QUNDIS Supports Baumpaten Thüringen

04/25/2024 Inside QUNDISNewsQUNDIS GmbH

Healthy forests are important for our climate as well as for our forestry industry. This is why QUNDIS has joined forces with Baumpaten Thüringen, the Thuringian Tree Sponsors, to support reforestation in the state. To date, more than 2,500 trees have been planted. But there’s still a lot more to do…

Baumpaten Thüringen | Martin Zink

Environmental commitment at QUNDIS: from factory to forest.

Gerd Mastmann confidently guides a small group of visitors through the QUNDIS factory in Erfurt. While the machines in the background set the pace of production, Mastmann explains in a soft voice how metering devices and readout systems are produced. He is familiar with the people and the machines in the factory, which perform their tasks with practised and efficient movements. “The production of metering and readout equipment is complex,” he comments on the production process. Every team, every employee and every supplier is bound by quality standards and checks, explains Mastmann, using his thumb to indicate the area behind him where a technician is currently checking a product sample. “And even beyond the manufacturing process, our environmental efforts are regularly reviewed by independent environmental auditors.” Then he raises his head and smiles, pointing to the ceiling: “Even our ceiling lamps are EMAS-certified”.

Martin Zink looks up from the ground and surveys the sparsely wooded surroundings. It is November 2022 and from a distance the brown trees blend into the autumn landscape. Up close, however, infestation by pests and the effects of the summer drought are clearly visible. “The voluntary commitment of companies to environmental protection is crucial for our region,” he says, assessing the situation. The member of BAUMPATEN THÜRINGEN® plunges his spade into the hard ground: “That's why I'm delighted to be here today at the groundbreaking ceremony for a QUNDIS company forest.” A little out of breath, he plants the small larch sapling in the ground and smiles.

QUNDIS-Baumpaten-Pflanzaktion — © „Nachhaltigkeitsabkommen Thüringen“

5,000 new trees by 2025

Just under ten kilometres west of Erfurt city centre, every day QUNDIS produces intelligent software and hardware solutions for digital consumption data recording and energy management in buildings. The production and marketing of metering and readout devices is subject to a wide range of laws, regulations and directives. In addition to this there are reporting obligations. And then there are also voluntary codes which companies can choose to follow. One example of this is the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), which is an instrument for demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and environmental protection.

The Baumpaten Thüringen organisation offers practical action to match the theory: by sponsoring tree planting, both private individuals and companies can transform fallow land into sustainable forests. Companies pay for the seedlings, the tree sponsors find privately-owned forest land, plant the trees and the forest owners then look after them. Due to increasingly prolonged heat waves, mild winter months and the resulting pest infestations, large gaps are emerging in private forestry operations that are obliged to carry out reforestation. “We want to close these gaps with the help of tree sponsorships and new, hybrid reforestation systems to transform unused areas into new habitat,” comments Martin Zink, adding: “With the help of private individuals, municipalities, companies and volunteers, we are aiming to plant a total of 1,000,000 trees by 2030”. Thuringia has a total forest area of more than half a million hectares. According to the broadcaster mdr, a fifth of this or 100,000 hectares is currently bare. Depending on the tree species, between 2,000 and 8,000 plants are required for one hectare of forest. This means that at least 200 million new trees are needed in Thuringia.

QUNDIS intends to support the Thuringia tree sponsors in the long term. The plan is to establish an area of woodland consisting of trees planted with the company’s support. In 2024 just under 2,500 trees were planted with the help of QUNDIS, but the Erfurt-based company intends to expand its commitment even further by 2025 and aims to plant as many as 5,000 new trees.

The legacy of industrial forestry

The current problems in central Germany can be traced back to human intervention some 300 years ago, which has also been observed in other parts of Europe. At that time, the wood from forests was used intensively for mining, metal and glass production, for example, as well as for shipbuilding. Many regions from Italy to England have not recovered from this depletion of their forests to this day. The situation has been further exacerbated by climate change. It is not just a few degrees higher average temperatures, but above all increasing weather extremes such as months of drought and subsequent heavy rainfall events, that are affecting our forests today.

The emergence of corporate responsibility is inextricably linked to historical development. Economic interests have often led to the destruction of landscapes, forcing legislators to act. A decisive step was the introduction of the Federal Emissions Control Act (BImSchG) in 1974, which for the first time obliged companies to reduce harmful emissions. Growing public awareness of environmental and social issues also led to increased pressure on business. In response, companies began to take their responsibility for the environment and society more seriously and introduced voluntary commitments to meet these expectations.

According to the KfW Development Bank's latest climate barometer, in 2022 German companies spent a total of €72.2 billion on climate protection. They invested primarily in climate-friendly mobility, the generation or storage of electricity and heat from renewable energies, as well as in the energy efficiency of their buildings. According to the study, two out of three companies have now at least partially integrated climate protection into their strategy. However, only 15 per cent of the companies had the specific goal of climate neutrality.

Corporate responsibility: commitment to the climate and society

Gerd Mastmann looks from the ceiling lamp into the faces of his visitors: “EMAS certification is a demanding process,” he explains with a smile. “There are many formal requirements which have to be fulfilled, and that's a good thing. They ensure that our environmental activities are now clearly measurable.”

Voluntary initiatives such as the partnership with the tree sponsors are part of QUNDIS's identity as a responsible company, explains Managing Director Volker Eck: “Our commitment to supporting a range of projects in the region reflects our understanding of social responsibility. Together with partners such as the Basketball Löwen Erfurt, the Mittelthüringen Children's Hospice and the Technical University of Ilmenau, we are committed to supporting young people and children. This is an important part of our corporate philosophy, as is our commitment to a sustainable future.”

Companies can assume social responsibility and make a positive contribution to society in a variety of ways. In addition to meeting legal requirements, voluntary commitment is of great importance, especially for the region. It enables companies to go beyond their legal responsibilities and have a direct positive influence on their community and the environment. For example, by supporting charitable projects, promoting employee volunteering and providing apprenticeships. They can also strengthen the local economy and implement environmentally friendly practices such as participating in initiatives like Baumpaten Thüringen, which help protect the environment and preserve the region's landscape.

QUNDIS-Baumpaten_Pflanzaktion_11_2023_3 — © „Nachhaltigkeitsabkommen Thüringen“

Looking ahead

Martin Zink looks at the sapling he has planted. “One tree alone doesn't make a forest,” he says, commenting on what he has done. “But with the help of companies and by arranging tree sponsorships, we aim to create robust forests with trees that are suited to the location.”

Martin Zink is proud of his day's work, even though there is still a lot to be done: “For the tree sponsorships we use two- to three-year-old saplings. We also rely on technical assistance from Plant Drones Germany. Our drone technology enables fast, precise and efficient reforestation. By applying the seedlings evenly and in a targeted manner, we achieve optimal results and can tackle large damaged areas.” He gestures across the blue sky to indicate the drone's flight radius. “Our efforts are already showing measurable results: we’ve planted 40,000 trees so far, which will offset over 140 million kilos of CO2 over the next 100 years. This is equivalent to the CO2 emissions from driving about 3 million kilometres in an average car. In future, we plan to establish a new ISO standard with the TÜV technical inspection authority to objectively document our environmental performance.”

From the drone's perspective the small village of Ruhla can be seen. Located in the middle of the Thuringian Forest, this mountain community is a prime example of sustainability: as early as the 18th century its inhabitants recognised the dangers which deforestation represented to their livelihoods. They sought advice from Gottlob König, a local forestry scientist and theologian. In 1805 König then founded the first forestry school in Ruhla, thus laying the foundation for sustainable forest management.