ZEISS publishes first group sustainability report after fiscal year 2016/17

Sustainable action and long-term value added are firmly anchored in the company’s mission statement and are part and parcel of everyday life; ZEISS kicks off 2018 in Oberkochen by focusing on “Rethinking education”.

In terms of value added, the past fiscal year has seen 46% fewer CO2 emissions, around 8,400 patents worldwide and more than EUR 540,000 for approximately 120 funded projects – ZEISS can now present all these facts and figures in its first-ever Group-wide sustainability report.

With the report on fiscal year 2016/17, the world’s leader in the optics and optoelectronics industries documents how it defines responsible behaviour in a dynamic, ever-changing economic and societal environment and takes action with a view to lasting business success. 

The report certified by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) illustrates the principles guiding the company’s operations, what objectives it has set itself and what measures it is taking in five fields of action (integrity and compliance; products and the value chain; the environment; employees; societal and social engagement). In the report, ZEISS acknowledges its commitment to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that were adopted by the United Nations in December 2015.

“ZEISS’s success is a result of sustainable, responsible action that is founded on our strategy, our brand and our values. Thus, responsibility toward society, individual customers, partners, employees and the environment is at the core of the corporate identity we live by,” says President and CEO Prof. Dr. Michael Kaschke. “We can proudly look back on 170 years of tradition characterized by ever more sustainable value added. Only by continuing to see our responsibility holistically can we ensure ZEISS remains successful.”

One example of ZEISS’s future-oriented commitment to sustainability is an initiative that will be launched on 7 February 2018 with the kick-off event at the ZEISS Forum in Oberkochen.

It aims to network partners from science and industry. Fully in keeping with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and in line with the slogan “Rethinking education”, the event sees schoolkids, trainees, students and newly formed start-ups present their ideas about how we can rethink and shape education in innovative ways. They will present new approaches such as e-learning and self-determined learning. The best ideas will be honored with prizes as part of the event. 

Contributions from different business initiatives will present ways in which we can break down the barriers of traditional education systems. Philosopher Richard David Precht, one of Germany’s leading lights who has published works on education, will be presenting his thoughts in a speech and will then discuss these with Kaschke.

“ZEISS is assuming societal responsibility and would like to play an ever greater role in addressing educational topics together with its partners. After all, only through close networks will it be possible to overcome the challenges associated with future-oriented education, both regionally and globally.”