Small Company, great commitment: UN Global Compact and carbon neutrality
Customer: Optima Pharmazeutische GmbH
Category: Healthcare
Date: April 2016
Optima Pharmazeutische GmbH was founded in 1984 and is an owner-operated medium-sized family business. The company develops and distributes innovative medical devices for ophthalmology, otolaryngology and for the treatment of the respiratory system.
„As owner-operated company with lean structures, we have to invest our capacities with care. First priorities are quality and effectiveness of our products – thanks to DFGE’s fully comprehensive assistance, however, we were able to build up a practicable CSR management system in parallel.“
Challenge
Optima Pharmazeutische GmbH is a medium-sized pharmaceutical company located in Bavaria. In the course of an expansion of production and customer range, the management decided to go for more transparency in the company’s environmental impact, and to change the communication accordingly.
Since 2013, DFGE calculated the carbon footprints of Optima and its associate company Optima Medical Swiss AG, including suppliers, purchases of materials and other indirect sources of emissions.
Carbon footprint and compensation measures have been certified by TÜV Hessen in 2014, which is why Optima is officially allowed to hold the title of a “carbon neutral company”. During the process of certification, Optima relied on DFGE for support and coordination
Solution
SME as first mover: carbon neutral company
For Optima, corporate sustainability is more than just climate protection; a framework for all activities in the field of CSR was needed. After DFGE’s consultation, Optima decided to participate in the UN Global Compact in 2014; more than 12.000 participating companies worldwide commit here to respect ten principles in the areas of human rights, working conditions, environmental protection and fight against corruption.
In doing so, participants demonstrate on the one hand their commitment to CSR; on the other hand, UN Global Compact provides them with a framework for a systematically structured sustainability management. Yearly published progress reports urge the participants to stay focused; at the same time, this report can be used as a CSR report which is in accordance with the standards.
DFGE carried out the execution of Optima’s participation in the UN Global Compact. Based on the respective guidelines, DFGE analyses a company’s focus areas and gives advice on targets, measures and monitoring possibilities.
“Optima is a good example how also medium-sized enterprises can take on responsibility. Due to the comprehensive and individual assistance of DFGE in the field of CSR, Optima’s employees can completely focus on the company’s core business”, says Dr.-Ing. Thomas Fleissner, founder and director of DFGE.
