Christian A. W. Berner
Chairman of the Executive Board &
Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) BERNER Group
As a society, we are facing major challenges. However, contrary to many people's believes, overall, we are doing better than ever before. We have less poverty, better education, higher prosperity - a situation that has never existed before.
All of this is a result of global trade. Industrial progress and global trade have resulted in developing countries now being home to major manufacturing and production industries. These industries create jobs and finance local development. Moreover, technological advancements have enabled us to significantly increase the efficiency of the way we trade. If, at the beginning of the 20th century, an average car consumed ~30 liters per 100 km, today it consumes less than 1/3 of that. Large computing machines, that used to consume untold amounts of energy, now run on our smartphones.
As an entrepreneur, I therefore believe in our path, in growth. I am proud that, in many parts of the world, we no longer fight wars because we have strong economic relationships. Moreover, as a European, I want to defend our leading economic position and secure prosperity. I do not want to risk Europe to become a third world country.
At the same time, we must take responsibility for the negative consequences of the progress we benefit from. This means, following the original CSR approach: Earn money to sustain yourself and use it to finance sustainable, environmentally friendly, business practices, as well as a value-oriented approach to dealing with people and society.
For us, this has been part of our DNA since 1957. In particular, taking responsibility for people and the society is something that is close to our heart and that we have demonstrated through countless projects and initiatives.
However, views on the topic of environment vary greatly, while it seems so simple:
While topics such as waste and circularity are mostly unambiguous, one of the more controversial topics in this context is ‘energy’ or what it is often reduced to: CO emissions
The Club of Rome announced in 1972 that we are running out of fossil resources. This has not been the case so far.
Similarly, the Treaty of Paris announced that global warming should not exceed 1.5 degrees, based on pre-industrialization figures. The cause is simple: C02 emissions are driving global warming. In April 2016 196 countries signed the Paris Agreement and committed themselves to contributing to reduce GHG emissions
We at Berner have a value called b.real – to always be honest. And because I want to be honest, I therefore have to critically question these targets:
It is undebatable that CO2 drives global warming and there is a need to reduce emissions globally. Nevertheless, we want to b.real: a study from McKinsey shows that, while we were able to move the historical trend from 5°C by 2100 to ~3.5°C, reaching 1.5°C is unrealistic at the current pace. The world community is not able or willing to take the drastic measures required to reduce CO2. Especially developing countries are not able to reduce CO2 to the extend necessary.
To reach the 1.5 ° target extreme actions are necessary and, according to Greenpeace, would require measures such as the elimination of half of the prognosed combustion vehicle sales worldwide until 2040. Going down such a path would risk a stepwise deindustrialization and jeopardize the stability we enjoy in large parts of Europe. The downturn of industries such as construction, automotive and agriculture, which are heavy greenhouse gas emitters could lead to unemployment and reduced prosperity across Europe.
This is not a path we want to follow. We believe in setting ambitious but realistic targets and in taking people along on this journey. Moreover, we believe in a future that is not determined by prohibitions but by technology driven transformation. We must admit that, on the current path, we will breach the 1.5°C threshold, stated in the Paris Agreement, and that besides working on CO2 reductions, we also need to invest in protection against the consequences of climate change, worldwide but also here in Europe.
The transformation will take time and will use both old and new technologies. Fossil resources are still extremely important for our society and will remain so for a long time. We must stay open to new technologies and be willing to use technologies that are not perfect but can be implemented quickly such as hydrogen.
Besides promoting the development of technologies to reduce CO2 emissions, we must promote and invest in technologies that work on CO2 storage and conversion.
While, as a society, we are working on these reduction and avoidance measures, we should accompany this strategy by investing in climate protection projects to reduce CO2 emissions elsewhere in the world, thereby impacting the global CO2 footprint. And there is enough money in the western world to do so.
With threats and prohibitions regarding the cars we are allowed to drive or how/where we are allowed to travel, we are losing more people on the mission than we gain. That's why we have to offer a path that people want to follow us on and which motivate them. That has always been my approach as an entrepreneur and the basis for our success.
At BERNER one of our corporate values is b.responsible. That is why it has been our constant pursuit to take responsibility. Responsibility for the society. Responsibility for the environment. But also responsibility to be honest. Responsibility for acting, even in the absence of a clear political leadership. Because we want to.
While there are many factors that paint a grim picture for a sustainable and green future, there is one statistic that sets a different, more positive scene and gives hope for a successful green economy. Data shows that, while economic growth and carbon emissions used to be directly coupled, for some countries, that is changing. In those countries economic growth is realized, while emissions fall and even though it might be a long way to go, this is a path we should set our sight on.
