VNU Annual Forum
Actual topics of environmental and sustainability management by and for VNU members
This year's VNU Annual Forum took place on 21 June 2022 from 9:15 to 16:00 at the IHK Frankfurt am Main. It is the first in-person event of the VNU after the Corona-related break. We were very pleased to welcome you personally in Frankfurt. Participation was free of charge this year, as we likes to express our sincere thanks for the loyalty of our members during the Corona period.
Date
Thursday, June, 21st, 2022 at IHK Frankfurt am Main
9:15 - 16:00 h
Programme
Lectures
09:30 - 10:30 h
Material efficiency - a key element of the Circular Economy [ lecture ]
With the "Definitions of material efficiency", the DIN EN 45550 series of standards was completed and deals with the material efficiency of a product during its entire life cycle. It provides basic methods for functional durability, reparability, reprocessing, upgradeability and reusability. The presentation will highlight methods, experiences with this topic and its relevance for the aspects of the EU Green Deal.
Dr Johannes Auer is Head of Sustainability, Environmental Protection, Occupational Safety and Health Management at Siemens Large Drives Applications in Nuremberg.
13:15 - 14:15 h
Availability of energy and raw materials
Energy and raw materials are the basis for all production activities. The effects of the energy transition, the disruption of supply chains due to the global infection situation and the requirements of the Supply Chain Act have now been joined by the aspects of war between Russia and Ukraine. Energy and materials are either unavailable, or have such high demand that prices are exploding ... not an easy time for companies.
Georg Stalter is Corporate Sustainability Management Officer at WITTE Automotive.
14:15 - 15:15 h
Communication and transparency in supply chains [ lecture ]
Sustainable business requires transparent and traceable information, e.g. within the value chain. The GS1 network of not-for-profit organisations is developing standards for barcodes and working on new approaches, including on the topics of supply chain legislation, lean and green or product communication. The lecture highlights and explains current developments in this area.
Laura Echternacht is Senior Manager Sustainability @ GS1 Germany
World Cafés
The different World Cafés will be offered in parallel in two sessions. You can therefore choose 2 topics from the 5 World Cafés offered in which you would like to participate. At the end of the event, the results of all World Cafés will be briefly presented.
W01 - Due diligence in the supply chain
Impulse: Lennart Schleicher
The Due Diligence Act ("Supply Chain Act") aims to improve the international human rights situation in value chains and addresses responsible management in companies. The law establishes a duty of effort, but neither a duty to succeed nor a guarantee liability. We will discuss together what this means.
W02 - Product Carbon Footprinting
Impulse: Martina Prox
The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is the most established method for determining the climate impact of a product. During the entire life cycle of a product - from raw material extraction to recycling or disposal - climate-relevant impacts occur in the form of greenhouse gas emissions. The Product Carbon Footprint helps to identify and analyse these impacts and to reduce or (ideally) completely avoid them with the right actions.
W03 - Key performance indicators – Approaches for users and auditors / veryfiers
Impulse: Andreas von Saldern
Indicators should provide a reliable and objective basis for management decisions, but the quality and significance of indicators depends on many effects. What is the operational capacity utilisation, what is the energy or environmental relevance of the data, do I know the appropriate influencing factors or is data availability given. Less is more ... can be one of the approaches we discuss together.
W04 - Remote Audit – Challenges and solutions
Impulse: Bettina Heimer
The infectious events around Corona and also the war in Ukraine have severely limited or completely prevented face-to-face meetings. With a push towards digitalisation, video conferences are no longer unusual, but have become almost commonplace. Even audits (partly) take place via video conferencing ... this saves travel costs and time, is enormously effective, but still not the best solution in all situations - you have certainly gathered experience on this.
W05 - Climate change despite / defy the crisis
Impulse: Jakob Flechtner
After Corona came the war. Two events that affect us professionally and privately and have an impact throughout the whole world. Climate protection seems to have taken a back seat - at least in the media - but the importance of the issue is the same and perhaps the crisis even offers an opportunity for climate protection?
Timetable
09:15 - Welcome
09:30 - Lecture on material efficiency
10:25 - 15 min coffee break
10:45 - World Cafés - Session A
11:30 - 5 min change break
11:35 - World Cafés - Session B
12:20 - Lunch break
13:15 - Lecture on raw material and energy scarcity
14:15 - Lecture on transparency in the supply chain
15:15 - 15 min coffee break
15:30 - Results of the World Cafés
16:00 - Farewell and end of the event
... afterwards, you will have the opportunity to continue the discussions and network with new contacts in a relaxed atmosphere in a neighbouring restaurant.
Registration
VNU-Annual Forum is free of charge in this year.
Participation is only open to our VNU-Memgers. For organisation please send an informal registration to the VNU office (vnu@vnu-ev.de).
Membership
You are not yet a member of VNU but would like to attend the VNU Annual Conference?
VNU membership is possible as an individual or for companies. You can test both variants as a trial membership for 12 months and benefit from all advantages and services of the association from this moment on.
Information about the VNU-Membership please look at VNU at a glance and "become a member".