400+ EMPLOYEES in Germany including trainees (2023) 2.9 MILLION EUROS average annual spend on investment projects 75+ % EQUITY RATIO average per year 150 MILLION EUROS IN SALES (2023) MANCHESTER HAVERHILL LONDON HAMBURG BERLIN AMSTERDAM MELLE WIESBADEN STUTTGART PARIS MUNICH VIENNA AARAU The contents of this brochure refer explicitly to ASSMANN BÜROMÖBEL GMBH & CO. KG, which is headquartered in Melle, Germany. The diagram shows the locations of our showrooms and the headquarters of our subsidiary, SPACEMANN LIMITED, in Haverhill, UK. These locations and companies are not included in this brochure.

# G O– F U R T H E R E D I T O R I A L #go_further We see sustainable action as more than a trend – for us, it is an integral part of the ASSMANN DNA. The progress we are making in terms of sustainability and how we implement this are documented transparently in our cross-media communication: in our detailed digital Sustainability Report audited in accord- ance with GRI standards, on our website and in this brochure. For more than 30 years, we have been pursuing the ambi- tious goal of always keeping an eye on the impact our busi- ness operations have on our environment and fulfilling our social responsibility as a family business with local roots. Be- cause we are convinced that there is always room for more sustainability, our sustainability reporting has now been given the title #go_further for the second time. 1 Social aspects Economy Ecology Our communication – a harmony in three parts Our experience clearly shows that sustainable action and economic success can go hand in hand. This realisation both validates our approach and motivates us to #go_further and look to the future. Our 2023 Sustainability Report raises the bar in this regard, as it is already aligned with the EU’s official Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which will be mandatory for us as a company from 2026. However, because it is equally important to us to keep our employees, partners and the public honestly and regularly appraised of our progress, the Sustainability Report contains much more than comprehensive audited information and key figures – both the report and our sustainability brochure pro- vide details of who we work with in our day-to-day sustain- ability efforts and what shape these collaborations take. The third important prong of our approach to sustainability com- munication is the ASSMANN website. Here, we continuously communicate our latest content and additional key figures relating to sustainability. For more information, scan the QR codes in the articles on the pages that follow. Mastering challenges With this three-part combination of facts, stories and up-to- date information, we invite you to find out more about sus- tainability at ASSMANN, including the biggest challenges currently associated with it: digitalisation, stabilising supply chains, reducing CO₂ emissions and attracting skilled work- ers. Our endeavours are focused on the core areas of sus- tainability – economy, ecology and social aspects – as shown in the diagram. The tree disc as a symbol The tree disc – a symbol of the sustainability strategy we have developed over the years here at ASSMANN – can be found in various places in our sustainability communications. With its annual rings, the tree trunk symbolises our long tradi- tion and our steady growth since our company was founded in 1939. At the same time, this product of nature reflects our connection with our environment and with wood as a raw material. The image of the steadfast tree also symbolises our 4

# G O– F U R T H E R C O M P A N Y P R O F I L E Room for innovation To ensure that we can continue offering customers innovative solutions for modern working environments in the future, ASSMANN focuses on sustainable growth, humanity and digital progress. 1 What began as a small village carpenter's shop is now one of the most modern manufacturers of office furniture in Europe. With a company history that stretches back over 85 years, the Melle-based family business continues to make a down- to-earth approach, customer and employee proximity, and organic growth its calling cards – with success. More than 400 employees develop and produce solutions for modern office concepts and generated sales of 150 million euros in 2023. The successful realisation of ecological, economic and social goals is an integral part of our corporate strategy. The ASSMANN principle For ASSMANN, the principle of “GOOD WORK” means not just meeting customer needs, but also acting sustainably in everything we do: from environmentally friendly production standards and a corporate culture in which people feel com- fortable to the products we use to create inspiring working environments. To this end, ASSMANN designs innovative furnishing solutions that are tailored to modern requirements and individual needs. The high quality standards and long life cycles of the furniture systems reflect our dedication to sustainability and are just as important as safety, ergonomics, design and functionality. From open space to flexible offices to home offices: ASSMANN also offers the right interiors for all aspects of the “NEW WORK” lifestyle and, together with the diverse range of services offered by ASSMANN 4ROOMS, responds to the challenges of today's working world with a modern and holistic product portfolio. Made in Melle More than 2,500 pieces of furniture are produced every day at our production site in Melle, Germany. Our state-of-the- art production facilities guarantee top quality with up-to-the- minute timing and set new standards in the office furniture industry. The amount of money we have invested in our Melle site in 2023 – a total of 7.7 million euros – is another sign that our focus is on the future at ASSMANN. The new building we have constructed to expand our warehouse and logistics space plays an important role in helping us to increase our delivery reliability and make our processes efficient. In addi- 6

