Sustainable planning, successful management
Interview with Jörn Windler, Managing Director of the International Security Group, and Benno Blömen, Managing Director of Maibach VuS Gescher
From construction sites and offices to production facilities and warehouses, sustainability and energy efficiency are becoming increasingly important in a wide range of areas in light of the global climate crisis. Maibach VuS GmbH from Gescher and the International Security Group also operate their intelligent Video Guard construction site surveillance system using renewable energies. In this interview, Benno Blömen and Jörn Windler explain the other areas in which the two companies are saving energy, promoting sustainability and how they motivate their employees to conserve resources.
What role does solar energy play for you?
Jörn Windler: I believe that there is no alternative to renewable energies in the long term. We now use photovoltaics (PV) in various areas. Our Video Guard surveillance systems are also available with solar panels and environmentally friendly fuel cells, making them completely self-sufficient. Last year, we also installed a PV system on the roof of our production hall in Hesel. As ISG, our production is now completely CO2-neutral and, in terms of sustainability, we fully share the convictions of our parent company Addsecure, which was recently recognized for its measures to reduce CO2 emissions, among other things. When a company receives a silver medal from a renowned sustainability assessor such as EcoVadis, it is very motivating and shows that you are on the right track.
Benno Blömen: We do not yet produce our own electricity at our company headquarters in Gescher, but we only use green electricity. Incidentally, we also use it to charge the vehicle fleet of our sales force, which we are currently converting step by step to electromobility. We installed our own charging stations for this purpose last year. Colleagues are often asked about this during customer visits. It is clear that this topic is attracting increasing interest and gaining acceptance. In a few years’ time, electric cars will be part of our everyday lives.
Where do you actively save energy?
Benno Blömen: I think I can speak for both companies on this point. We have converted the lighting in all offices and halls to LED lamps. This should be a matter of course nowadays, but I am always surprised where I still see classic light bulbs or halogen lights – both in the private and commercial sectors. I think there is still a lot of room for improvement.
Jörn Windler: We also motivate our employees to use energy responsibly. We have recently built a bicycle shelter on the premises. This may not be a big deal in itself, but the signal to our staff is clear: we are creating the framework conditions so that they in turn make a contribution and hopefully switch from cars to bicycles in large numbers where possible in the future.
As an entrepreneur, what other adjustments can you make to conserve resources?
Jörn Windler: On the one hand, there is the paperless office, which protects the valuable raw material wood. This is another area where many companies will certainly need to upgrade. I can understand that this is not always easy. It is important that the employees are brought on board. If you’ve been printing everything out for 30 years, you might find it incredibly difficult to work digitally. We have recently introduced software for delivery and service trips. We previously created all of this documentation in paper form. After a short changeover period, everything is now running smoothly. We also want to use software instead of paper in the administration and control center in the future, but this process is still ongoing.
Benno Blömen: The paperless office is also an important topic for us. We have already successfully demonstrated in many areas that the energy transition is possible. It may cost us strength in the short and medium term, but there is no alternative. I think I can speak for Mr. Windler and myself when I say that we will continue to look into every nook and cranny and leave no stone unturned in order to plan green and manage successfully despite, or rather because of, this.
