Environmentally friendly and sustainable actions are essential for our company. We are audited and certified annually in accordance with ISO 14001, a globally uniform standard for demonstrating the sustainability of our corporate activities. The prerequisites for being certified to this high standard are, in addition to our own environmental policy, a documented procedure for internal audits, defined environmental goals and their implementation, integration of the standards and continuous improvement.

To achieve continuous improvement in energy efficiency, energy consumption and energy use, we integrated an energy management system (certified to ISO 50001). This includes real-time data collection of our significant energy consumers, analysis and optimization of consumption, and measures such as peak load monitoring and base load analysis. By cyclically monitoring our EnPIs (Energy Performance Indicators), we succeed in comprehensively analyzing all energy sources used in the company. By reflecting these key figures back to the energy management team, measures to further increase efficiency can be initiated and implemented. Furthermore, we conduct internal audits to discover potential for improvement and established an energy management team to implement new energy projects.

With our own photovoltaic systems, we produce green electricity, most of which we consume ourselves and some of which we feed into the public grid. Our new annex is also particularly energy-efficient due to the technology installed. Through a heat pump, which is supplied by our PV system, we are able to heat and cool it independently of the public grid.

Since 2021, we have been successively converting our vehicle fleet to electric and hybrid drive. Sufficient wallboxes are available for charging electric vehicles.

To create transparency for our customers, suppliers and business partners, we have derived specific rules of conduct that are set out in our Compliance Agreement. This set of agreements between our company and our partners, their executive bodies and employees regulates compliance with laws relating to corruption, observance of human rights, prohibition of cartels, data protection and observance of the Minimum Wage Act. Every partner who works with us must accept this agreement.

For us as a company, it is important to avoid substances and chemicals that are hazardous to health, not only within our company, but throughout the entire supply chain. Therefore, suppliers are required by law to provide information on whether they comply with the REACH and RoHs regulations.

REACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals

We focus on environmental protection and the safe handling of chemicals. The chemicals regulation REACH stands for the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals in general. The ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) implements the REACH regulations. Substances of very high concern have to be listed on a candidate list. Information obligations apply to these substances within the supply chain.

RoHS: Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances

This directive aims to restrict the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The overall aim of these EU directives is to ban problematic components from electronic waste. We expect our suppliers along the entire supply chain to comply with this legal requirement.
For both REACH and RoHS, the list of substances of very high concern (SVHC) must be considered. More than 200 substances are listed in this list, 10 of which are relevant in RoHS.

As SFB Group we would like to make our contribution to the reduction of climate-damaging gases. Therefore, it is important to us to draw up an annual CO2 balance in order to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of our measures. Through this balance we can derive measures and use still unused improvement potentials. For us, however, the CO2 footprint does not end at our own factory gate, but also includes our purchased goods and services. We therefore consider our carbon footprint along the entire value chain, starting in our own company (Scope 1 & Scope 2) and ending with our suppliers in Scope 3.

Safety and health at work are fundamental for us. We place particular emphasis on prevention and training for our employees. To prevent occupational accidents and work-related illnesses, we invest in trained personnel and the right equipment for the job. Specialists in occupational safety, fire protection and our company physician are available to assist us in reviewing, training and implementing safety measures. We have also set up an occupational integration management system that takes care of employees in order to reintegrate them into the workplace after a longer period of illness.

Whether e-bike, mountain bike or city bike, in cooperation with JobRad our employees have the opportunity to purchase a company bicycle. In this way, we not only promote the health of our employees, but also reduce the environmental impact of traveling by car. In the meantime, more than 20% of our employees take advantage of this offer.

As a family business, we have been strongly rooted in our region for over 80 years. It deserves an incredible amount of appreciation what areas do in care, welfare, animal protection, etc. and therefore it has always been an important concern for us to promote and support such valuable institutions. So that our region and our children can continue to benefit from humanitarian organizations for a long time to come.

A healthy diet plays an important role for us as a company. We provide free water around the clock. In addition, we offer a free fruit delivery every week with seasonal fruit, which our entire workforce can help themselves to. By offering a healthy diet, we encourage and support our employees in adopting a healthy, conscious and sustainable lifestyle.

The Unterallgäuer Werkstätten GmbH (UAW) is a recognized workshop for people with disabilities and a company of the Lebenshilfe Memmingen/Unterallgäu e.V. It gives people with impairments, who cannot work in the general labor market, a training and workplace. Our entire document destruction as well as subsequent recycling of the material, is taken over by the Unterallgäuer Werkstätten. Furthermore, we are proud of our now 10-year cooperation, through which we have been able to take on new colleagues again and again.

We launched our occupational health management (OHM) program in 2022. In addition to a wide range of annual health days, offers around exercise and ergonomics inspections by physiotherapists, we also offer consultation hours with the company doctor, consultations for mental health or flu vaccinations.