Ms. Peppmeier, is there nothing more important than sustainability in times of crises and upheaval?

No. Precisely in times of crisis, whether emerging or fading, we must not lose sight of the permanent dangers facing the world and we must counteract them in a sustainable way. Many companies are currently dealing with a multitude of global challenges and tend to put the urgent before the important. Yet I am convinced that sustainability will remain the topic of the decade, along with its core questions: does sustainability really matter to companies, and what is the business-related, strategic rationale?

 

And the answers are?

That the larger system gives us feedback. There is that “great equalizer,” the Earth, which is raising more and more awareness for sustainability. A major part of ESG growth has been driven by the environmental component and responses to climate change. At the same time, other components of ESG, in particular the social dimension, have also been gaining prominence. ESG has become relevant to everyone, so it calls for clear standards and benchmarks.

 

What exactly are the most meaningful criteria for sustainability?

First and foremost: actions. Corporate actions have significant consequences for people who are not directly involved with the company. Spillover effects, such as a company’s greenhouse gas emissions, its impact on labor markets, and the consequences for the health and safety of suppliers are becoming an ever-greater challenge in our interconnected world. These externalities are on the rise. The resulting pressure is also a sign of social responsibility, and it increases the more urgent these external effects become.

Alexandra Peppmeier, Senior Sustainability Engineer in the Banknote Solutions division at Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) Currency Technology

»No company alone can save the planet«

Which are also reflected within a company?

Of course, and especially within a company. The “how” of a company’s environmental, social, and governance proposition starts with recognizing what companies should be solving for. They must maintain and reinforce their social licence to operate in the face of rising externalities. But the task is so big that no company can manage it alone. No company alone can save the planet.

 

So where to start?

For us at G+D, given the worsening climate crisis in recent years, climate protection, in other words our contribution to limiting global warming, is one of the most important goals of our sustainability strategy. We achieved our previous climate goal, which had a deadline of 2022, ahead of schedule in 2020. G+D has been purchasing 100% green electricity since 2023. At Louisenthal and Königstein, our two large banknote paper mills in Germany that use considerable amounts of water, we already treat 40 and 58 percent of the water respectively and feed it back into circulation. We are setting clear targets, we have a defined sustainability agenda, and we have raised sustainability to the strategic level.

 

A strategy that is also supported by customers?

More and more, yes. In our industry, we are leading the way with our sustainability goals and with the way we promote them, for example through our Green Banknote Initiative. We do not encounter resistance from our customers with this approach, quite the opposite. We see extremely high potential, because our strong commitment to sustainability is not limited to our own business activities.

»We always ask ourselves:
What do we contribute to the society that no one else can?«

This means: cooperation is key? 

Indeed. We also work closely with our suppliers to help them achieve higher ESG standards. As a global leader in security solutions for the payments, connectivity, identity, and digital infrastructure markets, we have great opportunities to help customer companies achieve their own climate goals. We can even show our customers new perspectives or prepare them for requirements that are only just being added.

 

What does that mean specifically? 

That a robust approach is more critical than ever. We therefore take a holistic view of sustainability across the entire cash cycle and invite our customers and partners to join us in looking in this direction.

 

Seeing what?

Our Green Banknote Initiative with our Green Banknote, for example. With the Green Banknote, we are contributing to greater environmental protection and sustainability. This meets the demand for less plastic and supports our customers and partners on their way to more sustainable banknotes. At the same time, we always ask ourselves questions such as: What do we contribute to society that no one else can? Where do we need to change practices to align strategy with our societal impact? What do we do that is irreplaceable?

 

And what is it that is irreplaceable?

That no one can tackle the issue of sustainability alone. Investing in green technologies is something each company can do on its own. But to achieve our goals of a greener cash cycle, we must work hand in hand. We support our customers and partners with all our knowledge and skills on their way to sustainability. We are constantly evolving and always ready to share our expertise.

 

Why?

Because we know the path that needs to be taken, and we have proven the feasibility. Operationalizing ESG is much easier for companies when there is a clearly articulated corporate purpose that is anchored in the business model. For our industry this means that we, as well as our customers, can achieve a win-win situation when we take a holistic approach and act like forward-looking companies that actively engage with each other. We want to walk this path together and further with our customers, our suppliers, and our partners in the industry. It is a viable and conceivable way to make our industry greener overall.

Close-up of the surface of G+D Green Paper for banknotes

Further reading

The Green Banknote Initiative
As a leading company in the industry, we take sustainability seriously. Based on a study that took a close look at banknote substrates, we have broadened our focus on the subject of sustainable banknotes. 

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