Personally, I believe there is a way for all of us to contribute to a socially as well as environmentally sustainable future without harming the progress we have made as a society and a global economy. For us at BERNER, that means being critical and thinking ahead to create real change, one step at a time.
At BERNER, we build on a heritage of responsible thinking dating back to our founding in 1957. From the outset, Albert and Ursula Berner prioritized taking care of their employees and promoting social engagement. Today, under the leadership of our CEO Christian Berner, responsibility is firmly anchored in our values, driving our efforts to become a responsible corporate citizen through minimizing our environmental impact, engaging socially and taking responsibility for people internally as well as along our value chain.
The BERNER sustainability journey has not just started in the last 10-15 years, when the topic gained importance in the political and economic environment. Responsible thinking has always characterized us as a company. Since BERNER was founded in 1957, Albert and Ursula Berner have taken on responsibility for people within but also beyond the company. They not only supported numerous social institutions from private means but also managed to shape a culture which encourages and enables its employees to support local projects of their choosing through workforce as well as with product or cash donations.
With Christian Berner as our CEO since 2012, we are now in the second generation and have fostered and strengthened a responsible mindset throughout the entire BERNER Group.
In 2015 we defined our six corporate values, which serve as our anchor and provide direction in our decision making and the way we approach challenges every day. To b.responsible is one of those six core values. We have created a culture in which we take care of our employees, support society, when and where it’s needed the most, and work hard on minimizing the impact we, as a company, have on the environment.
To emphasize our determination, in 2023 we have established a dedicated CR management and have defined a group-wide, holistic sustainability strategy to bundle and strengthen ongoing projects and initiatives and to guide us going forward. We approach CR holistically by looking at ‘Environment’, ‘ People’ and ‘Society’ and by doing what we do best: staying true to our values.
One of those values is b.real and it means to always be honest. We want to question public opinion and think for ourselves to base our strategic direction on critical thinking and a realistic view of the world. This is how we determine how we want to act and where we can have the most impact.
As a family business, sustainability is part of our DNA. Instead of looking at the next few years, we think about the next generations - in our daily work as well as strategic decision making. For us at BERNER, this means taking responsibility for ‘Environment’, ‘People’ and ‘Society’. These three strategic pillars build the cornerstones of our CR strategy, give us direction, and determine our way forward to becoming a more sustainable company.
Protecting the environment means taking responsibility for future generations Our actions as humans and as a business have a huge impact on the environment in terms of the consumption of resources, pollution, and CO2 emissions.
At BERNER, we have always promoted and enforced an economical use of resources. In recent years, the climate crisis has demonstrated that the global community is not doing enough to prevent the fatal changes in our climate and that the urgency to pay attention to measures like reducing CO2 emissions is increasing every day.
We have determined CO2 emissions and waste as two focus topics to drive change internally and maximize the positive impact we can have on the environment.
It is undebatable that CO2 drives global warming and there is a need to reduce emissions globally. A study from McKinsey shows that, while we were able to move the historical trend from 5°C by 2100 to ~3.5°C, reaching 1.5°C is unrealistic at the current pace. The world community is not able or willing to take the drastic measures required to reduce CO2. Especially developing countries are not able to reduce CO2 to the extend necessary.
To reach the 1.5 ° target extreme actions are necessary and, according to Greenpeace, would require measures such as the elimination of half of the prognosed combustion vehicle sales worldwide until 2040. Going down such a path would risk a stepwise deindustrialization and jeopardize the stability we enjoy in large parts of Europe. The downturn of industries such as construction, automotive and agriculture, which are heavy GHG emitters could lead to unemployment and reduced prosperity across Europe.
This is not a path we want to follow. We believe in setting ambitious but realistic targets and in taking people along on this journey. Moreover, we believe in a future that is not determined by prohibitions but by technology driven innovations. We must admit that, on the current path, we will breach the 1.5°C threshold, and that besides working on CO2 reductions, we also need to invest in protection against the consequences of climate change, worldwide but also here in Europe.
However, there are also encouraging statistics when looking at the future. Data show that, while economic growth and carbon emissions used to be directly coupled, for some countries, that is changing. In those countries economic growth is realized, while emissions fall and even though it might be a long way to go, this is a path we should set our sight on.
As a business and with the existing technological options, reducing CO2 emissions to zero will not be possible. However, there is a lot we can and want to do. Therefore, at BERNER, we have defined a CO2 strategy based on reduction, replacement, and compensation measures and set a CO2 reduction target of 80% until 2030.
