Sustainability at Erwin Sattler
29. Aug 2023
As a family business, we have always felt a responsibility to act in a forward-looking and responsible way. The advancing climate change has many alarming effects on our shared planet, which is why we also try to work and produce in a sustainable way within the scope of our possibilities.
Our founder, Erwin Sattler, was a lifelong animal rights activist and advocate of ethical “togetherness”, and he lived and breathed these values in his family business from the very beginning. His daughter, Stephanie Sattler-Rick, the current owner, has also adopted this philosophy and, together with her colleagues and employees, runs the business more than ever with a view to sustainability.
All Erwin Sattler products are handmade, long-lasting collector’s items, manufactured with the utmost precision and care and handed down from generation to generation. In this way, as a brand and as a manufacturer, we face up to the problems of today’s consumer behaviour, which focuses on cheap and short-lived mass products. Our high level of vertical integration allows us to avoid international global trade with its long supply chains, CO2 emissions and inhumane working conditions. By producing mechanical clocks, we avoid the use of environmentally harmful substances, such as those found in the batteries of many clocks and watches. Our suppliers are local and responsible companies with whom we have long-standing and friendly relationships. We take great care to use environmentally friendly and reusable packaging materials and to recycle shipping cartons. All our clock case finishes are food safe. In terms of marketing, we no longer send out paper brochures and offer our customers the option of switching to e-mail delivery, which has already significantly reduced our paper consumption. In terms of advertising, we are also in the process of switching from print to online advertising, which will reduce waste while increasing our reach and reaching new audiences.
Sustainability in its most perfect form is not only about ecology and economy, but also has a social aspect. Sustainability in its most perfect form is not only about ecology and economy, but also has a social aspect. Our efforts to bring about change and provide assistance are also topical in this very important area. At the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, we were shocked and very concerned, so we spontaneously decided to help in any way we could. The number 1 of a limited edition wristwatch was successfully auctioned and all the proceeds were donated to the Ukraine Association in Augsburg.
We take it for granted that our business trips within Germany are environmentally friendly; we travel here exclusively by car or train. In this way, we avoid the unnecessarily high emissions associated with air travel. Many of our employees voluntarily use public transport or cycle to work, making an active contribution to environmental protection. We support our apprentices with a travel allowance for the use of public transport. To reduce the number of journeys to work, we offer the opportunity to work from home wherever possible. Family friendliness and work-life balance are also important to us, which is why we have flexible working hours. This means that all employees can organise their working hours to suit their personal circumstances. This is how we try to live up to our principle of reconciling work and family life. We offer equal opportunities to all applicants, regardless of gender, religion or ethnic origin.
Of course, we are not yet perfect, but we are working every day to improve our environmental, economic and social performance, and to set the course for a better future for ourselves and future generations.
