The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations are an ambitious plan for a better world, agreed upon by 193 countries. It is about better protecting the natural foundations of life and our earth, and preserving the opportunities for all people to live in dignity and prosperity. 
These Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are to be achieved by 2030, are addressed to everyone: politicians, civil society, business, science and each and every individual.

What does this mean for us as a company?

Private business and every company can also make a valuable contribution and work for sustainable development and an improved world. We therefore want to take the goals seriously and review our corporate objectives. Many points we already fulfill because we take them for granted, others we try to implement in this sense. Only together and if everyone takes responsibility can such an ambitious goal be achieved.
Of course, not all 17 goals are equally important for SMEs. Nor can a contribution be made to all the sustainability goals. Nevertheless, we have attempted to briefly address all 17 goals below:

Goal 1: No poverty

By creating jobs, paying fair wages and sourcing goods from global suppliers, we contribute to growth and employment.

Goal 2: Zero hunger

As a regional, medium-sized company, we can only play a small part in curbing hunger globally by contributing to growth and employment through innovations and sustainable, economic activity. We support regular breakfasts with milk and muesli in the local kindergarten with the "Healthy Breakfast" project. In this way, children are taught about healthy nutrition, which in some cases can no longer be provided by their parents.

On a smaller scale, we would like to make a contribution against food waste with our own canteen. A large selection of 1-portion lunch dishes is offered daily. In our Thursday menus, we cook fresh for our employees by appointment. If there is anything left over it is frozen and reused.

Our trainees receive their lunches free of charge.

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

We design the working environment of our employees according to health-promoting aspects. Height-adjustable desks, ergonomic chairs, good tools, aids, protective equipment, safe work clothing and much more ensure the well-being of our employees in the office, production and assembly.

Our company doctor accompanies the measures and is directly involved in maintaining the health of our employees with regular examinations and annual flu vaccinations.  Since November 2022, all employees of Schilling Engineering have received supplementary company health insurance financed by the employer.

With regular first-aid courses offered to all employees and donations to the local DRK association and the Tannheim aftercare clinic, we make a concrete commitment to help in emergencies.

In a broader sense, the development of our cleanroom products contributes to the safe production of medicines and medical technology products that are used throughout the world and enhance the health and well-being of the population.

Goal 4: Quality education

Promoting education in our region is very important to us. That is why we have entered into an educational partnership with nine schools from neighboring communities. We are available to the schools as a partner company in areas such as company exploration, internships, career presentations and job application training.

We are also linked to the community school in the municipality as "Heroes of Education" through the Gold Partnership. The monetary donations help create the framework for better education, with investment in learning materials and learning infrastructure.

For its commitment to regional schools, Schilling Engineering was honored as an "Exemplary Company 2021" in the "LEA Mittelstand Award for Social Responsibility".

For many years, Schilling Engineering has been training apprentices itself. We regularly take on our trainees in the fields of mechatronics and business administration, thus counteracting the shortage of skilled workers.

Goal 5: Gender equality

We do not differentiate between genders in our offers or in our requirements. We pay the same salary for the same position if qualifications and experience match. Many so-called "men's jobs" in engineering and production are filled by women at our company. Conversely, we naturally also employ men in part-time positions if they wish and allow them to take parental leave.

Finally, our management team is also made up of women, which is an exception in our technical profession.

We live a culture of mutual respect without discrimination.

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

We save water via water-saving buttons and automatic water-saving faucets in our toilet facilities. In our modern office building, employees have access to clean and functional sanitary facilities including shower facilities.

Our employees can draw chilled drinking water from dispensers free of charge.

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy

Thanks to our large photovoltaic systems installed on the roofs of our buildings and the use of a heat pump, we are able to cover one hundred percent of the energy requirements for buildings and production from self-produced electricity in most months. In the winter months, we also purchase green electricity from regional hydropower.
The heating and cooling capacity of our buildings is finely controlled via programmable thermostats and operated in an energy-optimized manner. Light in the corridors and sanitary areas is controlled by motion detectors.

We operate 4 e-charging stations for the electric cars of our fleet, our visitors and our employees with the electricity we generate for the most part ourselves.

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

Our company has enjoyed healthy economic growth since it was founded, which is reflected in new investments and profit-sharing payments to our employees.