# G O– F U R T H E R O U R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y T E A M The team behind the strategy Aligning sustainability and economic success has been a goal at ASSMANN for many years and is something we consider in every part of our company. Our interdisciplinary sustainability team makes a valuable contribution to this with its ongoing work. 1 Sustainable management is an ongoing process. With the aims of lowering carbon emissions, reducing production waste, selecting materials according to recyclability, and maintaining and optimising decent working conditions, the ASSMANN sustainability team builds on existing successes while keeping an eye on economic impacts. Thanks to tech- nological innovations and social developments, the basis for the objectives of a sustainability strategy has evolved since ASSMANN's last Sustainability Report was published three years ago. Issues such as “advancing digitalisation” and “en- ergy efficiency” are just some of the achievements that have been accelerated in the recent past and that open the door to new opportunities for companies. Our tried-and-tested ap- proach, whereby sustainability management is closely inte- grated with corporate management, enables ASSMANN to react quickly so we can realise the resulting po- tential and respond flexibly. and link future successes with new goals, our nine-strong sustainability team meets every quarter. It is the most senior committee involved in steering our sustainability strategy and is led by company owners Dirk and Karla Aßmann. Important groundwork is carried out here, taking into account our entire value chain from purchasing to sales, which also sets the course for the company management. The implementation and validation of the double materiality analysis and the resulting materiality matrix are the basis on which we develop our sustainability strategy, which is also incorporated into the management board’s annual business planning. “The strategy lays the foundation for the key areas of action that we need to address,” explains Dr Julia Koch, Sustainability Manager at ASSMANN. The team’s measures and projects derived from this are the next steps for continuing to position ASSMANN as a sustainability pioneer in our industry. There is always room for more sustainability The title of this brochure, #go_further, is also the guiding principle of ASSMANN's sustainability team. In order to closely monitor changes This strategy lays the foundation for our key areas of action. Dr Julia Koch, Sustainability Manager at ASSMANN BÜROMÖBEL GMBH & CO. KG Extraordinary commitment As our Sustainability Manager, Dr Julia Koch coordinates the interdisciplinary team and is in close contact with all those involved, each of whom brings both their own expertise and their expe- rience from business processes to the 8

# G O– F U R T H E R V A L U E C R E A T I O N A N D M A T E R I A L I T Y Twice as nice Due to the dynamic nature of ASSMANN's corporate growth, we need to analyse and re-evaluate our sustainability activities on a constant basis. To carry out this process in a targeted manner and take all the relevant interest groups into account, a certain amount of preliminary work is required. This includes analysing our value creation cycle and conducting a double materiality analysis, then making the necessary adjustments to our sustainability mission statement. On the following pages, you will find out how we organised these steps in the run-up to preparing the report. Even though the process of collecting, analysing and pro- cessing data has become somewhat routine for us after years of dealing with the issue of sustainability, we are still careful in how we approach this matter. As in previous years, we have carefully considered all sustainability criteria in the preparation of the report, and we have added further relevant criteria to the approaches already known to us. Value creation is the basis Our value creation analysis forms the foundation of our con- ceptual work. When we start developing a new product, we think about the end of the life cycle and attach great impor- tance to environmentally friendly recycling, ideally as part of a circular economy – a key task that we take very seriously. Information on how we use materials, integrate them into our business model and ultimately recycle them can be found on the two pages on value creation (pages 12–13). Keeping an eye on the essentials Looking at the value creation cycle is one of the first impor- tant parts of sustainable action. The other aspects we take into account in our endeavours are set out in our materiality analysis (pages 14–15). 1 1 Beloved neighbours – the sheep that camp out in front of the company premises every year 2 Dr Julia Koch (right) and trainee Industrial Management Assistant Simone Müller (left) analysing relevant KPIs 3 Our guiding principle, #go_further, is also writ large in the ASSMANN production hall 4 Sustainability in action: taking a bike can also “shorten” decision-making 10