We have set ourselves the goal to reduce our group-wide emissions generated by operations, offices, and our fleet (Scope 1 & 2) by 80% until 2030. This target is solely based on reduction and replacement measures which we plan to implement across the BERNER Group.
While pursuing the achievement of our CO2 target, we are continuously improving and expanding our group-wide CO2 footprint analysis. The initial analysis focused primarily on Scope 1 and 2 emissions with only selected scope 3 categories. To determine the most effective reduction measures in our upstream and downstream value chain, looking forward, we will also expand on our scope 3 analysis.
Reduction and replacement are the priority in our CO2 strategy. However, some of the measures we are implementing will take time to realize the planned CO2 savings. To contribute to reducing the global CO2 emissions right now, starting in 2023, we invest in climate protection projects to realize CO2 savings that match our scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions. Through those financial contributions to climate protection, in 2023 we are CO2 neutral in scope 1 & 2 for our Europe-wide operations.
The CO2 transformation for BERNER, as well as society as a whole, will take time and we need to stay open to new technologies, because only radical innovations can bring the progress in CO2 savings and capturing that the climate requires.
We want to and have to increase efficiency in our energy consumption and reduce CO2 emissions. As the main driver of CO2 emissions, our vehicle fleet of >5.500 cars is also the biggest lever for CO2 reductions. By switching into the next gear in our “Green Car Policy”, we will shift 85% of our entire fleet to alternative power sources until 2030.
Starting now, employees across Europe, who own a company car, are encouraged to switch to fully electric vehicle. As a result, combustion engines will gradually disappear from our fleet over the next years. Hybrid cars are already no longer an option under the new fleet policy, due to limited positive climate effects for the observed travel profiles. While our ‘Green Car Policy’ focuses on electrical cars right now, we believe in investing in innovation and investigating new technological routes to create a climate neutral perspective for our vehicle fleet. Therefore, we stay open to consider new technologies as they become available.
We are aware of the partially insufficient charging infrastructure across Europe but nevertheless, want to encourage our employees to switch to an electrical car. Therefore, all employees, who switch their company car to an e-vehicle, receive a financial support of several hundred euros for the installation of a wall box and can charge their cars at home and at BERNER sites across Europe at no additional costs.
Where we can’t reduce our energy consumption any further, we are switching to renewable energy sources as far as possible. This can take different forms: Some measures are as simple as contractually switching from grey to green electricity. In 2023, we already use green energy at 65% of BERNER-owned sites and are planning to reach 100% green electricity across our European operations by 2024.
For other measures we are going one step further and become our own energy supplier through photovoltaic systems on our roofs. This does not only supply us with green energy but also increases autarky and price stability. Currently, six sites are already using solar energy – and there are more to come.
In addition, we are conducting detailed analyses of our key sites to determine new levers for reducing our emissions, ranging from energy saving measures to new heating concepts.
Reducing our CO2 emissions is a journey and cannot be achieved from one day to the next. Our CO2 strategy combines reduction, replacement but also compensation elements. While the 80% CO2 reduction target is based on measures which are currently being implemented, the Berner family has decided to invest in certified climate protection projects to take responsibility for the CO2 emissions caused by our operations (scope 1 & 2) across Europe, starting 2023.
By investing in climate protection projects, we are financing CO2 reduction measures across the globe, while working on reducing the CO2 emissions of our operations in Europe. We have handpicked projects that are not only designed to help reduce global CO2 emissions but also to address social and health issues in communities in the global South, thereby supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We are working together with experienced and innovative partners and select only projects with the highest standards to ensure the most effective use of our funds and the maximum positive effect for the climate as well as local communities.
Waste is one of the leading environmental issues in today’s world. The production and improper disposal of waste have significant impacts on the environment including pollution of land, water, and air. Moreover, the plastic our society produces will take thousands of years to decompose, thereby leaving its mark long after we are gone.
As a company, we have embarked upon a path to reduce waste created by our business operations. This includes not just the waste we dispose of but also the waste we create through our packaging and products.
We encourage employees to work digitally and beyond recycling of our office waste, we engage in partnerships to ensure the professional recycling and refurbishment of our IT equipment. Our largest lever, however, is the waste created by our products and shipments.
Therefore, as a first step on this journey, we have set ourselves the objective to switch to 100% recyclable filling material as well as 100% recyclable and plastic-free packaging material in our outgoing logistics operations until 2023 and 2024 respectively.
