Sustainability - Taking responsibility for tomorrow
UNIFERM understands sustainability as the perspectives: environmental, economic and social. The focus is particularly on the areas of energy management, work safety, health protection and compliance. They are part of UNIFERM's corporate policy.
It is our declared aim and responsibility to sustainably ensure the business success and competitiveness of UNIFERM. Therefore, in our strategic and operative thinking, the economic needs have to be considered together with the ecological and social dimensions of sustainability; those reflections are formulated as a clear agreement on objectives.
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Using state-of-the-art production methods that protect resources and the environment – including a reuse of the materials and energies created in the process |
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Maintaining secure, dynamic and transparent supply chains that take ecological and socio-ethical aspects into account |
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Complying with all relevant, current legal norms as well as socio-ethical norms in the company's sphere of activity and action |
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Considering the rights and claims of all people and organisations involved in the value-creating process as well as all relevant stakeholders within the surroundings and along the supply chain. |
Environment - preserving resources
At UNIFERM, economy and ecology are no opposites: we aim at conducting our business as environmentally friendly as possible to ensure that our own environment and thus our natural resources can be preserved.
In the context of yeast growth, UNIFERM makes a valuable contribution to sustainable management. UNIFERM uses molasses, which results from the production of sugar made of domestic sugar beets. Molasses provides valuable nutrients for the natural fermentation process of yeast. During yeast growth, the so-called yeast broth is produced. From it the yeast milk is separated, from which the different types of yeast are subsequently produced. What remains is the broth without yeast, a liquid that still contains valuable nutrients. This broth without yeast undergoes an elaborate processing that results in an upgraded raw material. It is returned to the agricultural cycle and used as valuable component of animal feed (vinasse) or as a natural fertilizer (vinasse salt). Here it encounters a high demand for high-quality plant-based nutrients. In addition, the broth without yeast is utilized energetically as part of the biogas production. UNIFERM achieves a reduction in emissions in both ways. UNIFERM pursues the goal of maximum utilization.
Download PDF: Closed loop of yeast propagation - Upcycling as a sustainable alternative
Energy Management - enhancing efficiency
Our company strives for a continuous and sustainable reduction of energy consumption taking economic and technical commensurability into account. In order to record and monitor our energy consumption and the implementation of our energy targets, we have established an energy management system certified according to DIN EN ISO 50001. You will find the certificate here.
We regularly set ourselves new goals and apply our technical knowledge to sustainably develop processes and production. Increasing energy efficiency and reducing the specific use of energy from fossil fuels is part of our sustainability concept and is of decisive importance for the economic success of the company.
UNIFERM operates a state-of-the-art combined heat-power (CHP) plant and thus generates its own energy to supply the production facilities with electricity, heat, and process air. The company's own combined heat and power plant at the Monheim site received an award in 2013. A total of six CHP modules ensure that the complex yeast fermentation process completely meets the heat requirements. This combined production of electricity and heat is characterized by significantly higher efficiency compared to separate production.
The remaining waste heat is made available to the local heating network for hot water preparation. A surplus in electricity generation goes directly into the grid feed-in. With its CO2 emissions, this resource-saving process is significantly lower than for gas and turbine combined-cycle power plants.
UNIFERM's goal is to increase energy production through biogas production. UNIFERM currently operates a biogas plant at the Monheim site, covering a certain part of the heat demand on site.
Great attention is paid to heat recovery. Here, UNIFERM uses sophisticated processes to reuse the thermal energy generated during yeast production in other areas.
Since 2021, UNIFERM has been a member of the VEA initiative "Climate-friendly SMEs". The German Association of Energy Consumers (VEA) founded this initiative with the aim of supporting medium-sized companies on their way to climate neutrality. Among other things, members benefit from a digital platform with numerous best practice examples. The focus is on the exchange of knowledge on climate-friendly action. Topics that are being worked on together revolve, for example, around the question of how energy can be used more efficiently or how we can rely even more on climate-friendly energies.
Work safety and health protection
We offer our employees safe working conditions and motivate them to behave in a safety-conscious manner in their everyday work. We actively involve our employees in the continuous improvement of safety and health protection at work. To this end, we have developed an extensive training program. We provide individual support so that the necessary qualifications are achieved. Our sites have certified occupational health and safety management systems in accordance with current standards.
And, of course, we are continuously working to improve our level of work safety. To this end, we work closely with our responsible employers' liability insurance association and cooperating company medical centres.
Compliance - following clear principles
“Following clear principles” – this is how we define ourselves, in line with our UNIFERM tradition. Our business success is founded on this statement – yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The compliance with law, regulations and company guidelines is of utmost priority at UNIFERM – all our business is to be conducted impeccably whether it concerns ethical or legal issues. Managers, and employees are advised to follow national and international law and regulations. As a reliable employer and business partner we shall not tolerate any legal violations be them acts of bribery and corruption or other issues. To avoid any conflicts of interest, employees are continuously trained as part of an anti-corruption program to raise awareness.
We aim to promote both responsible behaviour and an ethical corporate culture by continuously working on how to improve our organisation and integrity. Being a legally compliant company, we hope to be a trustworthy partner for our customers.
Responsibility towards employees
UNIFERM invests heavily in the future and gets involved locally in Werne and Monheim. At both sites UNIFERM offers apprenticeships. Usually, twelve to fourteen apprentices enter professional life in various areas. With an extensive training program UNIFERM continuously trains and develops its employees. UNIFERM has developed UNIFIT, a program to promote young talent. Further trainee programs focus on application technology consulting and sales.
UNIFERM combines modern process management with a program for continuous improvement of processes (CIP) in its day-to-day operation. On average, employees are employed at UNIFERM for a very long time, and the average length of service is very high. UNIFERM offers all employees a modern, company pension scheme and supports the compatibility of family and career through flexible working hours.