Environmental management in practice: VAHLE and ISO 14001

• A hidden champion: VAHLE GmbH & Co KG
• Interview: "Sustainability is our cornerstone!"
• ISO 14001: On the way to implementation
• Environmental management in practice: High Level Structure
• Environmental protection - the role of top management in practice
• Integrated management system at a new level
• A focus on sustainability management
• DQS - what we can do for you

A hidden champion: VAHLE GmbH & Co KG

The history of VAHLE GmbH & Co KG, now in its fourth generation of family management, dates back to 1912, when founder Paul Vahle invented the world's first solid copper conductor rail more than 100 years ago, laying the foundation for a success story that is still ongoing today. Since then, VAHLE has developed into a leading global system provider for mobile industrial applications, whose cross-sector portfolio includes smart solutions for energy and data transmission, positioning and control.

The hidden champion, headquartered in Kamen, Germany, has been working for some time with a DQS-certified integrated management system (IMS) consisting of ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety), recently expanded to include environmental management in accordance with ISO 14001.

Interview: "Sustainability is our cornerstone!"

In this interview, we talk to VAHLE Managing Director Achim Dries and Sebastian Krüger, responsible for the implementation of the integrated management system, about the introduction, audit and certification of the environmental management system (EMS) as well as associated topics.

DQS: Mr. Dries and Mr. Krüger, let's start with the reasons behind the decision to add an environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 to your integrated management system - was it primarily the idea of sustainability or rather a customer requirement?

Sebastian Krüger: Actually, both! We had been thinking about expanding our integrated management system with additional standards and making it more comprehensive for some time. As part of our ongoing efforts towards sustainable development, it was particularly important to us to make our commitment to environmental and energy issues visible by means of a corresponding certificate - both internally and externally.

We take a holistic approach to sustainability, taking into account not only environmental and social aspects, but also economic goals. We are convinced that a balanced consideration of all three dimensions of sustainability - environmental, social and economic - supports both us as a company and our customers in their quest for long-term, sustainable success.

It is therefore a matter of course for us that ISO 14001 certification always takes customer requirements into account. As a trusted partner to many industry leaders, we see it as our responsibility not only to drive our own sustainability goals, but also to support our customers in their own environmental and energy efficiency goals.

ISO 14001: On the way to implementation

DQS: How did you approach the implementation of ISO 14001?

Sebastian Krüger: First of all, we gained a comprehensive overview of the requirements of ISO 14001. Due to the High Level Structure (HLS ) and the existing overlaps with other standards, it quickly became clear that we would take an integrated approach to this process. We therefore set up a core audit team, which has established itself so well that it still exists today. This team is made up of representatives and officers from the areas of environment, occupational health and safety and quality. As ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 were already part of our integrated management system, we were able to draw on proven structures and seamlessly integrate the introduction of ISO 14001.

The core audit team developed a detailed roadmap with clearly defined tasks for each area. The next step was to inform the entire C-Line[top management, editor's note] about the requirements of ISO 14001 and the resources required. With their full support, we then informed the division heads, department heads and team leaders about the roadmap for the introduction and certification according to the environmental standard.

The message was clear: we provide the structure and the framework for implementation, the experts and process owners from the respective departments are responsible for developing the content of the topics. This approach worked extremely well thanks to numerous exchange and impulse sessions, as well as the support of management and the executive level.

At the same time, all employees in the company were sensitized to the requirements of ISO 14001 through training. Throughout the entire implementation process, we regularly informed all employees about the status of the project via the intranet.

Environmental management in practice: High Level Structure

DQS: If you compare the ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 standards, you can see that there are a number of other similarities in addition to the high-level structure - have these synergies led to a noticeable reduction in the effort involved in implementing your EMS?

Sebastian Krüger: Absolutely! The synergies between the standards have above all saved us time and enabled us to build bridges to the specialist departments. ISO 45001 has already been established at VAHLE for some time, and environmental aspects, such as hazardous substances, often also affect the occupational safety of our employees.

Furthermore, when implementing ISO 14001, we benefited from the overlaps with ISO 9001, particularly in the areas of supplier management, risk management and compliance. These synergies have enabled us to efficiently integrate the requirements of ISO 14001 and further optimize our existing processes.

DQS: Thanks to the existing IMS, the implementation of standard requirements was already routine in your company. But you still had to prepare your employees for the new environmental issues - how did you go about it?

Sebastian Krüger: Our staff is really tried and tested! The key to our success lies in open and transparent communication. Our intranet has proven to be an excellent tool for disseminating information and promoting exchanges between employees and, of course, for being available as a point of contact.

We have held numerous coordination meetings with the directly involved employees from the specialist departments from the core audit team. And this is where training and qualifications play a key role. In addition to training on the regulations, we offer comprehensive internal training on all relevant sustainability topics, which is offered in our own "VAHLE Academy". We have also drawn up plans for further training courses on environmental topics such as environmental law, which are currently being implemented.

