Christian Junker
CEO HEBIE GROUP
steering the company towards a more holistic and sustainable future
What does sustainability – or more specifically, corporate social responsibility (CSR) – mean to you and your company?
We want to help bring our economic activity into alignment with our social and environmental responsibilities – to our employees, to society and to the planet. That has always been part of our strategic approach, but there’s more we can do. We need to communicate our path more proactively and lead by example. I believe the balance between these three dimensions is increasingly being lost. And I also believe that companies – not just governments – have a responsibility to promote social cohesion and foster awareness of what’s at stake for our planet.
It’s taken months of work to get this second sustainability report ready. What does it mean for the company – and what’s happened since the first one?
The sustainability report is a strategic tool that allows us to be transparent with our stakeholders about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. At the same time, it serves as a management instrument – particularly in the area of CSR. That’s why this report is so important. Given the many developments at political level, we’ve taken a deep dive into current sustainability regulations and used them as a foundation to structure our strategic implementation. We’re also increasingly centralising information and data to gain a clearer, more transparent view of our activities.
How would you describe the past two years for the HEBIE GROUP?
We’ve set a lot of important things in motion – things that really matter for our future. But like everyone else, we’ve had to face a tough market environment, which means we haven’t made as much progress as we’d hoped. That’s just the way it goes sometimes though. What matters is that we know where we’re headed, and we're lucky to be part of an industry that has real promise for the future.
How do you see the bicycle industry and your business partners responding to sustainability issues – like using alternative materials or recycled resources, reducing material and energy consumption, or working towards climate targets? How are things evolving?
Sustainability is clearly becoming more of a priority in our industry, especially in light of recent legislation. That’s definitely a positive thing, but I think it’s important to take a closer look. Some companies are genuinely committed to sustainability – and I count us among them. Others, from what I see, are doing it simply because they have to. That’s where I see real potential – not only in our sector, but also more broadly. If companies seriously believe that the shift towards becoming more sustainable is important and profitable, then legislation will take a back seat – and we’ll start seeing faster, more innovative progress.
For me, it’s so important that we’re transparent and honest in how we report on sustainability – particularly when it comes to consumers. CEO HEBIE GROUP
Christian Junker
With all of that in mind, what do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities in this area over the next few years?
I think the big opportunity for Germany – and for Europe as a whole – lies in recognising the shift towards sustainable business as a real game-changer. Sustainability holds enormous potential across every area, whether in services, processes or products. It gives us the chance to develop future-ready business models and take on a pioneering role in the global market – much like mechanical engineering or the automotive industry has done for decades here in Germany.
Which topics and strategic goals from this sustainability report do you see as particularly important for the future? What would you like to highlight?
For me, it’s so important that we’re transparent and honest in how we report on sustainability – particularly when it comes to consumers. We need to ensure that people understand how sustainable companies are, and how sustainable their products really are. It’s about raising awareness across society as a whole – and that requires clarity and transparency. One of my favourite examples is purchased goods and services within Scope 3. Many companies don’t include these materials in their corporate or product carbon footprint, as the current accounting frameworks, which are still considered valid, place responsibility for calculating these emissions with suppliers or upstream producers. Ultimately, this means that emissions from raw material to finished product remain invisible to consumers throughout the B2B sector. Yet it’s the materials themselves that are the main emitters. That’s something consumers really need to understand. At our company, materials account for around 90 percent of our emissions.
How do you see the role of upstream and downstream value chains in delivering future sustainability goals?
As a manufacturer and supplier of bike components, our main focus is on the upstream supply chain – simply because we have limited access to downstream areas, and our products aren’t significant enough in the bigger picture to play a major role there. The main issues for us are which materials we use and where they come from. When it comes to the downstream side, the goal is to design products that really last and can be repaired. Put simply, we want to produce and offer products with the lowest possible carbon footprint, keep them in use for as long as we can and, when something wears out, replace only individual parts – not the entire product.
What will it take to anchor CSR more firmly across the board in future?
We need to communicate the overall goal and the building blocks along the way clearly and transparently – and embed our CSR activities into our day-to-day working life. That includes, for example, treating sustainability criteria in product development as a given, just like we do with packaging design today.
