Sustainability
From the founding phase to the present day, a sense of responsibility runs like a thread through HOPPECKE's history.
In the interests of the environment, we focus on environmentally friendly product development, energy-efficient products and service solutions, waste avoidance and recycling, take-back and recycling. We act out of the conviction that we have to protect our planet for future generations. We are part of this society and make our contribution. In the same understanding, we are part of the UN Global Compact, the world's largest network for corporate social responsibility.
Thinking global & green
Our maxim is: "We are responsible for the careful use of the resources entrusted to us - people, capital, time, environment as well as raw materials - taking into account social aspects and promoting environmentally friendly processes, techniques and products".
Our take-back and recycling system for lead-acid batteries represents a significant contribution to the conservation of natural resources. But this is not the only way we define sustainability. For us, sustainability starts at the product development stage. Our products are specifically developed so that they can be used and recycled reliably for a long time. They should always meet the requirement to reduce energy consumption. In addition, we use environmentally friendly processes and techniques to conserve resources and the environment.
Recycling of waste lead
We have been operating our own metal smelter for over 60 years. This is a recycling plant for lead accumulators approved in accordance with BImSchG (Federal Immission Control Act) and an ultra-modern waste disposal plant certified in accordance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and ISO 45001. The HOPPECKE metalworks symbolises two basic convictions of the owner family:
The careful handling of entrusted resources and the safeguarding of the company's independence. By taking back and recycling spent lead batteries, we ensure that a scarce raw material is conserved and brought into a closed economic cycle. We recycle almost 100% of the lead contained in the batteries.
Today, we are the only European industrial battery manufacturer with a closed economic and battery recycling cycle. Our standards exceed the legal requirements. Together with environmental authorities and environmental associations, we are constantly optimising our manufacturing techniques.
Waste prevention
HOPPECKE's primary objective is to avoid waste of any kind. In our main plant in Brilon, waste is almost completely recycled.
Water protection
We purify excess process water in our in-house waste water treatment plant. We strive to reduce water consumption wherever possible.
Emission protection
The HOPPECKE metal works has a modern exhaust air system equipped with a flue gas scrubber, textile dust filter system and automatic measuring system.
Energy management
Our production sites are certified according to the ISO 50001:2018 standard. Numerous measures pursue the goal of reducing gas, electricity and heating oil consumption.
Certificates "specialist waste management company":
EFB Zertifikat - DE
EFB Zertifikat - EN
Purchasing Policy
The purchasing function within the HOPPECKE Group is responsible for supporting the company worldwide through the selection, qualification and further development of the best-performing suppliers on its way to become an energy solutions provider and system supplier with a consistent brand quality at highly attractive prices. To this end, the purchasing function — in close collaboration with all stakeholders in the value-added chain— assumes worldwide strategic purchasing responsibility for all relevant goods and services, in compliance with our corporate business principles and based on ethical standards of business conduct, environmental protection and social responsibility (hereinafter "business ethics").
In accordance with its principles of ethical business conduct, HOPPECKE expects all suppliers to:
- respect human rights and commit to observing them
- reject any kind of forced or child labour
- provide their workforce with a workplace that is free from hazards to life, limb and health, discrimination of any kind, violence or harassment
- protect the right of workers to collective bargaining and recognize the core labour standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
- comply with applicable environmental standards and use energy-saving processes during production as well as limit the emission of greenhouse gases
- use natural resources carefully and take measures to minimize waste
- observe data privacy laws
- comply with competition law requirements and reject any kind of corruption, and
- observe and comply with all other statutory requirements applicable to them and applicable in their respective country.
In order to meet the procurement requirements in accordance with the principles of the HOPPECKE Group's business ethics, the individual HOPPECKE Group locations where procurement activities are carried out have corresponding purchasing guidelines and purchasing instructions in place. They define the rules, structures and processes to be adhered to when dealing with colleagues, customers, suppliers, other companies and authorities. The aim is to ensure legal and audit-proof processes and contract conclusion as well as the consistent consideration of the above-defined guidelines of business ethics. The purchasing guidelines or instructions form the basis for the preparation of additional specific instructions, checklists and procedures.
Particular attention is paid to the procurement of raw materials from regions or sources where compliance with the requirements of business ethics must be ensured through special procedures or efforts. Therefore, suppliers of so-called "conflict raw materials" for all plants worldwide are chosen exclusively by the central purchasing department of the HOPPECKE Group. Conflict raw materials, from today's perspective, are tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold from the Democratic Republic of the Congo or its neighbouring countries (Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia). The extraction of these raw materials in the above-mentioned countries is frequently associated with a violation of basic human rights and the income generated from it is used to finance armed conflicts.
It is therefore necessary that suppliers provide adequate proof of the origin of the above-mentioned raw materials to be supplied to HOPPECKE. Only suppliers who can provide adequate proof of origin may be approved for the supply of these raw materials. HOPPECKE recommends using the standardized reporting template of the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative (CFSI).
HOPPECKE reserves the right to assess its suppliers for compliance with the principles of the HOPPECKE Group's business ethics through audits. Such audits may be carried out by HOPPECKE, the HOPPECKE client or by a third party designated by HOPPECKE or its client.
Any breach of the HOPPECKE Group's principles of business ethics may constitute grounds for the extraordinary termination of the contractual relationship with the supplier. In the case of minor breaches, the supplier is given the opportunity to remedy the misconduct within a reasonable period of time by implementing appropriate remedial measures. In cases where the misconduct is not corrected within a reasonable period of time, as well as in the case of serious infringements, HOPPECKE reserves the right to immediately terminate the contractual relationship with the supplier and to assert possible claims for damages.
