Sustainability at OBO

Appropriate remuneration for our employees worldwide is a matter of course at OBO.  Our employees receive a market-oriented salary as well as variable remuneration components depending on their position. We also offer various additional benefits such as holiday and Christmas bonuses or healthcare, in line with the regional framework and competitive conditions.

At OBO, the focus is on people – the health and well-being of our employees. We support a healthy lifestyle with preventive measures that can be integrated easily into the daily work of our employees worldwide. These include offers for stress prevention, nutrition and exercise.

The health of all its employees is the most valuable treasure a company can possess. That is why we at OBO take responsibility for the health and safety of our staff every day. We do everything to protect our employees against not only accidents, but also workplace illness. Occupational healthcare and advice from our company doctor, as well as medical check-ups, flu vaccinations and an ergonomic workplace analysis, are also a matter of course at OBO.

More than 60 trainees and students are laying the foundation for their professional future at OBO locations in Germany. Anyone doing an apprenticeship at OBO can look forward to a great team spirit and individual support. We currently offer a range of technical and commercial apprenticeships as well as practice-integrated courses of study in the form of dual studies. With campaigns such as the “Training Day”, the “Girls and Boys Day” and numerous university collaborations, we emphasise the importance of the relationship between education and practical experience.

Industry, and the electrical industry in particular, is a male-dominated sector, which carries the potential risk of discrimination against women. Explicitly offering chances for women to also start a career in the technical area at OBO will open up new opportunities. We are therefore aiming for a higher proportion of women in all areas of the company in the future. For us, the decisive factor is the suitability, qualifications and motivation of an applicant.

Water is a scarce resource, and at the international OBO locations we take measures to protect it. For instance, by reducing water consumption by 20% on the production side and constantly tracking water consumption to identify and implement potential savings. This includes, for example, the use of water-saving inserts to reduce water consumption in the showers and social rooms at our OBO sites.

OBO wants to be a pioneer in shaping the energy transition, with innovative product solutions as well as with energy-friendly measures at OBO locations worldwide. Examples of this on the product side are our solutions for the protection and mounting of photovoltaic systems and the OBO charging station for the PV-optimised charging of e-cars. At our main site in Menden, the energy transition is one of our focuses, with our company PV system as well as 100% regenerative green electricity, which the Menden site switched to back in 2012.

OBO is growing steadily, which also implies a great deal of responsibility. As the OBO Bettermann group of companies, we acknowledge our social responsibility in the framework of our corporate activities, especially with regard to working conditions, social and environmental compatibility, human rights and transparency. We pledge ourselves to the principles of the United Nations’ Charter of Human Rights, to the core working standards of international labour organisations, and to other international obligations and industrial standards. Our core policies consider human rights comprehensively. These include: Our Code of Conduct, the Compliance Guidelines (CoC) of our umbrella organisation ZVEI, purchasing guidelines and contracts, and Group Risk Management.

The spirit of innovation is in our DNA – and is reflected in our name. In 1952, OBO engineers developed the first metal anchors that could be used in a wall without drilling. A true innovation for those times. “Ohne Bohren” (German for “without drilling”) became part of our brand name and the innovative spirit of the first OBO anchor is still in every one of our products today. With our future-proof solutions, we are making power and data infrastructure safer, more economical and simpler. With our innovations, we can make a decisive contribution to the further development of the globally networked world, together with our customers and partners.

In accordance with the OBO corporate principles, we treat each other openly and with respect, tolerance and fairness. The diversity of our employees is one of our strengths and a key factor for our success. The different competencies, perspectives and experience all form the basis for innovation and further development and help us to understand the requirements of our customers around the world.

We offer comprehensive system solutions to shape the energy transition and bring sustainability to cities. Our Ion charging station provides a PV-optimised way to charge e-cars in private garages. The Ion charging station also offers a sophisticated charging option for the forward-looking vehicle fleet of tomorrow. With our comprehensive system solutions for the protection and mounting of PV systems, we support private households in becoming decentralised green electricity producers themselves and thus important supporters of the energy transition.

We make our production more sustainable, for example by increasing the proportion of recycled materials. Because at OBO, production waste is not simply thrown away but, wherever possible, is recycled and put back into the production process. In our extrusion system, for example, 90% of the start-up waste and stamping waste can be fed back into the extrusion process as so-called regenerate material. Another example is our OBO cavity wall boxes, which consist of 80% high-quality recycled material.

We are heading towards climate neutrality: OBO wants to set a good example worldwide and make a conscious contribution to achieving the climate goals set internationally. Our benchmarks include initiatives such as the Paris Agreement of the United Nations (2015) and the Green Deal of the European Union (2019). In this context, OBO’s strategic goal is global climate neutrality within the group of companies. With this goal in mind, we have already implemented numerous measures, such as the switch to 100% green electricity at our Menden headquarters and the selection of climate-neutral suppliers.

With our recycled packaging materials, we reduce the amount of plastic – and this also protects the oceans. The materials we use in packaging and logistics are degradable and therefore decompose quickly and well. The same applies to our shipping materials. We make a further contribution to protecting resources and reducing pollution by using biodegradable cleaning agents in the logistics area.

OBO conserves resources by switching to C02-neutral raw materials, reselling residual materials or reducing our use of materials in the various areas of the corporate group through more effective planning. The aim of our environmental management system is to record and evaluate the specific environmental impacts and environmental legislation relevant to the company and promote continual improvement in this area. As an international standard, DIN EN ISO 14001 offers the structure and framework for OBO.

We consider ourselves to be a part of society – both regionally at our locations and also around the world. It is our aim to help shape this society. We do this through our products and technologies as well as through our social commitment. As a company and together with our employees, we support a wide range of social projects and initiatives to overcome challenges worldwide – from the Christoph Bettermann Schools in Uganda and support for the SOS Children’s Village in Vietnam to the promotion of art projects.

As our slogan “Building Connections” illustrates, working together in partnership is important to us. With our employees at the international locations, our customers and business partners, and together in numerous associations and interest groups. Because we are convinced that shaping a more sustainable future is easier when we work together.