We can now discuss whether sustainability should, or even must, be a corporate goal. Or whether a company simply needs to make money for its shareholders, no matter what resources get lost along the way.

But this sort of a discussion doesn't really help, because sustainability is taught to entrepreneurs from another side: namely, the banks. Not yet from investors -- since there are »green« funds, however the majority of financiers want returns, and if they come from oil and cigarettes, well, money doesn't stink.

But sustainability will become part of the rating analysis and credit discussions -- so your business will have to become sustainable, too, whether you want it to or not.

Does your company publish its carbon footprint? No? That's not a good idea. It could have a bad effect on your interest rates next year.

Except for the fact that I personally have been producing solar energy for years, travel electrically and offset flights, Jarltech as a company needs to do more: get rid of plastic, use only recycled boxes, climate compensation for the trucks and, in particular, for parcel shipping. We may have to pass this on to the customer in the form of a few cents, but in the end it’s the right thing to do. It's our turn.

Our vendors will also have to explain what life cycle management for a product looks like. Fortunately, some of them are already moving in this direction.

It's funny though, that the same banks pushing this issue are the ones that wanted to explain digitalization to their customers five years ago – but still insist on receiving confirmations by fax. Well, the main thing is to explain how the world works to others! :)

Quite honestly, I'm finally happy to be forced into it, because something is being initiated that ultimately requires everyone’s participation. And if everyone joins in, then it's clear that no one has a cost advantage, but rather, everyone has a climate advantage.