With a high investment in digitalized processes, we have enabled our employees to work in a more structured way, reducing unsatisfactory workflows.  

Flexible working hours, home office, flextime models, overtime reduction and fair, constructive cooperation adapt the working conditions in our company to the needs of our employees.

Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Technological progress and innovations are the basis of industrial development. Our high level of investment can be seen from the number of patents we have approved.

A modern building, digitalized processes, self-produced energy and efficient use of resources provide the basis for sustainable industrial processes.

Goal 10: Reduced inequalities

With the new supply chain law, the EU is making a strong contribution to Goal 10. As a company, we are committed to our social responsibility and source our goods only from suppliers who can reduce global inequality without child labor and with fair pay. We have been living the conditions of fair cooperation for several years with our Code of Conduct.

In our company, we employ workers from many different nations. For example, in 2022 we took on a new apprentice from Kosovo. It goes without saying that we apply equal pay and treatment regardless of gender, nation and religion.

We counter unequal treatment with company health insurance, which we finance for all employees, and salary increases that are based on collective agreements.

Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

With donations and sponsoring of many different associations and projects in sports, culture, education and health, we support our community and our region in a sustainable development. The various associations contribute to social cohesion through exchange and togetherness. This is reinforced in joint activities, performances and celebrations that would otherwise not be possible without donations.

Goal 12: Sustainable consumption and production

We obtain a large part of our materials for production from local companies with short delivery routes. Our employees in the immediate vicinity also use the well-developed bicycle paths, so that the bicycle parking area is well occupied, especially in spring.

The basic materials we use in the production of our cleanrooms (aluminum, glass, cables) can be fully recycled. In addition, our cleanroom systems can be modified non-destructively at a later date, for machine insertion, room expansion or more complex conversions. Our cleanroom furniture is made of sustainable materials and is certified with the Blue Angel environmental seal.

Thanks to our large photovoltaic systems and the use of a heat pump, we are able to cover one hundred percent of the energy requirements for buildings, production and e-vehicles from self-produced electricity in most months. We have been able to make our production processes significantly more energy efficient through the use of modern machinery. We save water via water-saving buttons and automatic water-saving faucets in our toilet facilities.

When designing our products, we pay attention to good energy efficiency - cleanroom tents and fixed cleanrooms can be set to sleep mode if permitted by the customer. Our self-developed control system regulates the room conditions according to customer specifications with the lowest possible energy consumption.

Goal 13: Climate action

For appointments that can be held online or by phone, we are increasingly foregoing travel and staying on site. Our employees have the option of working in a home office.  

In our production, offices and canteen, waste is strictly separated and sent for recycling. Through digitization and the introduction of a document management system, we have been able to drastically reduce paper consumption.

Goal 14: Life below water

As a company, we can only make a small contribution to Goal 14 with our products and influencing factors.

Since plastic bottles are one of the biggest sources of plastic pollution in our oceans, our drinking water taps at the workplace help a little to reduce this problem. We do not use disposable plastic at company events. In our canteen, we offer a majority of fish from sustainable fish farms.

Goal 15: Life on land

Goal 15 is primarily aimed at companies in the agricultural sector.

We have drastically reduced our paper consumption through digitization and the introduction of a document management system and can thus conserve resources on land.

Goal 16: Peace, justice, strong institutions

Medium-sized companies and the skilled trades are the backbone of German prosperity and guide growth and prosperity. As a medium-sized, family-run company, we are responsible for creating numerous jobs and training positions. In the last 25 years since the company was founded, more than 70 jobs have been created and maintained. Numerous trainees have a long-term future in the working world thanks to a completed apprenticeship. Through continuous reinvestment of profits, it is possible to keep the company attractive for customers, suppliers and employees in the long term and to survive in the market. A large portfolio of fringe benefits offers employees a strong environment on which to build. The large sums of tax money flow into various structures to be distributed according to keys for the community. Politicians are called upon to invest in forward-looking issues and to use taxpayers' money efficiently and effectively. On a small scale, one of our managing directors, Ute Schilling, provides support here as a member of the local council.

Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals

To date, we have not entered into any partnerships to achieve the 17 goals. With this publication of our thoughts and actions, we want to look at the goals and incorporate some of them more strongly into our business strategies.

We are happy to exchange ideas on this with partners, customers and communities so that we can implement even more ideas and fulfill our responsibility for a better life by 2030.