# G O– F U R T H E R V A L U E C R E A T I O N Value creation – a well-rounded concept In order to market furnishing solutions in a way that is not only profitable but also environmentally friendly and socially responsible, the right decisions – based on a sound sus- tainability strategy – must be made across the entire value chain. To this end, ASSMANN always takes account of new findings and adapts its processes accordingly. Sustainable thinking shapes the office furniture manufactur- er's product management, right from the earliest stages of development. Important aspects such as product service life and the recyclability and disposal of the individual compo- nents are taken into account in our initial ideas and concepts. These considerations have a significant impact on the raw materials we use, which can be categorised by weight into four categories: wood (63.9 per cent), steel (25.8 per cent), plastic (2.6 per cent) and other (7.7 per cent) such as elec- tric motors and glass. While wood and chipboard make up by far the largest proportion of the finished product, steel is processed in smaller quantities. Plastic and other materials have a much smaller, but not insignificant, share. At our in- house production facility in Melle-Westerhausen, Germany, the materials and prefabricated furniture components are turned into desks and carcass furniture, all of which fulfils the requirements for Level 3 certification from the European Office Furniture Federation (FEMB). Uniform standards “As a full-range supplier, our portfolio includes products from various production sites. In addition to the core products manufactured in-house in Melle and our room- in-room systems from our UK subsidiary SPACEMANN Ltd, we also utilise external solution partners for products such as our range of upholstered furniture. We aim to de- fine uniform standards for all our production processes with regard to sustainability criteria,” says Dirk Aßmann, Managing Director of ASSMANN, confirming the compa- ny’s consistent approach. “This impacts how we procure our raw materials, select our suppliers and run our pro- duction facilities,” he adds. When selecting new suppliers, ASSMANN focuses on environmentally and socially con- scious corporate management, reliability, an acceptable price level and careful quality management. The exact re- quirements are formulated in our Supplier Code of Conduct, which lists ASSMANN’s prerequisites for suppliers and is subject to continuous review by means of supplier question- naires and on-site audits of our 20 most important suppliers. The company also values regional partnerships and short transport routes. For example, 61 per cent of our suppliers come from within a 250-kilometre radius of our Melle head- quarters. ASSMANN sources the remaining components from partners in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Turkey and China. Nevertheless, ASSMANN remains com- mitted to keeping its operational distances short – around 95 per cent of the products we manufacture each year are sold in Germany, and the extensive range of services we offer under the title ASSMANN 4ROOMS are mainly provided to domestic customers as well. Our customer base consists 12

# G O– F U R T H E R T H E M A T E R I A L I T Y M A T R I X The course is set By carrying out the materiality analysis and visualising the results in the materiality matrix, ASSMANN has taken another important step towards a sustainable future for the company. Through personal dialogue with our stakeholders, we have jointly established a basis for initiating sustainable action in a targeted and efficient manner for years to come. Over the past few months, two fun- damental questions have guided us through this important process, which is indispensable for identifying the relevant issues: “What impact does ASSMANN's activity have on people and the environment?” (in- side-out perspective) and “What are the social and environmental impacts of ASSMANN's business activities?” (outside-in perspective). Our struc- tured and targeted discussions with our internal and external stakehold ers – which are facilitated by our materiali- ty analysis – enable us to whittle the now huge field of sustainability issues down to the ones that are truly rele- vant and important to ASSMANN, and to implement targeted measures with ecological, social and economic mo- tivations. Materiality matrix visualises results The results of this detailed process are mapped in our materiality ma- trix. It clearly illustrates which topics are currently the most relevant for ASSMANN in terms of sustainability. In particular, these include environ- mental issues such as materials, air 1 1 Dr Julia Koch (left) in dialogue with Karla Aßmann (centre) and Andreas Gohs (right), an external stakeholder 2 The ASSMANN materiality matrix 14

