On the road to greater sustainability
Our contribution to climate protection
Energy consumption, transportation, events, materials and waste produce emissions. We try to reduce these in our day-to-day work with sustainable measures. We are in a continuous process and are trying to improve further.
Our measures at a glance
The foundation site and the building
In the 1970s, Joachim Herz took over the Pedro Kaffee GmbH site at Langenhorner Chaussee 384, which is now part of the Oehleckerring industrial estate. In the 1990s, the interior of the former roasting tower was modernized and rededicated as the foundation's headquarters when the foundation was established in 2008. As part of the new construction in 2013, the building was converted to meet energy efficiency standards, areas were unsealed and the roof was extensively greened.
Energy concept
We generate heat and electricity with our own combined heat and power plant. The building's cooling system is designed to achieve a cooling of around six degrees to the outside temperature. To save energy in summer, the offices are shaded for longer periods. There is also a photovoltaic system on the roof.
Internal sustainability check
Public relations
In the print sector, we are gradually switching to 100% recycled paper and only work with environmentally certified print shops. We are also consciously reducing our print publications and moving away from paper business cards: in future, there will be a kind of"chip card". For our giveaways and gifts, we have been making sure for years that we only use sustainable or upcycled products wherever possible. Our website is operated by a green host.
Catering
We use regional service providers and products for our events. We use snack boxes to avoid wasting leftover food. We also try to use less packaging and, if we do, it is reusable packaging. Invitations and documents are sent digitally.
Mission-related investments
In line with our strategy, which is based on the Sustainable Development Goals, we are currently revising our investment portfolio with regard to sustainability.
Garden project
The foundation garden is to become more ecological so that the existing green spaces provide more habitat for animals and plants. To achieve this, a team of dedicated employees has come together to redesign the garden step by step. A wildflower meadow has already been sown, nesting sites for birds and bats have been installed and a herb spiral with a dry stone wall has been built. Further measures, such as the placement of additional insect hotels and deadwood piles for beetles, are being planned.
Further measures
We offer an electric vehicle as a company car and financially support the Deutschlandticket for employees.
Waterlogging of the Peenemünde moor
With the "Peenemünde moor rewetting" project, we are making a contribution to offsetting the CO₂ emissions of our business operations and thus to climate protection.
Moorland protection is important
Intact moors absorb large quantities of water, they are a habitat for rare plants and animals, and their peat bodies store large quantities of organic material and therefore carbon. The water level plays a decisive role in their preservation: if the moors are too dry, they lose their climate-improving properties and become a source of CO₂. Climate change and its effects make it all the more important to preserve intact moors and restore dry moors. Around 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are attributable to drained peatlands.
The Peene meadows - insight into the rewetting project
The aim of the planned rewetting project is to safeguard and develop the contiguous areas of fenland in the Peene meadows on the DBU Peenemünde natural heritage site. Before the peatland was drained, the Peene stream regularly flooded the Peene meadows.
It is currently not possible to restore the natural flooding dynamics of the Peene meadows. Local residents feared that places could be flooded despite a regulating dyke protection concept.
To prevent possible flooding, damming devices (tipping weirs) are therefore being installed in the drainage ditches. The tipping weirs can be used to regulate the water levels so that the land can also be used by farmers in phases.