It was back in the 1990s, when ecology still elicited a bit of a yawn amongst companies in particular, that FSB launched a project provocatively dubbed a “clean change of underwear“ that addressed itself to ecological impacts at its Brakel production site and the environs and to burdens inherited from the manufacturing process.
This quickly led to our calling accepted processes and mindsets into question. We were actually prodded into proceeding down this path by a questionnaire which our then CEO chanced upon during an intercontinental flight. He was chagrined to discover that he could only answer one of the 10 questions in the “How green is your business?” survey, that as to whether he held a responsible post. He was not, of course, prepared to let things rest at that. Thus it was that, at the end of 1995, FSB became the first company in North Rhine-Westphalia and the second anywhere in Germany to be audited and certificated under the stringent provisions of the EU’s Eco-Audit system.
The path from initial green vision to validation was a long and stony one:
- 1991 First works agreement on the environment in Germany
- 1992 Environmentally responsive corporate organisation set up
- 1993 First Environment Statement
- 1994 German Environment Prize for Eastern Westphalia-Lippe
- 1995 Environment Manual as provided for in ISO 9001
- 1996 Validation under EU Eco-Audit Regulations
- 1997 Certification to ISO 14001
But that’s quite enough historical background. A full account of the targets we have set ourselves over the past 17 years, and generally achieved too, is given black on white in our latest Environment Statement.
We’re much greener now!