# G O– F U R T H E R T H E D E F I N E D F R A M E W O R K Our sustainability mission statement Economical business practice ASSMANN is an autonomous business enter- prise – our goal is sustainable, economically viable growth. For us as a family-run company with a tradition going back more than 85 years, business success also means tak- ing responsibility. We do this in a number of ways. Ethical business practice We strive to comply with all the relevant location and product-specific requirements arising from legal and administrative provisions on a European, feder- al, state and municipal level. From these requirements, we continuously derive measures to adapt our structures to the ever-changing applicable laws. We refuse to accept bribery and corruption, the taking or granting of advantages, and insider trading. We expect a similar stance from our custom- ers, suppliers and network partners. Data protection has high priority at our company. We respect human rights; we protect the rights of employees on a local, national and global level; and we condemn all forms of child labour, forced labour and involuntary labour. We respect the dignity of every individu- al, and we take our responsibility for employees, customers, suppliers, companies and the environment seriously. Social responsibility Change can only come about if everyone plays their part. We see ourselves as a responsible company within society and are an active member of the community, contributing as a reliable employer, as a taxpayer within the framework of regulatory requirements, and through our social commitment. We encourage our employees to do their best every day for the company, for society and for the environment. 1616 Employees The people at ASSMANN are our most impor- tant capital – without them, our business would not be as successful as it is. We offer our employees secure, attractive and motivating working conditions. To minimise dangerous situations, regular inspections are conducted to check, evaluate and continuously improve workplace safe- ty and ergonomics. We provide comprehensive health pro- tection to boost employee motivation and performance. To ensure that our staff identify fully with the company and its values, we rely on a team focus, individual responsibility and decision-making freedom. We expect our employees to be prepared to change in order to allow the company to evolve and adapt to market requirements. We achieve the compa- ny’s goals together through development programmes for junior staff and other employees, open communication, and a corporate culture that is visible both internally and externally. Respectful and collegial behaviour is an essential part of our corporate culture, and our senior managers set an example in this regard. We engage in fair and responsible recruitment practices. Everyone has the same opportunities; there is no discrimination here. Product responsibility People use our products in their everyday lives for many years. Our production, sales and customer services departments are set up to ensure that these products are produced, purchased and used sustainably. A long ser- vice life, a replacement parts guarantee, safe design principles (e.g. GS mark), low-emission base materials (Blauer Engel – DE-UZ 38) and the use of reusable materials make the pur- chase of our products an environmentally friendly and financially responsible decision. Our core products have European Level 3 certification (the highest level available) according to the FEMB sustainability standard for office and contract fur- niture, which confirms the responsible approach we take to our products.

# G O– F U R T H E R O U R A M B A S S A D O R S Sustainable together To implement our sustainability strategy, a large number of divisions and stakeholders must work together with a shared focus on our goal. communication and incor- porating our approach into everyday working life lead to more sustainable action across all areas. With our sustainability ambassadors, we are able to involve ex- perts from companies that are close to us when imple- menting our sustainability strategy, alongside people from our own ranks. These are ASSMANN managers and specialists as well as selected external partners. With their sustainability awareness, they each dedicate themselves to a focus area that corresponds to their expertise and area of responsibility. For example, Karla Aßmann and Andreas Gohs handle business con- duct, while Andreas Fipp and Konrad Merkt are responsi- ble for climate issues. Jörg Koppe and Dieter Brübach deal with environmental protection, while Daniel Kahnwald and Michael Kamsties focus on materials. Maren Thiemann and Susann Mädler are responsible for people-related matters. They all embody a sense of responsibility with regard to ecological, economic and social issues in their day-to-day work, and help their colleagues to identify new potential for sustainability. Our ten sustainability ambassadors show how they contrib- ute to improving sustainability, especially at ASSMANN, and how they achieve their goals and always #go_further. Sustainability goals can only be achieved by taking a holistic approach, which requires expertise from dif- ferent areas. This includes not only the departments within our company, but also external stakeholders such as suppliers, special- ist retailers, customers and network partners. Close cooperation and dialogue between all the parties involved, on an equal footing, create the best conditions for successful sustainable action. This makes it all the more important to connect with the right partners. With our sustainability ambassadors, we have built up a strong network in which we work together to achieve our goals. The role of our sustainability ambassadors The concept of sustainability must be strategically anchored in-house before it can be put into practice at all levels. Clear Our ambassadors Visit our website to get to know our ambas- sadors better. Interesting videos are also available there. Visit the website ass.al/ambassadors

