Frauenrath receives sustainability certificate in accordance with the ZNU standard for sustainable management

This makes Frauenrath the first construction company in Germany to be awarded this certificate, making it a pioneer in the construction industry.

"We are proud to have reached this important milestone," emphasise managing partners Gereon and Jörg Frauenrath: "The certification confirms that we are improving our business processes along the entire value chain in a transparent and measurable way and are making them increasingly sustainable."

The ZNU standard was developed by the Centre for Sustainable Leadership(ZNU), a research institute at Witten/Herdecke University. It is a tried-and-tested approach that focuses on all corporate fields of action in the three dimensions of sustainability - economic, social and environmental - and calls for and promotes the development of an integrated management system for more sustainable business practices. It is therefore not just about individual topics such as climate protection, the ecological footprint or recycling, but about a holistic approach that also includes, for example, quality and adherence to deadlines as well as digitalisation, occupational safety or training and their continuous improvement.

The audit was carried out by Zertifizierung Bau GmbH, the leading certification body for the construction industry. The certificate is valid for three years and can be extended for a further three years by means of a new audit. However, it is reviewed annually to ensure that the requirements are being met. The certificate applies to all four Heinsberg-based companies in the Frauenrath Group.

"Of the various standards available to choose from," say Gereon and Jörg Frauenrath, "we made a conscious decision in favour of the ZNU standard "Sustainable Management": The decisive factor for us was that the ZNU standard is certifiable, because a certificate is the equivalent of proof of performance."

Sustainability has long been an integral part of Frauenrath's corporate philosophy. The topic of recycling was already being addressed 40 years ago. Even then, the long-established company was a pioneer. To date, over 4 million tonnes of old building materials have been recycled at the Heinsberg recycling centre alone.

The company has also been investing in renewable energy sources for 25 years. Frauenrath plans, builds and operates wind power and photovoltaic systems, among other things. The most recent example of this commitment is the company's involvement in H2HS, a hydrogen model project subsidised by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which was launched on the initiative of the Heinsberg business development agency and with the support of the district.

"The tasks and challenges that we have to overcome as a society, particularly in terms of climate protection, are urgent," emphasise Gereon and Jörg Frauenrath: "They can no longer be postponed. We are all called upon to act in the here and now. And we will only be successful if we pull together. This also applies to us as a company." This is why Frauenrath took action a year and a half ago: At that time, a sustainability team came together to develop a sustainability strategy - accompanied by an external expert. "We wanted to be pioneers here too and show that we don't just talk about sustainability, but that we act accordingly," report Gereon and Jörg Frauenrath: "In addition, we are already seeing that proof of a commitment to sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in the awarding of contracts, especially by large clients or the public sector. By obtaining certification, we have put ourselves in a forward-looking position."

The company's own sustainability report defines specific sustainability goals and around 160 measures to achieve them. More than half of these have already been implemented. In addition to the increased use of recycled building materials, Frauenrath has set itself the goal of achieving a 15 per cent increase in energy generation from renewable energy sources every three years, for example. Over the same period, total CO2 emissions will also be reduced by 10 per cent. The motto here is: saving rather than offsetting, because ultimately CO2 emissions should be prevented where they are produced. In the vehicle and construction machinery fleet, this is achieved by using modern, energy-saving drive technologies or switching to electromobility, among other things.

The extensive catalogue of measures also includes smaller projects that can make an important contribution to more sustainable development. For example, a disused underground extinguishing water tank is currently being reactivated at the Heinsberg building yard. It dates back to the time when there was a furniture factory on the site. In future, rainwater is to be collected in the reinforced concrete tank and used as service water for washing vehicles or for irrigation. This is an effective way of conserving water, an increasingly valuable resource.

The sustainability goals also include those topics that are traditionally at the top of Frauenrath's agenda: Occupational safety, mental & corporate health as well as training and further education. Here, for example, the family-owned company has set itself the goal of keeping the accident rate below 35 per million working hours every year through effective prevention in all companies. In addition, a wide range of programmes have been created to improve the work-life balance and promote health. For example, there is a company pension scheme, employer-financed supplementary health insurance and a comprehensive work-life service that provides 24/7 support - whether professional or private - in almost all life situations, from individual coaching to finding a childcare place to questions relating to caring for relatives.