This year, B Corporation PNZ Holzpflege Manufaktur was recognized by B Lab as “Best for the World” in the Environment category. We ask Marcel Pietsch-Khalili, Managing Director, 5 questions about this and find out, among other things, how PNZ approaches sustainability as a chemical company and which factors have been decisive for its success in recent years. What do you think led to this award? What does the high score in this category represent?
We are very excited to have made it into the top 3 in the world in our category. But above all, we are delighted that our vision of approaching sustainability in a completely new way in a high-impact sector such as the chemical industry is paying off. Our B Corp score in the “Environment” category is currently 55.8. We have not only achieved this result for the development of particularly environmentally friendly products. In particular, we have succeeded in continuously optimizing production processes and product life cycles. One example: We have developed a new type of cleaning system and an assessment tool for the impact of product packaging “alongside” the actual product development. We have succeeded in making our company CO2-neutral in Scope 3 (i.e. including the supply chain). We are also working with internationally renowned institutes to research new technologies to make chemistry even more resource-efficient and environmentally friendly. All these parallel developments were only possible because we were able to make sustainability the core of our business model. You also have an Impact Business Model in the Environment category. Could you briefly describe what that is and what it entails?
We do not see sustainability as a business objective, but as the central core of all our activities. This is why we do not have a sustainability department; instead, working towards a resource-conserving approach to nature and society is the responsibility of all employees – every day. Our Impact Business Model comprises 6 levels:
- Products and Their Lifecycle: From regional raw materials and packaging to lifespan as a relevant sustainability factor, all the way to end-of-lifecycle considerations.
- Our Production: Including all inputs and outputs (such as water, air, etc.).
- Our Value Chain: Particularly focusing on ethics and Scope 3 compensation (ensuring no unacknowledged exported pollution).
- New Technologies: CO2 reduction and other research projects.
- Social Issues: We evaluate ourselves based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 17) and take a stance on important social issues.
Last but not least: 6. the organization of sustainability efforts in the company What specific impact have you been able to achieve with the measures in this category? What are you particularly proud of? Our wood care manufactory is located in the Altmühltal Nature Park. The way to work takes us through one of the largest contiguous beech forests in Germany. This location and the strong regional ties of our 45 colleagues have shaped our conviction that sustainability is never finished. If we had to pick our top 3 results of the last 5 years, they would probably be the following: Environmental protection We are committed to environmental protection in all areas and are measured by this: We manufacture products from renewable, regional raw materials with the aim of reducing our CO2 footprint to zero. We offset 100% of the footprint that cannot be avoided today in Scope 3. We have our reduction targets reviewed and validated externally as part of the UN Science Based Targets Initiative and ISO 14001. We regularly provide a public account of our successes (and failures), for example in a comprehensive annual sustainability report. Company organization The company organization is the basic prerequisite for real impact improvement. At our company, all colleagues are involved in finding solutions for greater sustainability in their area. This flat organizational structure has proven to be very productive for us. In addition to the development of ever more sustainable products, this has resulted in, for example, break-proof shipping packaging for paints with 50% less cardboard and no plastics, or a new cleaning process for production containers that reduces waste by 80%. For many years, we have also been successfully researching new technologies whose environmental impact does not scale with increasing output and have completely restructured our product development process for this purpose. Our laboratory no longer researches products, but the continuous improvement of the sustainability of the entire raw materials portfolio. The raw materials described (and also newly discovered) are only included in the product formulation when they are suitable for us from a quality and environmental point of view. This ongoing development process has enabled us, for example, to formulate the first 100% oil for outdoor use with a current renewable raw material content of 96%. International cooperation We firmly believe in the power of international cooperation. This is why we regularly work on national and international research projects, currently one on the creation of a central environmental database for the chemical industry and one with the Max Planck Society on the extraction of raw materials from CO2. We also share our knowledge and experience with our market competitors because it makes the entire industry better. And, of course, we involve our supply chain and work closely with suppliers on sustainability and compliance with standards. What or who made this award possible? This question is very easy for us to answer. It is our employees who have initiated the strategy process towards a coherent impact business model, who have driven the company’s development and who have discovered, developed and implemented many small and large improvement measures. This broad foundation was the basis for everything. Finally, what are 3 (or 5 :)) words that define the B Corp movement for you? Together for a better world. About PNZ Holzpflege Manufaktur We have been at home in the idyllic Altmühltal Nature Park for more than 50 years. At PNZ Holzpflege-Manufaktur in Kipfenberg, 45 people work every day to produce the best care products for wood. We have particularly high standards. Both in terms of sustainability in everything we do and the quality of our products. This starts with the extraction of the raw materials, which come from our immediate surroundings as far as possible. In cooperation with the international Climate Neutral Group, we guarantee that our production and logistics are completely CO2-neutral. We are particularly proud of our certification as a holistically sustainable B Corporation, in which both the ecological and social impact of our business activities are subjected to close scrutiny. We show that sustainability is practically feasible. And we want to achieve our major goal: To leave only positive footprints! More information at www.pnz.de About “Best for the World”™ Every year, B Lab recognizes the best performing B Corps. “Best for the World” is awarded to a B Corp-certified company if it ranks in the top 5% globally in its respective size group in one of five impact areas: community, customers, environment, governance and employees. These companies prove that they have successfully integrated the three pillars of sustainability and, as “the best for the world”, are at the forefront of a movement that is driving the transformation of business to a stakeholder-oriented and inclusive economy. This interview previously appeared on Karry Schwettmann’s blog.