There are many more levers to pull along our value chain to reduce waste and we are still at the beginning of this journey but are determined to make changes.
The main sources of waste that we generate are our products and our packaging. Therefore, we have initiated a group-wide project through which we plan to reduce the overall use of packaging materials in logistics and make it 100% recyclable. Through a reduction in package size and a switch of filling materials, we do not only reduce waste but also the CO2 emissions of our logistics partners, due to increased transport efficiency. Moreover, the new filling material is made of 50% post-consumer plastic and 50% vegetal waste. By choosing this material, we support the process of collecting, re-processing, and remaking a previously used plastic products into something new, instead of disposing of it on a landfill. Compared to using paper as filling material, this significantly saves CO2, energy, and water during production.
There is still significant progress to be made in reducing our overall waste impact. We must establish strong partnerships with our suppliers and logistics partners to prioritize the concept of circularity in both products and packaging. By embracing this approach, we can promote waste reduction and cultivate a mindset of sustainability throughout the entire supply chain.
Electronic waste is a significant source of landfill waste and recycling of electronics does not only reduce waste but also promotes the concept of circular economy and reuse and conservation of resources.
To promote circularity, we have started a partnership with AfB gGmbH, Europe’s largest non-profit IT company, in Austria in 2011. Thanks to this partnership, BERNER supports the employment of people with disabilities and reduces its environmental footprint due to the professional refurbishment of discarded company technology.
This partnership was recently expanded to our German operations, and we plan to expand it further going forward.
People are at the core of our business and their health, safety, and well-being is a priority for us. This includes our employees as well as our business partners and customers who play an integral role in shaping our path towards sustainability. We strive to create a supportive work environment, foster strong partnerships and deliver innovative solutions to our customers.
Our employees are the foundation of our success
We recognize that our business is as strong as it is today due
to the great engagement our employees show every day. As a
family-owned business we acknowledge our accountability and
responsibility to ensure the physical and mental well-being of
our employees.
Our commitment centers on providing a safe working environment in which everyone is treated equally and where all employees can develop to their full potential.
At BERNER we believe in growth through learning and through our global BERNER Group Campus we enable learning and growth for all our employees. Our learning offering, incorporating learning delivered by in-house expert trainers and external partners as well as modern digital learning options, enables our employees to adapt to the changing work environment and grow their personal and professional careers.
At BERNER we are a community of individuals that find value in giving back and positively impacting society. We recognize the importance of purpose and contribution for our employees and as such the BERNER Group supports our employees both with time and resources to participate in initiatives where they can be an active part in making a difference.
Our business is designed to serve our customers. We work closely with our customers and have grown strong partnerships to meet their demands in the most effective and most efficient way. Our focus on cooperation has shown that when we work together, we can make real change happen – this also applies to a more sustainable future.
Sustainability impacts our customers relationships on multiple levels.
Our responsible product line helps our customers to protect their health and safety. Our objective is that by 2030, 20% of all chemical products in the BERNER Group product portfolio will qualify as 'responsible products'.
Responsible products: three new product categories launched
In 2023 we launched the BERNER ‘responsible product’ line. The three new product categories ‘USERprotect’, ‘ECOprotect’ and ‘RESIDENTprotect’ enable our customers to reduce health risks, reduce their environmental impact and reduce emissions in buildings. Clear labels and strict criteria provide transparency and enable informed decision making to make our customers work easier.
While we start off with 52 products that fulfill our ‘responsible product’ criteria, we want to continuously increase this number by introducing new products as well as modifying existing products to meet the required standards, without sacrificing any of the functionality and quality. Our objective is that by 2030, 20% of all chemical products in our group product portfolio are ‘responsible products’.
To learn more about our responsible products, please click here https://shop.berner.eu/de-de/aac/59528058-responsible-products/ .
Our products as well as our value chain are a major lever in becoming more sustainable. Not just in terms of environmental aspects but also in terms of safety and protection of human rights along the supply chain.
We strive for long-term relationships with our suppliers, where we build partnerships based on a common set of shared values. Some of our supplier relationships go back more than 20 years and our values build a central cornerstone of our long-standing as well as new relationships.
To guarantee our global supplier network shares our values of taking responsibility and ensuring the health and safety of their employees, we have defined the BERNER Supplier Code of Conduct. The CoC determine a set of fundamental requirements regarding e.g., labor standards, anti-corruption, workplace safety and human rights. All our Group suppliers are required to sign and adhere to those requirements.
