URSA joins Xella Group in supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals
With our business model, we have a high level of positive impact opportunities. To actively leverage this, we sharpened our ESG focus as part of the review of our Sustainability Strategy 2020 and worked out how our strategy can contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this core vision, URSA has joined as well to work towards progress and sustainability together and better.
In 2015, the United Nations adopted the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" to address a number of urgent global challenges. The agenda contains 17 goals, the Sustainable Development Goals, which set the framework for sustainable business at the economic, environmental and social levels. The goal is to create a better and more sustainable future by 2030.
A grand vision that cannot be implemented without joint political and corporate commitment; thus, more and more companies worldwide are aligning their sustainability strategies with the SDGs, creating transparency and comparability.
URSA, together with its mother company Xella, also supports the United Nations in implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In doing so, we have conducted a comprehensive SDG mapping and identified four goals to which we make a significant contribution (core SDGs) and four goals that we support:
Our impact contribution to our core SDGs |
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We treat employees and suppliers fairly and respect human rights in all our business processes. We offer our employees an attractive and inclusive working environment and support future generations of employees. We commit ourselves to using resources as efficiently as possible. |
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With our business model and products, we contribute to the modernization of the construction and renovation sector and promote the construction of high-quality, energy-efficient buildings. Through our research and innovation power, we drive the sustainable development of tomorrow's construction industry. |
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With our business model and products, we enable rapid and cost-effective construction. In this way, we contribute to affordable, long-lasting housing in cities and communities while promoting energy-efficient construction and renovation. |
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Our building materials are made of natural materials and are also recyclable. The use of recycled materials for the manufacture of our products has a significant impact on waste prevention and contributes to CO2 reduction. |
Our impact contribution to our "supporting" SDGs |
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Equality is considered a key factor for sustainable, economic action. We are convinced that a higher proportion of women in management positions has a positive impact on the company's success, which is why we have set ourselves the goal of increasing the proportion of our female managers to 25 percent by 2025. |
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As part of our ESG strategy, one focus is on expanding energy-efficient production of energy-saving products. Part of this strategy is also to increase the share of renewable energies. |
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Respect for diversity and equal opportunity is an important part of our Group-wide anti-discrimination and diversity standard, which is set out in our Code of Conduct, the Anti-Discrimination and Diversity Policy and the Supplier Code of Conduct. We actively exemplify this in our daily actions across national borders. |
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As a producer of sustainable building and insulation materials, climate protection plays a central role for us. We therefore pursue a clear CO2 reduction strategy for our production and products and promote awareness of sustainable action internally and along our supply chain. |
As a company, we play a key role in implementing the SDGs, so we will continue to review and, if necessary, adapt our ESG strategy in consultation with our stakeholders in order to actively shape the process of change toward sustainable development initiated by the United Nations.
This article was originally published on Xella in February 2021.
