Sustainability as a target in business partnerships

The assessments are executed by providers such as EcoVadis, which use scorecards to evaluate companies in four categories: environment, labor practices, fair business practices and sustainable procurement. Coca-Cola European Partners will not do business with suppliers that perform poorly.

“Sustainability is firmly embedded in various levels of the procurement process and in our supply chain,” says Milou Hamelers. “It covers everything from the selection process for new suppliers and how our suppliers comply with our 'Supplier Guiding Principles', to our supplier relationship management process, where primary partners are evaluated annually based on the five criteria. One of them is sustainability.”

For Hoppe, it is clear that sustainability offers benefits both for KION Group and its customers. “Satisfied employees have a higher level of motivation and are less frequently absent. More efficient trucks require less fuel and are friendlier for the environment,” he notes, adding,“which is why taking responsibility is a core aspect of our company’s sustainability strategy. We take responsibility for customers by offering them customized solutions that make them more successful, and we take responsibility for our own growth and for the growth of society.”

Thus, KION Group is focusing on a wide spectrum of action areas within sustainability management. They cover everything from the individual’s role as a good employee to environmental and climate protection, product responsibility and innovative customer solutions. Customers and suppliers play a particularly important role in the sustainability strategy, and KION plans to establish close work relationships on a basis of trust.

Hamelers is certain that if Linde and Coca-Cola European Partners continue to work closely together and invest in sustainability, both companies will benefit. Not only will the impact of production on the environment reduce even further, but both companies will continue to grow and build on their market position over the longer term, thanks to the efforts they are taking in the development of innovative sustainable products and a focus on continuous improvement.