The legal obligation to work according to ESG guidelines and fulfill annual reports does not apply to Produkt + Markt or most local market research institutes. Nevertheless, there was both an intrinsic motivation among employees to engage with sustainability and numerous requests from clients. Because the big companies have to keep their supply chain clean, all service providers must deliver cleanly.
 

When we wanted to start our sustainability project, we quickly realized that we were already in the midst of it. Many necessary measures had already been implemented and numerous initiatives started. Sustainable practices were simply lived without thinking about ESG scores. The desire to act sustainably stemmed from an intrinsic motivation of the people working at Produkt + Markt. As a medium-sized company, we are not required to report under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Supply Chain Act, but eventually, the inquiries from our clients accumulated. There were also the first audits, in which visions, strategies, measures, and processes were questioned in detail. We quickly realized that good intentions and a hands-on approach were no longer sufficient. The problem: Our measures existed side by side, without coordination and without documentation of their effectiveness. A management system for sustainability was missing. Thus, our journey began with good equipment but without clear orientation.

We started with an inventory. What sustainability measures had we already implemented? Where was action needed? The list on the credit side was surprisingly long. It included operational health offerings, a green garden oasis with nesting boxes, donation campaigns, and energy-efficient building measures. But there was no system to monitor the effectiveness of our measures with KPIs. Important documentation was also missing, which is essential for the transparency and traceability of our sustainability strategy. After the inventory analysis, three measures had priority:

• Formulate principles and a code of conduct and create understandable action guidelines.
• Bundle resources and competencies in a team.
• Implement a system to make measures measurable and controllable.

Sustainability management is the strategic integration of environmental, social responsibility, and economic success. Companies develop and monitor measures that minimize ecological and social damage while ensuring economic stability. The ESG criteria provide important guidance: Environmental, Social, and Governance.

Such definitions are helpful for orientation but must be translated and concretized into the language and culture of the company. For this purpose, we formulated our Code of Conduct (COC), wrote new policies, and revised existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Behind all these cumbersome terms lie principles, guidelines, and process descriptions. The COC describes values, attitudes, and the principles underlying our sustainability strategy. Policies and SOPs ensure operational clarity and help integrate sustainability into daily practice. The latter include, for example, guidelines for sustainable business travel, policies on data protection and personal rights, or process descriptions for personnel development.
 

Katja Birke, as CEO, is responsible for areas including People & Culture, Sustainability, and Innovation. As a researcher, she has been supporting clients from the pharmaceutical industry for about 30 years with strategic and operational issues using the broad spectrum of quantitative and qualitative market research. She is also a mentor and Agile Coach for various AI and innovation projects.

Dr. Dirk Aderhold is Managing Director at Produkt + Markt and leads the Global Agribusiness Research division. He has been working with clients from the agricultural sector for more than 20 years and advises national and international clients. Additionally, he is involved in the ESG team, particularly in the area of environment.