# G O– F U R T H E R C O R P O R A T E C O N D U C T 20

# G O– F U R T H E R C O R P O R A T E C O N D U C T in recent years. Under the management of Andreas Gohs, who runs the company together with his wife after taking over from the generation that originally founded it, the specialist retailer has evolved into an all-round provider of office equip- ment. “From pencils to complete furnishings, we offer the entire product range and a variety of services from a single source. Quality is a high priority for us. Our consultants are trained as Quality Office Consultants and provide our custom- ers with expert advice,” says Andreas Gohs, explaining the company's portfolio. When it comes to what his company has in common with ASSMANN, however, expert advice is just the tip of the iceberg. “We value the collaboration with our colleagues from Melle, as we always treat each other as equals and take into account the interests of both sides. That was how Dirk Aßmann worked, and Karla has picked up where he left off,” says Andreas Gohs, who particularly appreciates the direct contact and quick response times, in- cluding subsequent process optimisation. “For example, by jointly analysing our delivery processes, we were able to opti- mise them – and we can now save around two lorry journeys per week. This not only benefits us as partners, but also the environment.” Buy-in required from public clients Sustainability is a topic that is close to the hearts of both Managing Directors. “In his time as Managing Director, my father laid down some important milestones for our company. I want to build on his work and maintain our pioneering role in the important field of sustainability. However, we can only do this if our network partners also buy into it, as they have a decisive role to play,” says Karla Aßmann, whose reliance on the interaction between the various players comes with a We value the collaboration with our colleagues from Melle, as we always treat each other as equals. Andreas Gohs, Managing Director of Gohs GmbH clear awareness that there is still room for improvement in other areas. This applies in particular to tenders from public clients. “Current studies show that sustainability factors only have a minor influence on decision-making, with only three to five per cent of se- lection criteria relating to sustainabil- ity. Price remains the decisive factor. I would like to see a rethink here that leads to sustainable concepts being given much greater con- sideration than before.” 1 End customers are also in favour of this, as Andreas Gohs notes: “More and more customers are requesting disposal and recycling concepts. There is a great deal of interest in Since 1990, the family-run company Gohs GmbH has been a leading provider of modern and efficient office furnishings and equipment. The medium-sized company, which was founded in a garage, now employs more than 31 people. 22

