How does sustainability happen in your company?
As an innovative environmental engineering company we are committed to sustainability and resource conservation. To us, a solution is only sustainable if it is technically, economically, environmentally and socially responsible. Because of this, we judge our products and our internal processes by their energy and resource efficiency. The sustainability section of our annual report gives us a way of reporting on our performance in these areas, as part of our overall corporate communication effort.

Is there a fundamental conflict between profits and sustainability?
We aim to maximise profits in order to make the investments necessary that make our company successful.   And it goes without saying that shareholders expect returns on their investment in the form of dividends. All our services and products are developed and created with sustainability in mind and add to the realisation of our profits.This is a strategic competitive advantage for today as well as for the future.In short, for us sustainability is not just a matter of image maintenance, it is central to the way we run our business.

What consequences does this have?
For our stakeholders, our commitment to sustainability means increased transparency, and hence credibility. For our clients it means the assurance that we use resources as efficiently as possible. And for our employees it means a chance to have input in the work they do as well as in planning their careers. Additionally they can be assured of high health and safety standards in the workplace.

How can your company help protect the environment?
SW Umwelttechnik has focussed its activities on sustainable operations since its foundation in 1910. We have been aiming to achieve a better balance between ecological and economical considerations from way before environmental protection became a general topic of interest. Our products are at the interface between economics and ecology, and we try to ensure that they will perform well on both counts throughout their life cycle.

What can be done to promote a reorientation to sustainable enterprise?
At present the economy works as though resources are infinite. We have to change that. As far as possible, we try to create closed cycles for our processes. For instance, rejects are crushed and returned to production, and we also recycle much of the water we use. Another step we have taken is to enter the renewable energy sector. This form of energy production is CO neutral, so it helps meet the Kyoto greenhouse gas targets.

How do you put sustainable enterprise into practice?
This is an ongoing process. The sustainability dimension is built into our strategy and management methods, and we exploit the opportunities this creates to identify risks and generate sustainable value.

SW Umwelttechnik's approach to sustainability reporting is based on the Global Reporting Initiative's GRI 2002 Guidelines.