Policy statement on respect for human rights and the environment
As a responsible and globally active group of companies, we are committed to respecting human rights and the environment and to taking responsibility for our supply and value chains. We are therefore committed to respecting human rights and environmental concerns within our own business area and in our global supply chains and to counteracting human rights and environmental violations. Our strategy and measures for implementing the requirements of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) can be found in our policy statement:
Policy statement on respect for human rights and the environment
Whistleblower and complaints system at HOPPECKE
For HOPPECKE, compliance with laws and internal regulations as well as ensuring open and trusting cooperation have highest priority. With this in mind, the whistleblower system at HOPPECKE is headed by an independent ombudsman and has been in place for several years. All employees and business partners can contact the ombudsman in confidence and, if desired, anonymously in the event of suspected violations of laws and/or contraventions of internal rules of conduct as well as in the event of other irregularities observed in their dealings with our company. In addition, the complaints procedure according to the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act ("Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz") is handled by the ombudsman. It offers the opportunity to point out human rights and environmental risks as well as violations of human rights-related or environmental obligations.
Contact details Ombudsmann:
Dr Carsten Thiel von Herff, LL.M.
Loebellstraße 4
D - 33602 Bielefeld
Tel.: +49 (0) 5 21 557 333 00 / Mobile: +49 (0) 151 582 303 21
E-Mail: ombudsmann(at)thielvonherff.de
Notification platform: www.report-tvh.com
Homepage: www.thielvonherff.de
Rules of Procedure acc. to § 8 subs. 2 LkSG
EcoVadis
For several years, HOPPECKE has had its sustainability activities audited
annually by EcoVadis.
As an independent rating agency, EcoVadis examines the quality level of various processes and results of companies' CSR management. The EcoVadis assessment methodology covers 21 CSR criteria from the subject areas of environment, social affairs, ethics and sustainable procurement. It is based on international CSR standards (Global Reporting Initiative, United Nations Global Compact, ISO 26000). The rating is intended to contribute to greater transparency between international business partners and recognises special commitment to greater sustainability and social responsibility throughout the supply chain.
2023 HOPPECKE was awarded the platinum medal by EcoVadis for its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and successes.
This puts us in the top 1% overall, in the top 3% for environment, in the top 7% for ethics, in the top 1% for labour and human rights as well as sustainable procurement ethics. We are in the top 1% of all companies as well of all battery manufacturers certified by EcoVadis worldwide for sustainable procurement.
UN Global Compact
HOPPECKE has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact Initiative since 2012 and is committed to the ten principles of the UN Global Compact. These include the areas of human rights, labor rights, environmental protection and anti-corruption. Through a wide range of measures and activities, we pursue the goals of the UN and continuously develop them further.
The 10 principles of the UN Global Compact:
- Human Rights
Principle 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of international human rights within their sphere of influence.
Principle 2: Businesses should ensure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses. - Labor standards
Principle 3: Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.
Principle 4: Businesses should uphold the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labor.
Principle 5: Businesses should uphold the elimination of child labor.
Principle 6: Businesses should uphold the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. - Environmental protection
Principle 7: Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges.
Principle 8: Businesses should undertake initiatives to create a greater sense of responsibility for the environment
Principle 9: Businesses should encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies. - Fighting corruption
Principle 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.
Akkumulatorenwerke HOPPECKE Carl Zöllner & Sohn GmbH – Communication on Progress 2020/2021 | UN Global Compact
In order to further sharpen our sustainability activities and goals, we have been participating in the Climate Ambition Accelerator of the Global Compact Network Germany since May 2023.
Climate Ambition Accelerator is a 6-month programme aimed at companies that have signed up to the UN Global Compact. The aim of the programme is to jointly set science-based climate targets for the company and support it in developing concepts that are in line with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement.
Certificates
| Economic sustainability |
| ISO 9001:2015 | Accumulatorenwerke HOPPECKE Carl Zoellner & Sohn GmbH | English | Download |
| ISO 9001:2015 | Accumulatorenwerke HOPPECKE Carl Zoellner & Sohn GmbH | German | Download |
| Environmental protection |
| ISO 14001:2015 | HOPPECKE Group | English | Download |
| ISO 14001:2015 | HOPPECKE Group | German | Download |
| ISO 50001:2018 | HOPPECKE Holding GmbH | English | Download |
| ISO 50001:2018 | HOPPECKE Holding GmbH | German | Download |
| ISO 50001:2018 | HOPPECKE Rail Holding GmbH | English | Download |
| ISO 50001:2018 | HOPPECKE Rail Holding GmbH | German | Download |
| EfB | HOPPECKE Smelter | English | Download |
| EfB | HOPPECKE Smelter | German | Download |
| Social responsibility |
| ISO 45001:2018 | Accumulatorenwerke HOPPECKE Carl Zoellner & Sohn GmbH | English | Download |
| ISO 45001:2018 | Accumulatorenwerke HOPPECKE Carl Zoellner & Sohn GmbH | German | Download |
| ISO 45001:2018 | HOPPECKE Industriebatterien GmbH & Co. KG | German | Download |
| ISO 45001:2018 | HOPPECKE Batterie Systeme GmbH (Bremecketal) | German | Download |
| ISO 45001:2018 | HOPPECKE Batterie Systeme GmbH (Brilon) | German | Download |
| ISO 45001:2018 | HOPPECKE Smelter | German | Download |
| Information security |
| ISO 27001:2013 | HOPPECKE Batterien GmbH & Co. KG. | English | Download |
| ISO 27001:2013 | HOPPECKE Batterien GmbH & Co. KG. | German | Download |