And how about you? What matters most to you on a personal level?
I’m someone who’s guided by values, and I believe that should be a key part of how we lead and work together as a company. For me, trust always comes first. When we trust each other – and actively build that trust – we create the best conditions for openness, honesty and real collaboration. That, in turn, allows us to be constructively critical, dependable, more motivated and ultimately more effective in what we do. It helps us move faster and achieve better results.
The main issues for us are which materials we use and where they come from. When it comes to the downstream side, the goal is to design products that really last and can be repaired.
Christian Junker
CEO HEBIE GROUP
become more mindful about how we use natural and finite resources
What does sustainability mean to you?
For me, sustainability is a mindset for action – a way of proactively shaping global and future developments and preserving our quality of life here on Earth. I have two grown-up children, and that alone is reason enough to become more mindful about how we use natural and finite resources and to consume more responsibly. As businesses, we also need to keep planetary boundaries in view – especially in the context of growth strategies. I often recommend taking part in “THE WEEK” – a three-day experience that brings people together, whether friends or colleagues, to explore the biggest challenge of our time through thought-provoking films and conversations. It’s a powerful and insightful process. After all, the benefits of sustainable action need to be tangible, relatable and easy to understand.
You set out on your sustainability journey five years ago and even went on to study it alongside your day job. Why was that so important to you?
I’m a real believer in lifelong learning – and every so often, I find myself wanting to go a bit deeper. Working in sustainability just makes sense to me: it’s holistic, demanding and incredibly varied. I spent 20 years happily working in marketing and communications, but I came to realise that continually doing more of the same and focusing purely on sales wasn’t a long-term solution. I needed a new way of thinking and more forward-looking strategies. Now, being part of the HEBIE GROUP and having the chance to drive real change in this area is hugely rewarding. Having the leadership team on board makes all the difference too, and I love that I get to help shape sustainable strategies and contribute to the social and environmental transformation as part of a great team. That’s what gives me real purpose – and real joy.
What do you see as the main challenges?
Patience! [laughs] But more than that, it’s about staying on top of fast-moving developments. One key aspect is making sense of EU regulations and national laws in a pragmatic, business-specific way. The Green Deal, which has been around since 2019, affects us in several areas. But the flood of new requirements over recent months has felt a bit like waiting for a bus – nothing for ages, then they all arrive at once! At the same time, all eyes are currently on the EU omnibus regulation that aims to streamline sustainability reporting obligations – another round of sweeping changes. It’s certainly never boring. For my part, I try to stay positive and look for the opportunities this creates. We’re learning a huge amount, and that will really help us as we define our own goals and develop along the value chain. There’s also growing demand from customers to engage with supply chain tools that provide greater transparency – and that takes up a fair share of our resources. But at the same time, those tools can help us make better use of our data and evaluate it more meaningfully. Ideally without creating data silos! That’s something we’ll need to explore further – including how to integrate solutions into our existing systems to support sustainability management (think data-driven supply chains). That way, we’ll be able to make smarter, more informed decisions in future – including around CO2 reduction measures, especially in Scope 3 areas like sustainable procurement. It’s going to mean optimising our materials and packaging, introducing operational improvements and finding efficiency gains – all of which will benefit our customers too. The HEBIE GROUP has been moving in a positive direction for several years now, and my predecessor, Dirk Niermann, helped set the course.
Sandra Wilms
CSR Manager
The goal is to build bridges within the company and improve internal communication. That means actively involving other departments in ideas, targets or new legislation, and working together towards sustainability goals – because every team holds valuable experience, expertise and potential. CSR Manager
Sandra Wilms
What would you say matters most in practice when it comes to driving sustainable transformation?
The goal is to build bridges within the company and improve internal communication. That means actively involving other departments in ideas, targets or new legislation, and working together towards sustainability goals – because every team holds valuable experience, expertise and potential. It would be a shame not to connect the dots and treat it as a team effort. Of course, new tasks and priorities alongside day-to-day work can cause stress – we’ve all been there. That’s why I’m keen to create transparency and focus on solutions. It’s just so important for everyone to understand not only what we’re doing, but also why we’re doing it. For me, the social transformation, open dialogue with internal stakeholders and building knowledge are some of the most important pillars for achieving sustainability goals. It’s hard to move forward when people are worried or unclear about what’s happening. We can only succeed by working together. And that’s what I enjoy about my job – the momentum, the challenge of thinking ahead and looking for practical solutions that move us forward. It also means paying close attention, not only to the people around us, but also to ourselves.
