at WEICON. The average age at our headquarters in Germany is 37. It is no secret that sustainability is becoming increasingly important, especially for the younger generations, and often plays a role in the choice of employer. All the more reason for a company to address this issue.
Kommunikation (communication)
Do good and talk about it. Many companies do not dare to speak openly about their sustainability measures for fear of greenwashing accusations. But honest and transparent communication can help inspire other companies and encourage them to take action themselves.
Long-term
We do not purchase our carbon neutrality for marketing purposes. By means of additional C02 reduction and avoidance measures, we wish to show that we are making a long-term and serious contribution to climate protection and to a world worth living in tomorrow.
Messen (trade fairs)
We have reduced our participation in trade fairs, thus saving many flights, nights in hotels and kilometres driven by car. We have currently scaled down our presence at domestic fairs to the most important four or five ones.
Nachhaltigkeitsziele der Vereinten Nationen (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals)
The United Nations has set 17 sustainable development goals. The goals take into account all three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic and social) and include the fight against climate change. Here you can find more information on the 17 goals With our certification as a carbon-neutral company, we support a compensation project in Türkiye that includes three of the sustainability goals.
ÖPNV (public transport)
Despite our location in an industrial area, we are directly connected to the public transport system via a nearby bus stop. In various industry associations, we repeatedly advocate, for example, that the frequency of buses be further expanded to make public transport even more attractive.
People – Planet – Profit
These terms refer to the three pillars of sustainability. With these three, equally-important pillars, companies can specify guidelines for sustainable action. The aim is to ensure and improve the environmental, economic and social performance of societies in this way.
Quality
We attach the utmost importance to quality. This means that we pay attention to both high-quality materials and the usefulness of our products. We don’t include products that are especially harmful to the environment nor products that offer no additional technical benefit in our product range.
Reducing
We are reducing our CO2 impact in many areas along the value chain. Our specific measures for CO2 reduction are explained on this page.
Spenden (donations)
We have been supporting charitable organisations around the world since 2017. Among them are associations that campaign for the environment and the welfare of people and animals. Our employees decide on which organisations to support with our donations.
Treibstoff (fuel)
Our vehicle fleet requires a large amount of petrol and diesel. That is why we are gradually converting our vehicle fleet in Germany to regenerative drives.
Umverpackungen (repackaging)
We banned plastic blister packs from our tool range at the beginning of 2020. Since then, we have been packaging our WEICON TOOLS in recyclable cardboard boxes, thus saving around six tonnes of plastic every year. Read more
Corporate values
As a company, we hold certain values that guide our everyday actions. In addition to respect, openness, solidarity, communication and reliability, we also count responsibility and sustainability among our corporate values. Responsible and sustainable action is very important to us, which is why we continue to focus our actions on sustainability in addition to the measures we have taken so far.
Vermeiden (saving)
Saving CO2 should be part of any sustainability strategy. Because even if we offset a tonne of CO2 elsewhere in the world, it remains a tonne of CO2. That is why we regularly examine and evaluate existing processes at our company to find out whether they can be optimised further in terms of sustainability.
Work-life balance
For us, sustainability also means consciously paying attention to people (human resources), starting with the people in our company. For example, we ensure that our employees benefit from a good work-life balance.
Generation X, Y and Z
When WEICON was founded in 1947, environmental issues played a minor role for many companies. We were no exception in that respect. But for the following generations Y and Z, the topic of sustainability is increasingly gaining in importance – also at WEICON. Being a millennial herself, Managing Director Ann-Katrin Weidling represents the fourth generation of our family business. It is extremely important to her that WEICON makes its own significant contribution to climate protection.
Ziele (targets)
Sustainable action is not an item on a to-do list that you can tick off at some point, but a continuous process. We never stop setting ourselves new targets to reduce our CO2 emissions wherever we can.