LEBENSBAUM is regarded as a pioneer in the field of sustainable business management. What does sustainability mean to you, beyond labels and certificates?

Lena Mohrlüder: Our company was founded on the firm conviction that sustainability is the foundation of a responsible and sustainable economy. If we want to leave future generations a world worth living in, then business practices centred on sustainability are the only way forward. For us, sustainable business practice means using our resources carefully and taking responsibility – for the environment, for the people in our supply chains and for our staff. Ultimately, quality marks and certificates serve as confirmation of this commitment – independent proof that we are living up to our own high standards.

What is your biggest challenge in your day-to-day work, and what was your most recent real moment of success?

Lena Mohrlüder: At the moment, one of the biggest challenges is striking a balance between what we want to achieve as the sustainability team and what we have to do in the compliance department. After all, however important and necessary the forthcoming sustainability regulations may be, it takes time and resources to keep a close eye on the evolving legal framework and ensure it is properly implemented. Although we have essentially been implementing many of these requirements for years, the precise formal details tie up resources, which means that the actual impact tends to take a back seat.

It is all the more heartening, then, to see that the importance of – and enthusiasm for – sustainability remains strong within the company. This is evident from the high number of participants in our internal sustainability initiatives. Here, we explore various sustainability topics – such as the Planetary Health Diet, for example – and in doing so create a space for discussion and inspiration.

How do you deal with conflicting objectives – for example, between economic targets and environmental ideals?

Lena Mohrlüder: There are certainly times when decisions need to be discussed at length – particularly when economic constraints and environmental ideals do not, at first glance, seem to go hand in hand. For us, however, such debates are part of a responsible process, and ultimately, long-term, sustainable success is our top priority. Sometimes sustainable investments may seem more costly at first, but in the long run they pay off for the company, for people and for the environment.

Sustainability is also about communication: both internally and externally. Which strategies or tools have proved effective at LEBENSBAUM?

Lena Mohrlüder: When it comes to sustainability, one thing is particularly important to us: transparency. That is why we use a wide range of formats to provide information on sustainability and engage in dialogue – both internally and externally. These include, for example, our sustainability report and our customer magazine ‘Der LEBENSBAUM’, which is published every three months, as well as our social media channels. Internally, we keep our colleagues informed through our discussion forums, regular training sessions and topical updates on our digital noticeboards.

If you could give the entire food industry one piece of advice – what would it be?

Lena Mohrlüder: If we all do our bit, if we network, share ideas, inspire one another and work together, then we can make a huge difference as a collective. It is up to us, as an industry, to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to fulfil due diligence obligations in supply chains, act in an environmentally responsible manner, make a genuine contribution to climate protection, and be commercially successful – not in spite of this, but precisely because of it.

Is there a misconception about sustainability that you’d like to clear up?

Lena Mohrlüder: It is certainly a major misconception that sustainability is often equated with sacrifice or restriction. There is frequent talk of how we all have to make concessions. On an emotional level, that may indeed sound like making sacrifices at first. But it’s actually much more about questioning habits and ways of thinking, making more conscious decisions and stimulating creativity and a spirit of innovation – and that can ultimately be very enriching.