Sustainability

bauer natur nachhaltigkeit baumpflanzaktion 2023

OUR STRATEGY: AVOID, REDUCE, COMPENSATE.

CLIMATE

STATUS QUO
Let’s start with the latest news: In 2021, we will become carbon-neutral. Since 2019, we have been getting 100% of our electricity from renewable sources, and we are carrying through various projects to reduce our water consumption. For quite a while now, we have been getting nearly 100% of our milk from our own contract farmers here from the Alpine foothills region. As of 2021, all farms will be no farther away than 80kms. With “Plant for the Planet”, we have been planting trees for many years now. We have reduced our use of plastic by 120 tonnes, 100% of our carton packages have been switched to paper made from sustainable forestry. All our fruit preparations come from the EU, just like all cup and board suppliers.

IMPORTANT STEPS FOR SUSTAINABILITY

WE AT BAUER LEAD THE WAY

TECHNOLOGY

We attach great importance to new, more energy-efficient technology. We have installed a new compressor that will go into operation in Q2 2022. At the same time, we are in the planning stage of the district heating network, so that we will be able to shut down oil heating for the last smaller area of our company in 2023. We are particularly proud of the involvement of the dual students as energy scouts since 2020, which has enabled us to save around 1.5 million L/a of water by optimizing the CIP. Likewise, the use of insulating sleeves for steam valves resulted in CO₂ savings of approx. 37 t/a.

RAW MATERIAL MILK

We were able to successfully establish sustainability tools from QM-Milk ( called "QM+") with all milk suppliers.

HSE

In order to give the topic of Health Safety Environment (HSE) even more weight, we have created a separate area of responsibility at Bauer Natur. In this way, we are further strengthening our focus topics of health and occupational safety.

In the course of this, we have already been able to improve the temperatures in the production halls through the optimized use of cooling equipment and create a pleasant climate for our employees. We are also optimizing our training courses on occupational health and safety.

GOALS
CARBON-NEUTRAL BY THE END OF 2021, 100% RECYCLABLE BY 2025

As a manufacturing company in the food industry, we also produce CO2 emissions in various areas. We are proud, however, to have significantly reduced our carbon footprint already. In order to become carbon-neutral by the end of 2021, we have for instance switched completely to green energy and cut business travel down to an absolute minimum. The amount of CO2 emissions which unfortunately cannot be avoided completely is compensated by us – e.g., by supporting the "Plant for the Planet" project and planting trees. But we’re not only looking at the big picture. Each new year of vocational trainees plants a tree on our company premises. We are thus not only doing something for the environment, but help create in our future employees a sense of responsibility and an emotional tie to nature, and to Bauer. A further goal consists in achieving 100% recyclability. This not just an internal goal. By 2025, we want to be able to print it on each and every Bauer packaging. Whether it’s yoghurt cups or cheese wrappers, this promise shall hold true for really each and every Bauer product. Moreover, we’re actively searching for sustainable and plastic-free packaging alternatives. In the meantime we are reducing the plastic content of our cups to a minimum. All the while striving for the most sustainable solution. Good taste enjoyment with a good conscience.

ANIMAL WELFARE AND ANIMAL HEALTH

ANIMAL WELFARE

STATUS QUO
Animal welfare concerns us all. First and foremost us at Bauer, and our farmers. That’s why, together with them, we promote animal welfare and animal health. A few interesting facts: We cooperate with regional, family-operated farms with an average of 45 milk cows each who are fed without any genetic engineering as a matter of course. Also, soy beans from overseas don’t play any role whatsoever for us. 100% of our milk is QM-certified (quality standard for milk production), 96% of which fulfils the highest quality level requirements. Moreover, our animals are regularly checked by veterinarians.

GOALS
90% FREESTALL BARNS AND COMBINATION HUSBANDRY BY 2024

While we’re not quite where we want to be, we’re working on it. We want to enable our milk cows to lead a life with as much autarchy as possible. This includes being able to move around freely in the barn, and ideally being able to spend as much time as possible outdoors on a pasture where they can graze peacefully.

“UNSERE NATUR IST UNSERE ZUTAT”

HEALTHY PRODUCTS

STATUS QUO
We want to fill our new slogan with life and base it on facts. We have launched “Typ Skyr”, a Skyr-type yoghurt full of protein, and of course we will not cease to continue looking for delicious and healthy innovative product ideas. Talking about healthy: last year, we reduced the total amount of sugar in our products by 1.9g.

GOALS
By the end of 2022, we want to reduce the average sugar content in all Bauer yoghurt products to below 10g. By 2025, 25% of our sales are to be generated from our vegetable product line.

OUR BIG FAMILY

EMPLOYEES

STATUS QUO
Like we already mentioned: Actually, we are all one big family. And many of our “family members” have been a part of us for generations, 30% of them have been with us for more than 20 years, some of them spending their entire working lives here. We think that a defined shelf-life is only suitable for food, so nearly 100% of all our employees enjoy unlimited employment contracts. A sick rate and a fluctuation rate of only 4% speak volumes about our positive familial working atmosphere. And for those who’ve just joined us, we offer 7 occupations with vocational training as well as 3 dual courses of study, with a very high proportion of subsequent employment in our company.