Environmental protection - the role of top management in practice

DQS: Mr. Dries, our auditors observed that, as CEO of VAHLE, you personally took stock of the state of affairs on every audit day...

Achim Dries:... absolutely, and in my view that is the least a CEO should do with regard to their management system. As a manager, it is my responsibility not only to provide resources and make strategic decisions, but also to play an active role in the implementation and further development of our systems. Sustainability is a key issue for us that must always be exemplified top-down. This is the only way we can be a true role model and motivate our employees to work towards our goals with commitment and conviction

DQS: Is the topic of sustainability very close to your heart?

Achim Dries: Yes, the topic of sustainability is very close to my heart. The path to greater sustainability is sometimes challenging, but in the end it brings considerable added value for our company and our environment. Through my personal presence and my active commitment, I want to show that these values are not just lip service, but are deeply rooted in our corporate culture.

As managing director, I see it as my responsibility to exemplify and implement the principles of sustainability. For me, sustainability is a long-term goal that goes beyond the present. We not only want to be successful today, we also want to make a positive contribution for future generations. That is why it is my goal, together with my team, to tread this sometimes arduous path in order to set long-term, positive impulses for both our company and our environment.

Integrated management system at a new level

DQS: Which areas of the company will contribute most to improved environmental performance through the new environmental management system and what does this improvement consist of?

Sebastian Krüger: First of all, I would like to emphasize that the introduction of the new environmental management system has raised our entire integrated management system to a new level. We have always dealt with environmental issues, but we have now approached this in a systematic and structured way, which has improved the existing structures of our other management systems and further developed the integrated management system as a whole in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.

A key area that contributes significantly to improving environmental performance through the EMS is the consideration of the entire supply chain. By introducing systematic environmental management measures, we have created a greater awareness of environmental aspects throughout the supply chain, which will lead to a significant increase in environmental performance in the future.

In addition, the life cycle assessment of our products is another important aspect. We integrate environmental aspects into our development process at an early stage and take recycling and recyclability into account from the outset. These measures ensure that environmental aspects are considered throughout the entire life cycle of our products.

Another significant contribution of environmental management in practice is that our products help our customers to operate more sustainably. Our solutions enable our customers to achieve their own environmental goals and operate more sustainably. In this way, we act beyond our own sustainable management as an "enabler" for sustainability in the entire industry.

A focus on sustainability management

DQS: Let's take a look at the near future: What's next in terms of a possible expansion of your integrated management system - ISO 50001 for energy management, for example, which would further support the idea of sustainability, or ISO 27001 for information security, which is becoming increasingly existential in view of the manifold threats from the web?

Sebastian Krüger: You are addressing exactly the right issues. When we implemented 14001, we already had our eyes on ISO 50001, so to speak. Last year, we shared our ISO 50001 experience with several companies and developed a roadmap for a gradual introduction.

The particular challenge is to consider both the properties, some of which are very old, and the new buildings that are being constructed. We are pursuing a plant structure plan until 2027 as part of our corporate strategy. However, the legislator has also set out clear requirements in the German Energy Efficiency Act, which we must take into account.

Customer requirements and the increasing cyber threat are prompting us to bring forward the introduction of ISO 27001 to 2025. We are currently working intensively on the development of our sustainability strategy. We see our management systems as the ideal foundation for achieving our sustainability goals in the future.

DQS: What role does DQS play in this?

Sebastian Krüger: Last year in particular, with the EMS certification and our tight schedule, DQS proved to be a very flexible and reliable partner. I would also like to take this opportunity to praise our DQS auditors. Without their commitment and willingness to walk this path together and in partnership, it would certainly have been bumpier. I have always found the cooperation to be appreciative, respectful and enriching.

DQS: Thank you for your insightful answers and information and we look forward to continuing our cooperation with VAHLE.

Paul Vahle GmbH & Co KG in figures

• Founded: 1912

• Headquarters: Kamen, Germany
• Workforce: more than 850 employees worldwide
• Turnover: approx. 140 million euros
• Products: approx. 5,000
• National companies (worldwide): 13
• Sales partners: 23
• CEO: Achim Dries

www.vahle.de

DQS - what we can do for you

Economic security and sustainable action - understanding both of these as equally important goals and anchoring them in the production process is considered one of the most important corporate tasks today. The growing global importance of sustainability and the ongoing change in awareness are reflected in increasingly complex environmental legislation.

The introduction of an effective environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 is a forward-looking way of strengthening trust and expanding market opportunities. Successful companies also see certification as an opportunity to recognize risks and potential for improvement more clearly through a neutral, independent view from the outside.

As an internationally recognized certifier for management systems and processes, we audit on more than 30,000 audit days per year. Our claim begins where audit checklists end. Take us at our word.

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