Sustainability at EBF
Shaping a future worth living together.
With curiosity. With courage. With passion.
Sustainability concerns us all
Our society is facing major challenges. It is about nothing less than ensuring that we and future generations have a life worth living. A goal that should not deter us, but motivate us! Because we will all benefit in many ways if we achieve it.
We at EBF also want to make our contribution and continue to intensify our efforts for more sustainability.
With curiosity. With courage. With passion.
What do we mean by sustainability?
We have answered this question with the help of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and agree that we want to understand sustainability as a triad – as a symbiosis of ecology, social issues and economy:
Ecology
Our nature is wonderful and the basis of our lives.
We want to conserve natural resources, avoid as many emissions as possible and promote biodiversity.
Social aspects
Everyone should have the same opportunities.
We want to become socially engaged and contribute to greater equality, justice and diversity – in companies as well as in society.
Economy
The IT world is exciting and multi-faceted!
We want to create better access to digital education, inspire and empower children for IT. Every profession should be open to everyone, everyone should benefit from diverse perspectives and our labor market should be strengthened.
In this way, we can work towards a future worth living and promote responsible action in various ways, taking into account our impact on the environment and society as well as on our colleagues, the EBF and our business contacts. They all deserve it!
Our strategy: How do we proceed?
Focus
on sustainability
In mid-2023, we set up a sustainability team to develop ideas, initiate campaigns and accompany their implementation. Colleagues with very different perspectives came together for this purpose and set off with a great deal of motivation, commitment and curiosity. We firmly believe that we can achieve a lot together and as a company. Sustainability matters to many EBF employees already.
A good mix: direct impact and long-term vision
A shared journey
of learning
On our journey, numerous ideas meet with just as many questions. Questions that are often not easy to answer. Our path is therefore characterized by many opportunities to learn – from experience, from each other and from others. Every perspective is valuable and takes us one step further. And there is still a lot for us to achieve.
“We believe in this
and are moving ahead”
“It is important to us to work towards a future worth living – with unique nature, strong and fair communities and diverse working environments.”
Markus Adolph
Founder and managing partner of EBF
Our current sustainability initiatives
Conserving resources
Reducing and avoiding emissions – this is a key element of our sustainability strategy. For example, we only print when absolutely necessary, ensure clear waste separation and reduce the standby times of devices.
Sustainable procurement
When ordering office materials, equipment, etc., we pay attention to which materials are used, how they are produced and how well they can be reused. For years, we are using certified green electricity.
Reforestation
Since 2020, we have been reforesting site-appropriate mixed forests in Germany together with the organization PRIMAKLIMA. We have planted around 7,000 trees so far. Trees that make an essential contribution to our ecosystem and help to bind CO2 from the air.
Environmentally friendly mobility
With our job ticket and job bike offer, we want to invite all EBF employees to use environmentally friendly transportation. We also promote e-mobility with 10 charging stations at our office location in Cologne.
Working remotely
We want to avoid unnecessary journeys. This is why many customer appointments now take place remotely and the option of working from home also reduces commuting.
A good balance
We support the compatibility of family and career through flexible working models and offer all EBF employees a comprehensive range of counseling services from Nilo Health. This provides free professional and confidential support for private and professional problems.
In motion
With offers such as the Urban Sports Club, our fitness room or participation in the B2Run company run, we want to encourage people to be more active – preferably together.
Gift campaigns for children
At Christmas, we work together with the „Laachende Hätze“ association to fulfill the wishes of children who have had a difficult start in life. In this way, we can put a little smile on their faces at Christmas.
Supporting the next generation
Since the end of 2023, we are cooperating with the initiative codiviti to get children and especially girls interested in IT in an exciting and creative way – e.g. at a Girls’Day or in vacation camps.
Special leave for helping others
Since 2024, every EBF employee can take up to two days of special leave per year. These days can be used to support selected social projects where our help makes a valuable contribution.
Information to inform and inspire
We have created an internal platform for all sustainability topics – with our goals and activities as well as exciting background information, a glossary and helpful resources.
Guided by internal and external standards
We act in accordance with our Code of Conduct and are committed to complying with the principles of the UN Global Compact. We also have ourselves certified by EcoVadis every year – so we can see in which areas we can become even better.
We are proud of our commitments
2022, we have committed to complying with the principles of the UN Global Compact. Among other things, we are committed to protecting human rights, complying with labor standards, improving environmental protection and fighting corruption.
We are certified by EcoVadis every year. In this way, we primarily want to receive an indication of the areas in which we still have potential for improvement. We have currently achieved the bronze status – and have higher goals in mind.
Goals 2024
Since our sustainability team was founded in 2023, we have laid some foundations, established partnerships and launched our first initiatives. But we want more! Our focus in 2024 is on determining our emissions in Scope 1 and 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol as well as other KPIs, defining targets and looking at how our own products can become more sustainable. We want our own DNA to be the future, not just technologically.
Achieving more together
We believe that we can learn a lot from each other and inspire each other when it comes to sustainability – not only within EBF, but also far beyond. And we think that this is exactly what is important: that we inspire as many people as possible for the journey, as it takes much more than just the individual to really make a difference.
That’s why we look forward to exchanging ideas with others, entering into collaborations and thus achieving more together.
