To shape the future in a sustainable way, everyone must contribute: politics, the economy, society and each and every one of us.
"My task is to devise and implement a company-wide CSR strategy," says Starlinger Sustainability Manager Clarissa Graf. "This strategy is being developed internally - for example in workshops - and is constantly extended through the participation in external events designed to promote an exchange of experiences as well as further training in the field of sustainability."
Through her studies in the field of environmental management and ecosystem research, Graf combines her knowledge of natural cycles with business objectives and economic processes. In doing so, she relies on existing resources and a lively exchange with the entire group of employees as well as other companies. This year, Graf has applied for membership in respACT, Austria's leading business platform, which supports companies in practicing business responsibly and thus works towards a sustainable and future-oriented economy. This is accomplished through providing assistance in the area of sustainability, through clear communication of existing guidelines in the course of reporting as well as through networking events such as the annual CSR day.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly important. With Clarissa Graf, the Austrian mechanical engineering company Starlinger has hired a Sustainability Manager to address this essential task; since autumn 2019, she has been actively defining CSR measures for the internal and external implementation of the company strategy. One of these measures is the membership in respACT, Austria's leading corporate platform for responsible business practices.
"Sustainable business management has been a focus of our activities for many years," emphasizes Starlinger Managing Partner Angelika Huemer. "In doing so, closed production circles and plastics recycling are key priorities. With the appointment of a Sustainability Manager and the membership in respACT, we will be able to address this topic even more intensively."
The activities of respACT follow the principles of the worldwide initiative UN Global Compact as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs for short. This means that respACT and its members are committed to an inclusive and sustainable global development for the benefit of all people, communities and markets. The SDGs encompass 17 fields of activity such as industry, innovation, and infrastructure, sustainable consumption and production, measures for climate protection, and partnerships to achieve these goals. From a socio-political point of view, the fight against poverty, high-quality education, gender equality and clean water and energy are essential priorities. The formulation of these goals serves to raise awareness, but also as an incentive for companies to actively contribute to improving overall prosperity.
Through its membership in respACT, Starlinger has subscribed to this initiative and has defined its own company mission statement.
"Starlinger stands for application-oriented machine solutions for the production of flexible packaging from plastic fabrics, while striving for highest ecological and economic sustainability," adds Graf. "It is not enough to 'think green'; we need clearly defined goals which are then consistently pursued and subjected to continuous evaluation."
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