"Good work. Clean drive“

Sustainability is an important issue at ASSMANN. Back in the 1990s, the company was the first in the furniture industry to acquire certification according to DIN ISO 14001, i.e. EMAS, and has since documented the results continuously in an environmental report. Now, not only have the ecologically relevant indicators been checked by independent auditors since 2012, but other aspects of sustainability are included and published in a sustainability report prepared according to the GRI Standards drawn up by the Global Reporting Initiative. The external audits take place annually. The main focus is to review the operations and services of the company in relation to sustainable development, including economic and social issues, as well as the environment. The electric car in the company's fleet is ASSMANN's latest milestone in meeting these high standards.

Electro-mobility

The Mercedes B250e is branded with the company logo and the slogan "Gute Arbeit. Saubere Fahrt" (Good work. Clean drive), and run entirely on electricity. It is used for trips around Melle and the immediate vicinity, and is already a favourite among the staff. On its company grounds, ASSMANN has a dedicated charging station for electric vehicles to keep the car running.

"We are taking responsibility for the future!", says a visibly enthused Dirk Aßmann, Managing Director of the company. He is certain that the investment was sensible for several reasons. "People in the company need to make short trips several times a day. What could be better than a car that does not emit any CO2? Due to its volume of purchased electricity out of renewable energy sources, it has an entirely neutral carbon footprint. We help protect the environment, and also cut back on fuel costs. The current battery already permits a range of up to 150 kilometres per charge – which is perfectly sufficient for its planned use on short trips." Of course, ASSMANN is aware that it owns just one electric car, and that this not much compared with the overall size of the fleet. All the same, the unanimous opinion in the company is that "it is a first step toward a more conscious management of finite resources". If the car is often in use, the purchase of another one is intended.