From donations to education: What social engagement at BERNER
looks like
Offering help where it’s needed has become an essential aspect
of the modern business landscape and has always been a
fundamental building block of the BERNER culture. We want to
take an active role and contribute to the communities that are
close to our operational sites – and beyond.
Social engagement at BERNER comes in many shapes: From initiating and conducting social projects to cash donations for people in need as well as supporting the career choice of young people. The spectrum of possibilities to get involved is broad and we are proud to say that social engagement at BERNER is driven by the company as much as by its employees.
To enable all BERNER employees to act and give back to their communities, as BERNER we have set ourselves the objective to conduct >30 social projects each year across the entire group.
60 years of BERNER in 2017 – This was a good reason for us to celebrate and be proud of the successes that we achieved during the first six decades since the foundation of the company in 1957. However, instead of just throwing a big party, we decided to pass on the joy and the spirit and share it with all those who could make good use of a helping hand. In 2017, we supported 60 community projects throughout Europe with donations of products and cash, but most of all with our own workforce on site – a commitment that came straight from the heart of our company. All the great ideas for the 60 social projects that deserved to be supported, were suggested by our employees.
This should not remain a one-off initiative: After this big success in 2017, initiating and contributing to social projects has become an integral part of the BERNER culture.
Find out more in our 60 years magazine.
After the big success of our “60-years – 60 projects” initiative in 2017, carrying out social projects has become an integral part of the BERNER culture.
As a family business with strong values, we believe in taking responsibility for the community. That's why we continue to engage in community projects that exemplify our corporate value b.responsible, by supporting non-profit associations and other social institutions in all our locations throughout Europe.
The proposals for the projects come from our employees and cover a broad range of good causes and social institutions. They range from projects like constructing a permaculture garden for children with disabilities in France to offering training sessions for students with intellectual disabilities in Spain as well as building new outdoor facilities at a women and children’s shelter Germany – to name just a few of many projects.
Our approach to social projects goes beyond simply donating products or providing financial assistance. We actively participate on-site with our employees’ workforce, using our expertise as a wholesaler to help build, repair, or clean whatever is needed, wherever it is needed.
BERNER collects: donating cash and goods to victims in earthquake areas
We were and still are deeply affected by the terrible earthquake
disaster in Turkey and Syria in 2023. To support the people in
the crisis regions, a central account has been set up together
with the association Caritas International, into which our 8,000
employees could deposit relief funds with immediate effect. In
addition, the Berner family contributed 50,000 euros to the
cause.
Since the people affected were often left with nothing and lost
all their belongings, BERNER Austria organized the collection
and delivery of material and goods (e.g., lamps, blankets,
disinfectants) to the disaster region.
BERNER collects: donating to suffering civilians in Ukraine
BERNER is standing by the side of Ukraine since the beginning of the war. “Donations in cash and kind worth more than half a million euros have been collected to help on the ground,” CEO Christian Berner summarizes.
After an initial donation of 200.000€ in February 2022, for Christmas of the same year, we launched a new group-wide donation campaign to signal our ongoing solidarity and support for Ukraine. The campaign was initiated by our employees and proudly supported by Christian Berner, who offered to double all collected donations.
Collectively, we were able to raise 15.000€ which were increased to 30.000€ by Christian Berner. This amount was transferred to Caritas International, an association that continues to help tirelessly to bring help to war-affected people and work to alleviate their suffering.
With our group-wide CR-project Future Youth, we provide youth the opportunity to through an interactive and fun business-based learning program, explore business and career options and thereby contribute to empowering them to make informed choices about their future professions whilst at the same time introducing them to the world of work.
The Future Youth initiative consists of three programs that are targeted at different age groups and tailored for their needs. All programs are designed for the students to in a real-life context learn about a variety of professions and at the same time give them an opportunity to gain understanding of the work culture of a business and support them to prepare for their work life after graduation. Participants gain insights into different career paths, figure out work-related interests and see how an international company works. During the real-life simulation and work shadowing, they experience how it feels to be part of the corporate world. Together they solve business challenges and create suggestions for new market innovations.
The program started in 2023 and will offer more than 600 students across Europe the opportunity to get insights into what their professional future could look like, have fun and network.
The Albert BERNER Foundation was founded on the occasion of Albert Berner’s 60th birthday. The Foundation primarily supports causes and projects in the Künzelsau region with a particular focus on the long-term sustainability and impact of the supported projects.
As the chair of the foundation’s board, Ursula Berner is a key pillar in developing and shaping the foundation and the work it does.
The foundation is active in several areas such as social and cultural engagement as well as sports and education. To learn more about the Albert Berner Foundation and the projects it supports click here.