Natural Resources

Committed to a Circular Economy

For a regenerative system driven by renewable energies that slows down resource flows and closes resource cycles. ?The current discussion about climate change is often only about climate protection. However, it is often overlooked that 90 percent of the loss of biodiversity is caused by raw material extraction and processing. Moreover, these activities have a significant impact on global greenhouse gas emissions. Eppendorf's economic activities also have negative impacts on the environment through the use and processing of natural resources. We therefore recognize our responsibility with regards to the respect of planetary boundaries and aim to minimize the use of natural resources throughout our value chain. This is where the natural resources strategy comes in.

In preparing our materiality analysis, we also analyzed our contribution to the SDGs, taking into account the entire value chain. With the Eppendorf Resource Strategy based on circular economy concepts, we are making a decisive contribution to achieving SDG 12, which aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production methods by 2030.

Environmental Vision

The exploitation of natural resources puts a strain on planetary boundaries where implementing Circular Economy principles offers essential opportunities for solutions. Thus, we thrive for transformation to Circular Economy by applying innovative circular business models.

Mission

Therefore, in our resources strategy we aim to minimize the use of natural resources throughout our value chain by focusing on efficient/alternative solutions for packaging and consumables and introducing circular economy concepts wherever possible.

Sustainability Strategy

As part of Eppendorf's global sustainability strategy and its resulting guiding theme "Natural Resources”, increasing resource efficiency and minimizing the amount of waste generated by our consumables and product packaging is of utmost strategic relevance.

Competitor Strategy

We want to set new standards and become a leading player in our industry by using natural resources in the most sustainable way and minimizing the waste generated by manufacturing and utilization. This will directly strengthen our competitiveness.

Azote for Stockholm Resilience Centre, based on analysis in Richardson et al 2023

Why we need a Circular Economy

Consumption of raw materials has tripled worldwide since 1970. The reason, apart from the continuously growing population, is primarily our increasingly resource-intensive lifestyle. The excessive consumption of raw materials and resources in disregard of planetary boundaries accounts for the mammoth share of the triple crisis of global warming, species extinction, and environmental pollution. The cause of the high primary raw?material consumption with all its negative consequences is caused in our linear economic model. We need to transform our economy and change our way of life, guiding towards a circular economy instead of a waste economy.??

Circular Economy is a regenerative system, powered by renewable energy, that replaces the current linear industry model of "take - make - waste". Consumption of raw materials has tripled worldwide since 1970. The reason, apart from the continuously growing population, is primarily our increasingly resource-intensive lifestyle. The excessive consumption of raw materials and resources in disregard of planetary boundaries accounts for the mammoth share of the triple crisis of global warming, species extinction, and environmental pollution. The cause of the high primary rawmaterial consumption with all its negative consequences is caused in our linear economic model. We need to transform our economy and change our way of life, guiding towards a circular economy instead of a waste economy.

Circular Economy is a regenerative system, powered by renewable energy, that replaces the current linear industry model of "take - make - waste". Materials are instead avoided in the economy or used more efficiently while reducing waste and negative impacts (reduce), substituted by more sustainable raw materials (replace), resource flows are slowed down, and finally resource loops closed (rethink).??

Circular concepts for us are regenerative systems, in which resource use, waste production, and emissions are minimized by slowing, reducing, and closing natural resource cycles - this can be achieved through dematerialization, the use of more sustainable raw materials, and a Design for Reuse and Recycling. In our understanding, Circular concepts also include a maximum servicability and durability of products as well as prevention of potential negative environmental and social impacts.

This ensures that there are defined persons responsible for achieving the targets and that the progress of defined measures is transparently trackable.

Samira Bebermeier

Manager Product Sustainability and Resources

Deep Dive: Packaging Resources

Deep Dive: Consumables Resources

As part of the Eppendorf strategy, we have set ourselves a number of goals for the protection of natural resources and the achievement of SDG 12. Particularly relevant topics for us are the responsible use of our consumables and packaging, for which we have defined concrete targets and measures.

Learn more

As part of the Eppendorf strategy, we have set ourselves a number of goals for the protection of natural resources and the achievement of SDG 12. Particularly relevant topics for us are the responsible use of our consumables, for which we have defined concrete targets and measures.

Learn more

Marketing

Marketing is part of every company. When creating material and stories, sustainable aspects should be included wherever possible.

Waste

Wherever people live, interact, work, and produce something, some kind of waste is generated. How to handle this?

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