seele: ESG at seele: Focus on the Environment and Sustainability

View through the glass façade into the brightly lit production hall of seele in Gersthofen, with many machines visible inside.

A hand wearing a grey glove holding golden shavings.

Men dressed in black with white safety helmets and green hearts above their heads are carrying a white, glossy, trapezoidal disc.

The round entrance area of the Museum at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, with several people inside, featuring a cantilevered canopy made of glass panels and a glass façade overlooking the park and the historic courthouse.

Computer screen displaying a material analysis in the form of a pie chart, with labels on the left side in two fields.

corporate responsibility

Sustainability, carbon footprint reduction and resource stewardship have been at the core of seele’s philosophy since our company was founded, with policies and measures transparently monitored, certified and refined.

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renewable energy

We are consistently reducing our carbon footprint. The photovoltaic systems at our various sites have a capacity of 565 kWp.

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recycling rate

Our recycling rate is over 90 %. Since 2017, the amount of waste has been reduced by 43 %. And in the same period, the amount of hazardous waste has been reduced by 78 %.

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raising awareness

With our environmental week, annual waste report, and regular training sessions, we raise awareness among our employees. We also contribute to industry expert committees.

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rating systems

BREEAM, LEED or DGNB – we assist our clients with certification and we are already creating comprehensive material reports for our projects.

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co2 calculation tool

With our seele CO₂ calculation tool, we are able to evaluate different design solutions and identify potential for optimisation. Our tool is constantly undergoing further development and is routinely harmonised with manufacturers’ latest EPDs (environmental product declarations).

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renewable energy – with high investments

There is no question that the transition to climate neutrality requires smart concepts and substantial financial resources. As an owner-managed company, we have the advantage of making quick decisions and allocating the necessary financial resources. In the past, our focus was primarily on saving energy. Now, we are focusing on generating it. We produce our own electricity, saving 136 metric tonnes of CO₂, and are also working on concepts for heat recovery. Any electricity we cannot produce ourselves is supplemented with green energy. We are creating measurable results. Our goal: a complete transition to 100 % renewable energy.

reducing and recycling waste – waste avoidance makes economic sense

When it comes to waste, the focus is on prevention and the return of valuable raw materials to the circular economy. With the continuous reduction of waste and a recycling rate of over 90 %, we are on the right track. We scrutinise every process and optimise whatever is possible: avoiding over-deliveries, implementing modern tracking methods, using nesting programs, switching to alternative packaging materials, substituting hazardous substances, and reducing paper usage through digital processes. Our goal: to achieve measurable improvements every year (waste report).

reporting and transparency – basics for agile sustainability management

Our modern building management system records consumption data, enabling us to act based on key performance indicators. Monitoring production machinery is also crucial to optimise controls and identify potential leaks. The evaluations feed into our environmental life cycle assessments and certifications, including DIN EN ISO 14001:2015 for the environment and DIN EN ISO 50001:2018 for energy. We don’t just talk about necessary changes – we implement them in our Environmental and Energy Action Plans. Our goal: detailed monitoring of all consumption by 2025.

raising awareness – achieving success together

We place great importance on raising awareness and training our employees. To this end, we regularly organise environmental weeks and informational events. Our specialist departments actively participate in national and international professional associations to tackle major challenges together with other experts. Additionally, we have incorporated sustainability issues as an integral part of our audits of subcontractors and suppliers. We are actively contributing to the transformation of the industry. Our goal: 100 % monitoring of supplier sustainability by 2025.

consulting and life cycle assessment – focus on sustainability

Maximising the minimum – resource conservation is our top priority. We advise our clients as early as the tendering phase and use our CO₂ calculator to identify opportunities for optimisation. Less is more – especially when it comes to material usage. “Form follows sustainability”: the aim is to use materials in a way that allows for easy separation, ensuring that raw materials can achieve high recycling rates at the end of their life cycle. Today, we already maintain detailed material inventories for many construction projects. However, between production and recycling lies the building’s lifespan, and during this longest phase, we provide building users with excellent maintenance of the building envelope. Our goal: to create a materials passport for 100 % of our construction projects.

our goal: net zero

seele’s fact check on sustainability