What role do networks play for you personally?
I think exchanging ideas with other companies and learning from peers, whether in industry or regional networks, is absolutely vital. That includes the German Bicycle Industry Association (ZIV), the Circular Economy working group (ERFA-Kreis), the Efficiency Agency NRW (efa), and the ÖKOPROFIT Klub OWL. Partnerships with universities are also a big plus – and for me personally, so is my involvement with the Peer School for Sustainability Development. These networks allow me to keep my bearings in the complex sustainability landscape, share what I know and keep learning. Ultimately, that makes it easier to implement our sustainability goals in a way that supports our wider business objectives. Not only that, but we’re also actively contributing to SDG 17 – “Partnerships for the goals”.
What does the future hold for CSR?
Over the next years, we want our efforts, experience and progress to become more visible in a way that is both authentic and transparent, because customers need to be able to make informed product choices. Through the HEBIE GROUP Academy, we’re offering our employees training opportunities focused on sustainability, which will be a great opportunity to learn with and from each other. The main focus here is on delivering our sustainability goals. These are our guiding principles, and we regularly review and refine them where needed. To do that, we need to engage in even more dialogue with our stakeholders. We want to build awareness of our CSR work and its ongoing development, and explore ways of encouraging greater involvement in sustainability projects, ideas and volunteering within the company. As part of our sustainability reporting, we’ll also be adopting the new VSME standard* for SMEs – helping us provide ESG data to our business partners in a more targeted way. Building knowledge around AI will be increasingly important too – for example, to support the transition to a circular economy at every stage of the value chain or to connect effectively with digital product passports. And wherever we boost efficiency, we’ll need to make sure we avoid rebound effects.
And what are you most passionate about?
Standing up for democracy online is something that really matters to me. There’s so much conspiracy talk, fake news and hate speech out there – and we can’t let these people win. We need courage, facts and the ability to engage in healthy debate if we want to push back.
*Voluntary market standard developed by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG).
For me, the social transformation, open dialogue with internal stakeholders and building knowledge are some of the most important pillars for achieving sustainability goals.
Sandra Wilms
CSR Manager
Andreas Rädel
Operational Controlling & Quality Management Representative
At the heart of all kinds of different areas
What do you do here at the HEBIE GROUP? What makes the job enjoyable – and what do you like most about the atmosphere here?
My role as the operations controller puts me right at the heart of all kinds of different areas. One of my main responsibilities is tracking production and energy performance indicators. I’m also our quality management representative, which involves making sure that our QM system complies with ISO 9001:2015. Another aspect of my role includes coordinating workplace safety and making sure we meet all legal requirements when it comes to running buildings, managing equipment and employing staff. The maintenance department falls under my remit too: taking care of maintaining, servicing and inspecting all technical systems – including safety equipment and operating resources. As part of the production team, I help shape the strategic direction and future development of our manufacturing operations. I also support the sustainability team and the CSR department in delivering the HEBIE GROUP’s sustainability strategy. Because my work touches on so many areas, I stay in close contact with all departments. The communication here is really open and down to earth, which makes for a great atmosphere. I love the responsibility that comes with the job – and I’m proud to be part of the HEBIE GROUP.
How has CSR evolved at the company over the past few years?
It’s definitely come a long way. Back in 2021, we had a shared role covering CSR, and now – since 2023 – we’ve got someone focused on it full time. That alone shows the company really means business when it comes to CSR and wants to keep pushing things forward.
