Mühltal, 18/01/2021: Riese & Müller, manufacturers of premium E-Bikes and Cargo Bikes, published its first Social Responsibility Report at the end of 2020. "On the move" is the company's guiding principle for showing comprehensively and transparently how Riese & Müller think about sustainable business and responsible action, where the company currently stands and what it will be working on in the coming years. The publication of the report is another key element on the way to being the most sustainable company in the E-Bike industry in 2025. Alongside a comprehensive status report on the Zero Waste and Zero Emissions milestone targets set out in 2020, the document provides a detailed insight into Riese & Müller's sustainability strategy, the climate-neutral campus in Mühltal, the people-centred corporate culture and the company's social commitment.
"For us, sustainable business is above all acting responsibly – as people and as a company. This attitude has always been a key part of our culture and, since 2019, also of our strategic positioning. It is an ongoing and long-term process, and we take new steps and action to drive it forward every year. Our first Social Responsibility Report is a key milestone for us on this road. It documents where we are and where we want to get to, what we have achieved and what is still ahead of us. We know that we still have a lot to do, but we also know that we can achieve so much together with our partners", says Dr Sandra Wolf, CEO of Riese & Müller.
First major successes in Zero Waste and Zero Emissions
In 2020, the Zero Waste and Zero Emissions action points were at the heart of Riese & Müller's sustainability activities. Together with KlimAktiv, a climate protection consultancy, the company created a comprehensive climate assessment in the first quarter of 2020 that showed the company's strengths and potential savings and was used as the basis for all action taken. In terms of Zero Emissions, last year, Riese & Müller worked with its employees and suppliers to create key foundations and launch initial projects to avoid and reduce carbon emissions. This will be consistently followed up on and expanded in the coming years. Riese & Müller is already working up to 100 percent climate-neutral at the campus in Mühltal and in the logistics department.
Despite the challenges in the market, the company was also able to significantly reduce emissions by using alternative transport routes in import logistics. In terms of Zero Waste, around 30 waste-reduction projects were created, the switch was made to FSC®-certified packaging, printing materials were reduced and waste management was optimised by reviewing, evaluating and revising the packaging of the company's 25 largest suppliers. This will save more than 70,000 m2 of frame packaging in the current fiscal year.
"We have set ourselves the task of moving forward, making an impact and asking questions. We want to demonstrate that business can be re-thought and that this can lead to gains. We want to bring others with us on this road so that we can achieve something collectively and cooperatively – especially in the E-Bike industry, but also beyond that", says Dr Sandra Wolf, CEO of Riese & Müller.
TO THE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REPORT
About Riese & Müller
Riese & Müller is a German manufacturer of premium E-Bikes, Cargo Bikes and folding bikes. Founded in 1993 by Markus Riese and Heiko Müller, the company today employs 550 people at its site in Mühltal near Darmstadt and operates an exclusive dealer network worldwide. Alongside the two founders, Dr Sandra Wolf has operated as CEO since 2013, with responsibility for the strategic orientation of the company. Riese & Müller is helping to shape the mobility of tomorrow with its innovative products and as the expert for Cargo Bikes and fast HS bikes. The company is synonymous with a sustainable lifestyle, user-focused product development and pioneering E-Bike technologies. Apart from the ongoing evolution of its products, Riese & Müller's overall strategy includes a responsibility to people and the environment. In its activities, the company is guided by its four pillars of responsibility: culture, ecology, social responsibility and economics.
