LIVE AND LET LIVE
This sentences concisely and succinctly
describes IFN’s sustainability strategy since
the company was founded in 1931.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
For us, this long-term perspective means responsibility for people, the company and the environment.
We live our sustainability strategy in our sustainable processes, products and services, in sustainable corporate governance, in our dealings with employees and in social commitment. The sustainability project was launched in 2021.
The goal is to clearly formulate sustainability goals and strategies for IFN and for the individual business areas and to establish a suitable organisational structure for the topic of sustainability.
With the development of a uniformly structured sustainability report at the IFN level, the topic is also to be communicated more intensively internally and externally.
We are currently working on our sustainability report - our guiding principles are already ready:
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
WE DO IT - Living sustainability with conviction
IFN develops and manufactures products that improve the energy efficiency of buildings through insulation, light and heat gain, shading and intelligent ventilation.
For us, sustainable development means combining economic, ecological and social aspects and taking advantage of the opportunities they offer.
In the entire IFN holding company, we focus on sustainability as part of our entrepreneurial activities in order to continue to successfully develop the family business over the next generations.
It is important for us to take proactive steps. We distinguish ourselves, also with regard to sustainability, through our drive. Together with our employees, we work with conviction towards a sustainable future.
WE DO IT RIGHT - Acting sustainably, consistently
To do the right thing, it is important for us to understand the impact of our activities and the concerns of our stakeholders. We make our decisions based on facts. This provides us with the basis to improve our performance - economically, environmentally and socially:
- We design products sustainably: We pay attention to the durability and recyclability of the products. When selecting materials, we strive to avoid negative environmental impacts.
- We produce sustainably: Resource conservation and working in cycles have priority for us. We are constantly reducing energy consumption and CO2-emissions along the value chain.
- We work sustainably: We are an attractive employer characterised by fair working conditions, sustainable corporate values and a spirit of partnership
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, WE LEARN - Sustainability is Development
Do we have all the answers on sustainability?
No, but we are working on it. We rely on our innovative strength as well as an active exchange in the network to learn new things, to develop further and to find the right answers.
The prerequisite for this is openness to new things, which we have anchored in our corporate culture, and the comprehensive competences of our employees. Therefore, we promote qualification and individual development opportunities for our employees.
Until its completion, we report on activities and focal points in the individual business areas.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
IFN PRODUCTS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS, THE LIVING CLIMATE AND IN TURN, THE WELL-BEING AND HEALTH OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
- 40 % of CO2 emissions worldwide are caused by poorly-insulated buildings
- 25 to 30 % of the heat in a building escapes through windows and doors
- The consistent use of sun protection would save 50 % of cooling energy.
- The use of intelligent building features can make a significant contribution to the well-being and health of the "indoor generation".
- The carbon footprint of our products is clearly positive. According to an analysis by the Technical University of Vienna, for example, a “CO2 amortisation” results for Internorm windows when double glazing is replaced by triple glazing after 1-3 years. Across its service life, around 42 tonnes of CO2 are saved for 30 m2 window area.
- External blinds and roller shutters save energy over their entire life cycle by reducing the amount of cooling energy around 8.5 TONNES OF CO2.
- The use of Internorm ECLAZ glass coating enables the supply of interiors with sufficient daylight and also improve the health and well-being of people in the buildings.
- Intelligent sun protection allows sufficient daylight supply without any glare or overheating, significantly reducing the energy use for artificial light and cooling.
- Intelligent ventilation control ensures that the rooms are adequately ventilated without losing large amounts of room heat during ventilation and cleans the fresh air.
PRODUCTION
- Resource-saving production – we optimise, digitally supported, our use of materials.
- The residual materials resulting from the production process are collected separately, recycled internally or recycled professionally.
- We continue to further develop our materials.
Internorm has been producing its lead-free PVC profiles since 1994 and is the first manufacturer in Europe to do so. Sections from production become profiles once more. PVC windows that are removed are sent to a certified, externally audited recycling process.
We process PEFC-certified timber and work continuously on the optimal use of timber. - We use the waste heat from our processes – for example, a heat pump at the Sarleinsbach site uses the waste heat from the extrusion process to cover 50 % of the heating energy requirements of the whole site (this saves 140 tonnes of heating oil each year).
- We optimise plants, thereby reducing energy consumption – a conversion of the vacuum and cooling water pumps in Extrusion 2017, for example, reduced the plant's energy requirements by 50 %.