How do you contribute to achieving our sustainability goals? And what’s already been put into practice in your area? I support our sustainability goals by calculating our annual carbon footprint and working closely with the environmental team and CSR department. I’ve also been representing Hebie Bielefeld on the Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Environmental Committee since 2024 and have been part of the ÖKOPROFIT Klub OWL since 2011. On top of that, I regularly take part in external sustainability events. A lot of the progress we’ve made in recent years comes down to our highly motivated team at HEBIE and our strong partnership with B.A.U.M. Consult in Hamm. In 2019, we took part in a “CheckC – Sustainability Check” based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. That gave us a solid foundation and a clearer perspective on how the company could contribute to achieving the SDGs. In 2021, we then took things further with a “CheckA – Climate change adaptation in the workplace” at our Bielefeld site to identify and assess the risks climate change could pose for our operations. That’s when we really started taking action to become more resilient and future-ready. Our 2022 “CheckC – Pathway to climate management” across the HEBIE GROUP resulted in the calculation of our first full carbon footprint for the year 2021, covering both Bielefeld and Münster. We’ve also completed the ÖKOPROFIT® certification process three times now in the greater Bielefeld region. All of that has helped shape how we approach things today.
It’s definitely come a long way. Back in 2021, we had a shared role covering CSR, and now – since 2023 – we’ve got someone focused on it full time. That alone shows the company really means business when it comes to CSR and wants to keep pushing things forward. Operational Controlling & Quality Management Representative
Andreas Rädel
What climate targets is the HEBIE GROUP working towards in Scopes 1, 2 and 3 – and how do you measure success?
For Scope 1, our goal is to reduce emissions by 25 % by 2029. Right now, that covers the natural gas used for heating at tubus and the entire HEBIE GROUP vehicle fleet. The current gas contract runs until the end of 2026. Stadtwerke Münster isn’t offering eco gas just yet, but they’re working on it and will let us know as soon as it’s available – then we’ll update the contract. For the vehicle fleet, we’re planning a phased switch to electric vehicles and are getting ready to start working on the concept. For Scope 2, we’ve set a target of cutting emissions by 55 % by 2025. Scope 2 covers the electricity tubus buys in and the district heating Hebie uses for generating heat. For Scope 3, we’re aiming to cut emissions by 5 % by 2029. The biggest contributor by far – making up more than 90 % of our total carbon emissions across the HEBIE GROUP – is Scope 3.1: purchased goods and services. Procurement and CSR have set strategic targets to tackle this. The reduction refers to tonnes of CO2 per year.
What measures are planned to help reduce the company’s carbon footprint going forward?
We’re taking a close look at all emission sources across Scopes 1, 2 and 3. As I was saying, the biggest contributor by far is Scope 3.1: purchased goods and services, which makes up more than 90 % of our total carbon emissions across the HEBIE GROUP. This is why we’ve set strategic goals like developing guidelines for more sustainable product design and reviewing all our transport packaging to find ways to reduce it.
What are the biggest challenges in your day-to-day work?
Calculating our product carbon footprint (PCF) and integrating it into the ERP will be the next big milestones. We’ve got the concept paper sorted – and we’re now in the rollout phase. When we assess our carbon footprint, we want to be transparent. On paper, we cut CO₂ emissions by over 50 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, which might sound like a huge success, but it’s not the full story. Yes, we’ve introduced some positive measures, but the main reason for the drop is the current market climate. With lower sales and production, we’ve also been buying in less, which naturally reduces emissions, especially in “Scope 3.1: Purchased goods and services”. Plenty of companies are using that to make their sustainability efforts look better than they are, but it’s a classic case of greenwashing. That’s just not what we’re about. We want to be open and honest, so we’re developing a relative metric that ties emissions to business performance.
How does the HEBIE GROUP encourage cycling – and what do you think needs to happen next?
We already have the basics in place, including bike parking, a secure bike garage with the right equipment, and a JobRad leasing scheme. We also ran a mobility survey in 2024, which should give us some fresh input. I think we could do more to show the benefits of cycling – especially by comparing the costs in euros with driving or using public transport. It’s all about making that added value really visible. Events where colleagues talk about how they cycle to work every day could help too – that kind of real-life experience goes a long way. And we could also look into actively promoting rental options for bikes and electric scooters.
I’m a strong advocate for volunteering. Voluntary work really is the backbone of our society – a way to take on social responsibility, make an impact, and create something that lasts. I volunteer in the sports sector and work as a trained city guide in my home town – and before you ask, yes, it’s by bike! :-)