HOFFMANN MINERAL will focus on its commitment to the field of sustainability with the newly-created position of sustainability manager. Under the competent leadership of Laura Sommer, a comprehensive strategy for the entire business group will be developed.
The subject of sustainability has enjoyed a high priority at HOFFMANN MINERAL, beginning at a time when the topic still received little attention from business, industry, and the general public. The company has focused on subjects such as the recultivation and renaturation of open mining pits, as well as the creation of biotopes for the protection of endangered species, since the 1980s. Even in the past, HOFFMANN MINERAL has been intensely conscious of the subjects of energy efficiency and the environmental relevance of its portfolio. It was in this context that HOFFMANN MINERAL began to develop a detailed life cycle assessment for the first products in collaboration with TÜV Rheinland last year.
With the appointment of Laura Sommer to the newly created position of Sustainability Manager, HOFFMANN MINERAL has integrated the topic into the corporate structure on an organizational level as an independent division, which establishes a central point of contact and management for all aspects relating to sustainability for the entire business group. Effective January 1, 2023, Laura Sommer has taken over responsibility for all tasks that include a focus on sustainability in R&D and Risk Management.
“The subject of sustainability has made massive gains in terms of significance over the past few years,” explained Dr. Meilikhov, member of the Management Board for R&D and Risk Management. “The increasing pressure from both regulations and our own drive to give the subject of sustainability the attention and visibility that it deserves motivated us to take this organizational step. In doing so, we are taking both our own interests, and the interests of our customers and partners into account.” In line with this assessment, the new position will be affiliated directly with the management.
The development and structuring of the sustainability plan, which has already been launched, is one of the main challenges that Laura Sommer has been addressing since January. The initial objectives have been defined by identifying specific core issues: the subjects of supply chains, the environment, and product portfolio form the framework for future initiatives. “All the measures and strategies that we have planned for the future share a common goal,” explained Laura Sommer. “The negative effects that our business group has on the environment should be identified and minimized. With the creation of product-specific life cycle assessments, energy use, resource use, and even emissions for our products and their associated processes can be noticeably improved.” For example, an additional sustainability questionnaire is being used to check the supply chain even more reliably with regard to social and environmental issues, and a newly created working group is intensifying the topic of energy efficiency. In addition, the preparation of product-specific life cycle assessments will bring about a recognizable improvement in energy consumption, resource use and actual emissions for products and for the processes associated with them.
When it comes to sustainability, Dr. Meilikhov relies especially on unity within the company and the involvement of employees: “Everyone in the company needs to feel responsible. That is why one of the key tasks of our sustainability management is communication, with the goal of getting our employees on board and motivating them to participate. We are certain that we have gained an expert for HOFFMANN MINERAL in Ms. Sommer, who will fully commit herself to all the challenges ahead.”
Laura Sommer was already focused on the subject of sustainability during her studies. Her degrees in International Relations (B.A.) und International Economics und Governance (M.A.) were awarded for her thesis on the European Green Deal, among other things. In the two years prior to taking on her new role at HOFFMANN MINERAL, Sommer was responsible for sustainability and corporate responsibility as a coordinator in a large German group of companies.