- Responsible Care Certificate for Internorm Sarleinsbach. The installed self-checking system is also confirmed by means of external audits.
TRANSPORT
- Intelligent, digitised processes in logistics reduce traffic volumes.
- Internorm relies on “combined transport” – the use of swap bodies allows products to be transported either by rail or by truck. Over 50 % of transport takes place CO2 neutrally, by rail.
- Our fleet control system supports the use of vehicles with low consumption levels.
- Commute enhanced by rail – since 2016, GIG has increasingly been shifting business trips from cars to trains. This meant that employees were able to save 17.7 tonnes of CO2.
BUILDINGS
- We invest in energy efficiency in our buildings:
- 2012–2014 Renovation of the office building Central Traun to passive house standard.
- 2017 Renovation of the Schlotterer office.
- Conversion from oil and gas heating in the Traun office building to a heat pump. Heating and cooling is provided by concrete core activation with ground water.
- Shading with light control prevents summer overheating and provides the rooms with glare-free daylight.
- Intelligent building control to support energy efficiency.
- Changeover to LED lighting in the course of renovations and when replacing light sources.
- Operational waste heat is used for heating purposes.
- Production of hot water with solar energy.
- In 2019, Linz AG Energieservice conducted a second energy audit of Internorm, GIG, Topic and Schlotterer in accordance with section 9 of the Energieeffizienzgesetzes (EEffG or Energy Efficiency Act). The specific energy consumption was reduced during the period 2014-2018 from 124 kWh/TEUR to 119 kWh/TEUR.
RESPONSIBLE COMPANY MANAGEMENT
- Code of compliance. A compliance system was introduced to the company in 2012.
- Sustainable economic success: As a family company, IFN wants to continue developing over the generations. Sustainable financial success forms the basis of this.
- Stable ownership structure. Cohesion between owners and company as a key success factor.
- Our profit is largely invested in the further development of the company.
- Austria site: The top quality, productivity and the power of innovation demonstrated by our Austrian employees inspires us, and it is for that reason that IFN performs a large part of the production services in Austria.
EMPLOYEES
- Happy, healthy employees form the basis for our success.
- We support and encourage the development of our employees throughout their working lives.
- Employee satisfaction measurement at regular intervals with external support: We use the results for our further development. We are proud that over the past few years, we have been able to perform significantly better than comparable companies in these surveys.
- Equal treatment: IFN does not differentiate between people of different genders, different ages, different ethnic origins or different religions. An analysis of the wages and salaries at Internorm has shown that there are no differences in pay at Internorm – with equal qualifications, equal performance and equal seniority - between men and women.
- A healthy journey throughout our working lives. We provide our employees with a working environment that complies with all legal requirements. In addition, we want to ensure employees are healthy during their careers.
- Profit-sharing: "If the company is doing well, the employees should be doing well too". The employees of most companies have a role in the economic success of their company.
- Health promotion: company health promotion projects, externally monitored and evaluated. In 2018, Internorm was once again awarded the BGF quality seal by the OÖGKK.
- Internal qualifications programme: The companies in IFN invest in training programmes (both internal and external), accompanying them throughout their working life. We offer professional training, along with programmes for personal development.
- Multiple awards for apprenticeship training: Schlotterer and GIG's apprentice training activities have already received several awards.
- Joint sporting events: We support joint sporting events by our employees.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Fairness when interacting with our stakeholders: Trade partners, suppliers, neighbours, customers and many more.
- Compliance with legal and fiscal framework conditions.
- Social involvement tailored to the regionsin which we are active.
Arcus: : Internorm obtains services from Arcus, a workshop for people with special needs in Sarleinsbach. We promote contact between Arcus and Internorm employees through factory visits. Internships for students: IFN offers qualified internships to pupils and students and works closely with regional universities and vocational schools on projects. The aim is to allow pupils and students to gain practical relevance in their training.
Adnet kindergarten: A science corner was set up in the Adnet kindergarten thanks to financial support from Schlotterer.
Project Sustainability in the Sarleinsbach municipality. Internorm and Topic provide substantive and financial support to a sustainability project in the Sarleinsbach municipality.
Support of regional activities, rescue and fire fighting: We support activities in the local communities through contributions, donations and regional projects. Voluntary activities of our employees in aid organisations are supported.
Sponsoring: We support regional sports events, cultural institutions, museums, schools and more.