# G O– F U R T H E R C L I M A T E 2424

# G O– F U R T H E R C L I M A T E Andreas Fipp, who keeps an eye on all operational process- es at ASSMANN, shares this assessment: “Merkt is a relia- ble partner that not only provides us with all the necessary information on sustainability during the regular on-site au- dits, but also works with us to consistently drive this issue forward. Particularly with regard to climate protection, it’s an extremely efficient partnership and in line with the cli- mate objectives of the European Green Deal.” Reducing carbon footprints A stated goal of both companies is the continuous reduc- tion of carbon emissions. At ASSMANN, the direct and in- direct energy and emissions levels at the site itself (Scopes 1 and 2) are already recorded using the data from the com- pany’s ISO 50001 energy management certification. The first step in this process is to determine the company's total energy consumption – electricity, fuel and heating – and then use measurements and specific energy indicators to record how much energy is used by the various consumers. ASSMANN has been certified in accordance with the international standard for energy management systems, ISO 50001, since 2022. ISO 50001 Subsequent analysis then reveals which potential savings need to be realised. Incidentally, ASSMANN has been us- ing 100 per cent green electricity for years. However, what is relatively new is the recording of indirect emissions from processes that take place outside the company (Scope 3), for example from material deliveries from partners such as Merkt. “Only by taking this third level into account can we take a comprehensive view of our carbon emissions. But there are several things we need to do in order to achieve this, including establishing an intensive dialogue with our suppliers. Only by taking their activities into account can we get the whole picture and develop suitable measures,” says Andreas Fipp. This is a requirement that Merkt reliably fulfils. Based on a clear target, all of the company’s specialist departments come up with specific projects that are then visualised and tracked in a strategy map. The measures include materi- al and energy efficiency projects, as well as the reduction of chemical substances, value analyses of products and muchmore besides. As Konrad Merkt is keen to stress: “The sustainable optimisation of products and processes automatically goes hand in hand with an improvement in our environmental footprint. For example, our components 1 26 1 Andreas Fipp (left) and Konrad Merkt (right) in direct dialogue in the Merkt production hall, Spaichingen 2 The two ambassadors for environmental protection in search of further potential savings for a better carbon footprint 3 Konrad Merkt explains that indirect emissions also play a decisive role in energy savings

# G O– F U R T H E R E N V I R O N M E N T 2828

# G O– F U R T H E R E N V I R O N M E N T 100 PER CENT OF ASSMANN'S PRODUCTION SITE IS HEATED USING RECYCLED PRODUCTION WASTE. 1 thus securing a future worth living. The focus here is on the so that relevant measures can be defined and implemented interplay between climate and biodiversity protection. Today, in the long term. “With the help of daily inspection rounds, the association has around 800 members who are commit- we check the processes and machines used at the compa- ted to working together to promote environmentally friendly ny and identify further potential,” explains Jörg Koppe. “But and economically and socially responsible economic activity. we are already achieving very good results in terms of ener- Dieter Brübach, Deputy Chairman of B.A.U.M. e. V., is in gy efficiency and environmental protection,” he emphasises. regular contact with them. He is pleased when members His day-to-day work includes machine maintenance, repairs achieve relevant optimisations in terms of environmental and cleaning, as well as finding and eliminating compressed protection through modernisation measures, a new impe- air leaks and other defects that would result in increased tus from their networking efforts, or even small adjustments energy consumption or environmental pollution. Regular in- in their daily work practices. “We have already mastered a spections also ensure that the installations have a long ser- number of challenges together with ASSMANN and brought vice life, which means that new purchases are not required to life some interesting projects,” says Dieter Brübach in until much later on. appreciation of the collaboration. “In addition to the ambi- tious targets in terms of resource-conserving material use In addition to the inspections, ASSMANN uses oil-water and environmentally friendly waste utilisation, there are also separators and oil separators to prevent the environment other measures that are seen as essential for the future of from being contaminated by sewage. Dieter Brübach is a sustainable business,” he says. The collaboration in 2021’s fan of this sense of responsibility: “Measures both big and “Büro & Umwelt” (Office & Environment) competition, which small are crucial if you want to run a company with environ- promoted the procurement of environmentally friendly office mental protection in mind,” he says. products, is regarded by Dieter Brübach as an interesting change from the otherwise more strategic teamwork. “We The holistic view: making use of production waste are also pleased that other B.A.U.M. e. V. member compa- The selection of environmentally friendly raw materials and nies are able to benefit from ASSMANN's experience, as their careful processing are part of ASSMANN's sustain- over the years the family-owned company has become an ability strategy. How waste from production – such as expert in the field of sustainability,” says Dieter Brübach. As wood offcuts – is dealt with is also important. “We have a result, the association also regularly receives suggestions been heating our Melle site entirely using production waste from the corporate world. Control is important since the company was founded in 1939,” notes Jörg Koppe, who has been carefully maintaining the incinerator for two decades. He is also responsible for keeping an eye Changes rarely happen overnight. In the field of environmen- on the emission limits and initiating the necessary optimi- tal protection, it is important to analyse up-to-date results sation measures. Thanks to its in-house wood combustion ASSMANN has been certified according to the globally applied standard for environmental management systems, ISO 14001, since 1996. B.A.U.M. e. V., the first network for sustainable management, was founded in 1984. 30

