Stronger together — united for more sustainability

We look at sustainability from a holistic and group-wide perspective. The importance we attach to this issue is also reflected in our internal organization.

A group of people engaged in discussion while seated around a conference table in an office setting.

At the Körber Group, sustainability is anchored in the Group Executive Board and is overseen by the responsible Group Executive Board Member.

Through close dialog and interaction with our key stakeholders, the Group Executive Board takes their concerns about sustainability into account. The associated sustainability team is set up across Business Areas and functions and is managed by the Head of Sustainability of the Körber Group. We have specified a representative for sustainability in each Körber Business Area. In addition, for each focus field we have defined clear functional accountabilities and responsibilities for the Group and its Business Areas and for the implementation of the measures.

The core team, consisting of the representatives for sustainability in the Business Areas and the Head of Sustainability of the Körber Group, meets weekly to further develop and implement the sustainability strategy.

All of the measures are coordinated with the steering committee for sustainability. It comprises the Körber Group Executive Board, the CEOs of our Business Areas, and the Head of Sustainability of the Körber Group. Our Supervisory Board has the role of an independent reviewer. It is the Körber Group’s highest governance body. The focus field representatives and the representatives for sustainability of the respective Business Areas are responsible for implementing the measures.


The people responsible for sustainability within the Körber Group and the Business Areas

Michaela Thiel, Head of Sustainability, Körber AG
Michaela Thiel, Head of Sustainability, Körber AG

Sustainability at the Körber Group

Michaela Thiel, Head of Sustainability, Körber AG

In my opinion, the motto “We are stronger together” applies in particular to sustainability. Now that we have combined our sustainability-related activities into a shared group-wide approach, we have taken our commitment to sustainability to the next level. Since the launch of our sustainability initiative, we have made a lot of progress in delivering on our sustainability promise — to enable a better life for current and future generations through our activities.


For me personally…
…sustainability starts with every individual. Whether in my private sphere or as an employee of a responsibly acting company, we can all help to keep our planet livable by regularly questioning our habits and then shifting to the more sustainable practices and solutions that are possible.


Paulo Guerra, Senior Project Manager Sustainability, Business Area Digital
Paulo Guerra, Senior Project Manager Sustainability, Business Area Digital

Our contribution at the Business Area Digital

Paulo Guerra, Senior Project Manager Sustainability, Business Area Digital

Valid conclusions can be drawn on the basis of data, and that in turn enables us to operate more sustainably in our production environment. At our Business Area we develop digital solutions for gathering this data and coming to the right conclusions to reduce the use of valuable resources and environmentally harmful chemicals. Our applications are also used for process monitoring. They provide useful insights that help us harmonize manufacturing processes and boost productivity.


For me personally…
… achieving sustainability means partnering companies and individuals together. By combining both transparency at the corporate level (willingness to show how business is done) and responsibility at the consumer level (willingness to trade convenience for more conscious decisions) we will be able to make a difference moving towards a more sustainable society.

Marwin Krull, Product Owner Customer Portal & Sustainability Lead, Business Area Pharma
Marwin Krull, Product Owner Customer Portal & Sustainability Lead, Business Area Pharma

Our contribution at the Business Area Pharma

Marwin Krull, Product Owner Customer Portal & Sustainability Lead, Business Area Pharma

As a partner along the entire value chain from supplier to customer, we at the Körber Business Area Pharma make an important contribution to sustainability in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

With our holistic approach, we offer our customers not only innovative and sustainable packaging solutions but also comprehensive support for their efforts to meet their ambitious ESG goals. Our goal is to understand the challenges facing the industry and to work together to develop solutions that deliver environmental and social benefits as well as economic ones.


For me personally…
…sustainability should be regarded as an overarching task within an organization and its value chain. All of the relevant parties have to be included in order to ensure a holistic and successful transformation into a sustainable company. As part of my function, I am creating a network of sustainability enthusiasts throughout our entire Business Area, and this task really inspires me. In this way, we can jointly contribute to the global sustainability goals in the areas Environment, Social, and Governance. For me it’s important to ensure that concepts and measures are not limited to the workplace and that they also inspire people outside the company to adopt sustainable behavior.

Andreas Geiss, Head of Quality Management Logistics, Business Area Supply Chain
Andreas Geiss, Head of Quality Management Logistics, Business Area Supply Chain

Our contribution at the Business Area Supply Chain

Andreas Geiss, Head of Quality Management Logistics, Business Area Supply Chain

We support our customers’ efforts to make their supply chains more sustainable and reduce their energy consumption. We have now set ourselves the ambitious goal of achieving CO₂e neutrality throughout the entire Körber Group by 2025. This is a strong and important message to all of our customers, who are also focusing more strongly on sustainability. Additional material topics at our Business Area include responsibility in the supply chain and the topics of diversity, equal rights, and inclusion. Our collaboration with other Business Areas will be very useful for all of us.


For me personally…
… there is no alternative to sustainable behavior and sustainable business management. We need to act now to create the conditions for a better life — for ourselves and for future generations.

Sustainability management at the Körber Group