„A transparent presentation of our own sustainability performance will be a key competitive factor in the future. That is why we have already set the course for the implementation of ESG,“ says Sefa Pusmaz, Sustainability and Quality Manager at ARKU. In particular, this involves identifying potential weaknesses. ARKU has the consulting firm Sustevia UG from Baden-Baden, which specializes in ESG, by its side. In addition to active monitoring, a jointly launched pilot project aims to publish an annual sustainability report.
ESG looks at the environment, social issues and corporate governance as a whole. This is a new experience for most medium-sized companies. At ARKU, these areas are certainly on the radar, but have so far been analyzed individually and never together as one. Sefa Pusmaz sees bringing them together in the future as a major challenge. The Baden-Baden based machine manufacturer has always attached great importance to the durability of its machines. By using components from renowned manufacturers, ARKU ensures the long-term availability of spare parts for its customers. Wherever possible, the company uses formed sheet metal parts for new designs – an overall more resource-efficient process than using already processed parts to be welded. “We source virtually all components from European manufacturers who adhere to stricter emission standards and have shorter transportation routes. This results in a lower CO2 footprint,” emphasizes Pusmaz.
In the energy sector, Pusmaz also refers to an investment of millions in the energy-efficient refurbishment of the factory roof. A photovoltaic system makes the company largely self-sufficient in terms of energy. This can save up to 80 percent of energy costs during the summer and CO2 emissions will be reduced significantly. The measures also include the electrification of the fleet of vehicles including 15 new charging stations for all employees. The reduction of natural gas consumption by two thirds, the purchase of exclusively green electricity and intelligent control of the new LED lighting, are all part of the sustainability package implemented to date at ARKU.
The company has created key prerequisites for fulfilling the ESG requirements all by itself. One of those prerequisites, is a culturally diverse workforce which ARKU already has. Employees from 25 nations work around the clock to take care of ARKU customers worldwide. Ultimately, this open corporate culture helps to attract excellent talent and a good atmosphere for training.
The latest development of the EdgeBreaker® 3000 NEXT deburring machine from ARKU provides concrete figures for customers. The bottom line is 40 percent less energy consumption. ARKU precision levelers with the EcoPlan® drive concept consume 30 percent less electricity.
The effort that companies put into ESG should not be underestimated. Large corporations sometimes have entire departments with a correspondingly large number of employees to meet these requirements. Medium-sized companies are often unable to do this on their own for cost reasons. Currently, ESG activities account for around 20 working hours per month at ARKU. Therefore, there is no way around external consulting.
Climate change and environmental protection are very important issues for ARKU employees, management, customers, suppliers and local authorities. This is shown by the results of a survey conducted by Sustevia. Sustainability will become an even stronger part of ARKU's corporate culture in the future. Learn more: https://www.arku.com/en/company/sustainability
