We continue to develop our environmental management
Environmental protection has a high priority at ZALF. To perpetuate this approach, an environmental management system was introduced at the Müncheberg site in 2019, for which we maintained an EMAS certificate from November 2020 to November 2023. The successes can be read in the environmental statements of the last 3 years and the environmental program with the goal of climate neutrality will of course be continued.
However, we have also determined that the ecological focus of EMAS does not go far enough for ZALF as a research institution with a sustainable approach. The Executive Board has agreed to further develop the existing, well-functioning system into a holistic sustainability management system. To this end, we will be guided by the methods of LeNa (www.nachhaltig-forschen.de) and further develop the existing instruments in two phases.
Phase 1: 2023/2024
- Adaptation of the LeNa handout as a basis for further development
- Preparation of a transition report in which the environmental and energy topics are supplemented by occupational safety/health protection and personnel topics.
- Addition of the aforementioned topics to the environmental program.
Phase 2: 2024/2025
- Integration of LeNa-Shape approaches to research activities.
- Reassess context & stakeholder expectations incl. identification of potential risks & opportunities.
- Develop ZALF sustainability strategy and sustainability program.
- Completion of processes, responsibilities & communication
- Establishment of a key performance indicator board for sustainability
- Preparation of a report on successes & activities of the ZALF sustainability system
