6 Questions for Stefan Schröder: ORION and the topic of sustainability
From the new supply chain law to ongoing training to become a Core CSR sustainability manager: for our Head of Quality and Conformity Stefan Schröder, 2023 has been anything but boring. That’s exactly why we asked him where he personally sees the most exciting challenges for ORION in the coming months and years:
🌱As Head of Quality and Conformity, what topic are you particularly concerned with at the moment?
Definitely sustainability. For ORION, this topic will pose major challenges in the coming years. We are already optimising internal processes and preparing for future requirements. Above all, this applies to our returns handling and document management. After all, we accompany our products from the prototype to return.
🌱 At the beginning of the year, you completed further training to become a Core CSR sustainability manager. What does this new title entail?
About a year ago, I took part in a webinar on bioplastics and their possible applications. It was there that I first came into contact with the “CORE” method and was immediately fascinated: it’s all about sustainability and how it can only work in a holistic way with the participation of all colleagues. The topic must really be “lived” in order to be implemented successfully. A simple but effective approach that convinced me immediately.
🌱 How does the CORE method work in practice? And for which areas is it used?
With the CORE method, small teams independently develop approaches for areas of the company where they see potential for improvement. As a starting point, there are building blocks for the various sustainability topics that can be used as a basis for the group’s work. These workshops can be conducted in a wide variety of employee groupings. They are always supervised and supported by a trained workshop leader.
🌱 Sounds exciting! And how would you like to incorporate your new insights at ORION?
We will soon start with this in the product department. Many years ago, ORION drew up its first Code of Conduct (CoC) in this department. At the time, it was aimed at our suppliers. Now we want to start again and the goal this time is to create a CoC for our own colleagues. In a second step, this will in turn become the benchmark for our new supplier CoC.
🌱 What role does sustainability generally play in your job? Does the new Supply Chain Act, which came into effect on January 1st, have an influence on your work – even though it does not affect us by definition due to the size of our company?
The LKSG is a purely German law that does not directly affect us. However, the EU’s Green Deal ensures that various requirements will indirectly become relevant for us in the future – either through our products or through ORION as a company itself. A concrete example is the CSRD (sustainability reporting for companies in the EU), which will affect us starting in 2025. By then at the latest, we will have to document our sustainability efforts and back them up with concrete numbers.
🌱 The training also includes a workshop leader training. Are you planning to run your own workshops at ORION?
That is exactly the goal! Together with my colleagues, I would like to work on our vision for ORION 2030. The core question: what can each and every one of us (even personally) do for a more sustainable future? And I am already convinced that together we can take countless small steps to leave behind a planet worth living on for future generations.