A Multifaceted Approach to a Sustainable World

In keeping with the conference theme “Making a Better World for Generations,” teams from all over the world presented sustainability projects and issues from throughout the Group. The diverse range of activities reflected the many different factors contributing to our corporate purpose – to the common goal of our work at WACKER.

When the conference began in Munich, President and CEO Dr. Christian Hartel defined its focus as the relationship between corporate values and sustainability. “Sustainability isn't some buzzword,” Hartel stressed in his opening remarks. “Sustainable development means meeting the needs of today's generation without limiting the opportunities of future generations – of our children and grandchildren,” he said, alluding to WACKER’s corporate purpose. “As a company, we want to leave behind a livable world for our descendants. And as an employer, we strive to be a community where people enjoy working together – responsibly and with mutual respect. That’s why we've continued to define and expand the many dimensions of our corporate purpose,” he explained.

In the subsequent panel discussion, colleagues from Human Resources, Corporate Development and Compliance joined an external expert to consider what values mean in terms of collaboration and the role of each and every individual employee in their day-to-day work.

A Virtual Conference Tour across the Continents

On the afternoon of the first day, the conference traveled to Brazil and Plzeň. Not only did this give participants an inside look at collaboration with a Brazilian supplier – it also gave them an opportunity to experience the ambitious approach one production site is taking to implement many aspects of our sustainability goals.

On day two, the conference began in Singapore and Dubai, where the focus was on mutual appreciation and collaboration. Inspiring videos showed team events, preventive health care and sustainability workshops – a multipronged approach fostering a common understanding of sustainability throughout the region.

The next stop on the tour was the United States, where several sites and business divisions presented their projects. David Wilhoit, president of the Wacker Chemical Corporation, officially capped off the visit by signing WCC’s new Environment, Health & Safety policy.

The third day was hosted by teams from China and India. An external consultant presented the ambitious sustainability course charted by Chinese industry, while the team from India provided an in-depth look at examples of sustainable practices at their sites.

For the final event in Burghausen, participants either gathered at the staff building or tuned in virtually. The highlight here came when Dr. Hartel presented the WACKER Net Zero Award to a project team that had developed a model-based process control system linking sophisticated engineering technology with the countless possibilities of digitization. The system allows for far more efficient plant operations, which in turn leads to significant reductions in CO₂ emissions.

Some 250 employees at WACKER’s international sites participated in the four-day conference, and a total of roughly 400 participants joined virtually.