# G O– F U R T H E R M A T E R I A L S 32

# G O– F U R T H E R M A T E R I A L S EGGER's customers and business partners can find out what is actually behind these figures and awards in the company’s Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which contain extensive information on the material, including details on manufacturing processes and how the resources are used, for example. But that's not all. “The Environmental Product Declarations also contain the results of a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment,” says Michael Kamsties. “This data en- ables planners, designers and architects to make verified product comparisons from an ecological point of view, thus promoting the manufacture of sustainable products.” “We know exactly what we’re working with” It is precisely this transparency that Daniel Kahnwald par- ticularly appreciates in his collaboration with EGGER: "The melamine-faced chipboard we source from EGGER is one of our key product components, along with steel. This makes it all the more important that we know exactly what materi- als we’re working with. After all, we already observe certain specifications during development, such as making sure the product is designed as efficiently as possible and that envi- ronmentally friendly and durable materials are used. Taking these sustainability criteria into account also provides the basis for product certifications.” These include the Blauer Engel, which has been awarded to ASSMANN's core prod- ucts since 1998, and the European sustainability certificate for office furniture, FEMB Level. To fulfil the requirements for the highest FEMB Level (Level 3), as our products do, demanding sustainability standards need to be met, includ- ing precise material and product knowledge, efficient use of resources, recyclability, safe handling of chemicals, and low packaging costs. These strict rules also apply to new products, such as the Smart Locker. Accordingly, careful checks are carried out in advance to ensure that the product fulfils the required sustainability criteria, as Daniel Kahnwald explains: “When it came to including the Smart Locker in our product portfolio, we took a close look at the product composition and obtained additional information on details such as the content of the materials. Thanks to our precise knowledge of the materials, we were then able to provide a figure for the recycled content and calculate the product’s carbon footprint.” The proportion of recycled materials used to manufacture our FEMB Level 3-certified products is cur- rently 41 per cent. Recyclability of materials is becoming increasingly important Recycling in particular is playing an increasingly impor- tant role in the manufacture of office furniture. The mela- mine-faced chipboard used by ASSMANN, for example, has 34 1 The Blauer Engel eco-label, which has been setting high standards for environmentally friendly products since 1978, has been awarded to ASSMANN's core products. ASSMANN’s shelving, tables and carcass furniture have been certified with the highest level of the European sustain- ability certificate for office and contract furniture – FEMB Level 3. Materials at ASSMANN Would you like to find out more about our product development and how we choose the materials for our high-quality office furni- ture? On our website, you can find a video from our two ambassadors on the subject of materials. Visit the website ass.al/materials

