In its environmental statement, PAPUREX as a company takes a close look at the impact of its own activities. The time-consuming process of putting together this comprehensive document has brought to the fore issues whose importance was not entirely clear beforehand. One of these issues is the consistent training of colleagues in the PAPUREX team. After all, it is the daily actions of each individual that ultimately determine whether the company’s goals can be achieved.
CO₂ neutrality in Scope 1 and 2 – what does that actually mean?
The environmental statement mentioned at the beginning of this article contains a number of technical terms such as “scopes” and “CO₂ equivalents.” In order to get the entire workforce on board with the meaning of these terms, part of the environmental training consisted of explaining them. Basic topics were also discussed, such as “What is the greenhouse effect?” and “What greenhouse gases are there?”
Would you have known?
Environmental impact of PAPUREX production in Klein-Breitenbach
We are all familiar with the classic sources of CO₂ emissions in everyday life: driving to work in a car with a combustion engine. Heating with fuel oil, and so on. PAPUREX’s company fleet is now fully electrified and the old heating system is history. What other factors are relevant, and which have the greatest impact? The training course on environmental impact also explored these questions. Some colleagues were amazed to learn which areas of the company have a really big impact on its environmental footprint and which supposedly important issues are perhaps not so important after all. Focusing on the truly relevant measures is one point that the PAPUREX team members should take away from the training.
Environmental impact of the private lives of Team PAPUREX
Environmental protection in the corporate collective is valuable. However, it is even better when this attitude is taken home by a company’s employees and not left at the factory gate. With the disclaimer that everyone ultimately decides for themselves how they want to live and that PAPUREX does not dictate how anyone should spend their free time, the influences of private life were also discussed. Here, too, the biggest factors affecting the environment were first identified in order to filter out the relevant topics. One example of this is the statistics published annually by the Federal Environment Agency on the subject of carbon footprints. This makes it possible to identify where most environmental impacts occur. This forms the basis for the question we should all be asking ourselves: “What can I do better?”
Specific recommendations for action in both areas
The main objective of the training was to provide PAPUREX employees with specific recommendations for action so that they can effectively reduce their own environmental impact. This applies both to the company’s impact on the Klein-Breitenbach business location and to the leisure activities of its employees. Based on the previously defined key factors, tangible tips were given on how to minimize the impact of one’s own actions on the environment. In a short quiz sent to all participants after the training, the PAPUREX team had the opportunity to test the knowledge they had learned.
This training on environmental impact was not the first of its kind. Nor will it be the last. Getting the workforce on board on the path to greater sustainability is one of the most important factors for the success of this project.