1. Schmalz makes economically sustainable decisions

Investing despite the crisis? A clear yes. Schmalz moved into a new 900-square-metre building in Poznan, Poland, back in January. In Italy, the company renovated an existing building to improve its energy efficiency, and in the USA, the expansion of production and logistics by around 150% has been underway since May 2021. The largest current project is in Taicang, China. Here, Schmalz is building a modern administration and production building as the new headquarters for its Chinese subsidiary. A sustainable investment - Taicang is a popular location for German SMEs. "We can only benefit from networking with these companies," emphasizes Dr. Kurt Schmalz. Just like at the German headquarters, in Poland, Italy and the USA, Schmalz also pays attention to resource-conserving construction methods in China. Geothermal energy and geothermal probes air-condition the buildings, while photovoltaics use solar power to generate energy. The building is a prime example of the second strategy that is strengthening Schmalz during the crisis:

2. Ecologically sustainable action

Anyone who has ever visited Schmalz in Glatten knows that the company is committed to the careful use of natural resources. This not only helps the company's image: wind turbines, a combined heat and power plant and rock-split cooling are just a few examples that are already significantly reducing the_{CO2 footprint} of Schmalz products. The Black Forest company aims to be completely climate-neutral by 2050. These are not just empty words, but a path that Schmalz is actively pursuing, as demonstrated by its membership of the Baden-Württemberg Climate Alliance. This protects the environment and also pays off for the company - among other things, savings in electricity and heating costs amortize the investments in ecological sustainability. Further proof of this is the repeated award as one of the three most sustainable medium-sized companies in 2020. The "German Sustainability Award" not only proves that Schmalz offers products and services with high ecological standards, but also that it knows how to combine these with the third strategy - social sustainability.

3. Employees appreciate

In order to be named "Best Employer Baden-Württemberg 2021" (1st place!) and to be one of "Germany's Best Employers 2021", two things are needed: firstly, employees who confirm in a survey that Schmalz really is "a great place to work". On the other hand, personnel and management work that auditors found to be worthy of an award in a comprehensive cultural audit. The Axia Award also confirms sustainable corporate management. Among other things, the jury examines the four areas of strategy, productivity and innovation, culture and commitment as well as governance and finance. But away from the trophies and towards real life: Schmalz has been creating space for its employees for a long time in order to provide them with the best possible support in all areas of life. This includes protecting their health, which has never been more important since last year. Hence the fourth fundamental decision that is helping Schmalz through the pandemic:

4. Protect employees

Schmalz responded early on with a comprehensive concept to protect its employees from the coronavirus - and thus maintain its ability to deliver. Working from home has now been established, as has the use of the protective masks, face shields and quick and self-tests provided. Schmalz is going one step further as a pilot company in the "Vaccination in SMEs" project. In the end, over 70 percent of the workforce will be vaccinated - on a purely voluntary basis, of course. "For us, this is a milestone on the way back to normality," says Dr. Schmalz.

Dr. Schmalz does not know when this will happen again. However, he assures: "We are fit for the future. We are taking advantage of the current growth in the European, Chinese and US markets and continuing to drive forward the current trends of robotics, digitalization and sustainability."