# G O– F U R T H E R P E O P L E 36

# G O– F U R T H E R P E O P L E its employees’ needs and create fair conditions: mobile work- ing and flexible working hours are as much a matter of course in the administrative areas as desk sharing in attractively designed work zones. At the same time, ASSMANN offers individual planning options: with flexitime accounts, all the company’s employees can adjust their working hours in line with their current life plans, regardless of whether they are working towards early retirement or a sabbatical, for example. However, if an employee requires a change due to family cir- cumstances, this doesn’t need to affect their flexitime account. “In the course of their working lives, everyone will be faced with challenges outside of work. At times like these, we want our employees to see us as a partner they can rely on,” explains HR Officer Maren Thiemann. With this in mind, employment contracts at ASSMANN offer scope for temporary adjust- ments to working hours due to childcare or family care. Another area of focus is the training and education of spe- cialist staff. “We want to offer our employees opportunities so that they can remain in a career they are passionate about for a long time,” says Maren Thiemann. The high priority as- signed to matters such as education and personal develop- ment at the company that manufactures modern working environments is reflected in the wide range of opportunities ASSMANN offers to its workforce, most of which can be ac- cessed via the company intranet. There are numerous pro- grammes that enable staff to acquire hard or soft skills, such as training courses for senior executives and IT programmes. ASSMANN also welcomes offers from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for the further training of its trainees. The training programmes for energy and digiscouts have already allowed a number of trainees to be- come in-house experts who are consulted as sustainability experts for other projects. Proximity to employees Managing Director Dirk Aßmann is com- mitted to maintaining a trusting relationship with his employees. “Respect and appreci- ation have been part of our philosophy for over 80 years. Lots of our employees have been with us for many years, and that brings us closer together,” he says proudly. Even though staff growth of 11.5 per cent (2019– 2023) and an average length of service of 13 years speak for themselves, ASSMANN regularly initiates studies to capture the mood within the company, such as the Great Place to Work® survey in 2023. “The feedback, which is collected anonymously, shows us our strengths and weaknesses and allows us to reflect. We’re pleased that the survey indicates that the general mood among our employees is so positive: 83 per cent of our employees say that ASSMANN provides very 13YEARS IS THE AVERAGE TIME AN EMPLOYEE SPENDS AT ASSMANN. We are delighted with our collaboration with ASSMANN and with the experience the com- pany brings to our network in areas such as sustainable HR concepts. Susann Mädler, CSR Consultant, Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) Osnabrück - Emsland - County of Bentheim The Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) for Osnabrück - Emsland - County of Bentheim has been supporting companies in the region and promoting the development of a modern, attractive 1 business location since 1866. 38

Our course towards sustainability 1 Karla and Dirk Aßmann are always on the lookout for further potential to make office furniture production even more sustainable 2 Sustainability Manager Dr Julia Koch has clear goals in mind for ASSMANN 1 This brochure has provided you with an overview of our commitment to sustainability. In line with our guiding principle #go_further, it goes without saying that we are not satisfied with the current status quo: we remain on course towards sustainability and have set ourselves goals for both the near and distant future that will help make our tomorrow worth living in. Our intention to continue to live by the principle of sustain- able behaviour as a company, and thus to act as a role mod- el in our market together with our partners, requires foresight in all the relevant disciplines. In addition to factors that have an indirect impact on our emissions – such as the further development of our product portfolio, ongoing innovations in our production department and material procurement, and modern structures in our management – this also includes the direct optimisation of our carbon footprint. In order to demonstrate the impact of our clear direction in a transpar- ent way, we also use the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) as a guide for the activities described below. These were adopted by the UN in 2015 and apply worldwide. Recyclable office furniture In concrete terms, this means that we want to strengthen our position as a comprehensive provider of equipment for modern working environments. This requires new ways of thinking. ASSMANN will continue to operate on the market as an office furniture manufacturer and distributor. In ad- dition to our comprehensive range of advice and services, our concepts are constantly being expanded to include im- portant pillars such as rental and leasing offers: in an inter- disciplinary project, “Circular.Office”, we are working with partners from the industry and research institutes to develop recyclable furniture and make it marketable. Combined with our revised, holistic product design, this approach results The five relevant UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) we use as a constant source of guidance. 40

# G O– F U R T H E R A W A R D S Outstandingly GOOD WORK We always set the highest standards for our daily work. We are convinced that a holistic view of our company is crucial for a sustainable future. This is why, in addition to product quality, we also attach great importance to taking environmental, economic and social factors into account. 42

COMPANY INFORMATION ASSMANN BÜROMÖBEL GMBH & CO. KG Heinrich-Assmann-Straße 11, 49324 Melle, Germany PO Box 1222, 49316 Melle, Germany Phone: +49 (0) 5422 706-0 assmann@assmann.de www.assmann.de Persons responsible for content: Dirk Aßmann, Managing Director Karla Aßmann, Managing Director Personally Liable Partners: ASSMANN Bet.ges. mbH HRB 18167 Osnabrück District Court Contact: Dr Julia Koch, Sustainability Manager julia.koch@assmann.de Photos: © ASSMANN BÜROMÖBEL GMBH & CO. KG Concept and implementation: MEDIUM Werbeagentur GmbH Editorial deadline: 20/08/2024