Steinbeis Papier GmbH remains one of the most valuable companies in Germany

14.09.2021 - For the fourth time, "Deutschland Test", the Institute for Management and Economic Research (IMWF) and the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI) have honoured Germany's most valuable companies. 850 companies from 120 sectors were evaluated according to overall social aspects - and this year, Steinbeis Papier is once again one of the most valuable representatives of the industry.

Steinbeis Papier has once again been honoured as one of Germany's most valuable companies. The medium-sized company from Glückstadt received the "Germany's Most Valuable Companies" seal for the fourth time in a row. In the "Office Supplies" category, Steinbeis Papier ranked fifth this year with a score of 66.2.

"Social value" as an actual measure of a company's value

Valuable companies are not automatically those with the highest market capitalisation and the most extensive claims to power. Rather, companies should be assessed according to their social commitment and the associated spheres of influence: In collaboration with the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI) and the Institute for Management and Economic Research (IMWF), Deutschland Test examined the "social value" of 850 companies. Since 2017, large listed companies with more than 500 employees have had to fulfil the EU CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) reporting obligation and account for their added value for society. Every year, Deutschland Test, Focus-Money, the HWWI and the IMWF conduct a study based on the resulting sustainability reports or a written statement on social and environmental commitment. Various areas are analysed in accordance with the GRI standard (Global Reporting Initiative): in the area of "ecological responsibility", these include CO2 emissions, resource intensity, recycling and the monitoring of the supply chain from an ecological perspective. In the "economic responsibility" category, these include innovative capacity, economic performance and corporate governance, and in the "social responsibility" category, these include the gender pay gap, health protection and product safety. Another assessment criterion is the topicality, scope and quality of the sustainability reports. The result is a seal that recognises companies for their ecological, economic and social responsibility.

Sustainability - the Steinbeis Papier business model

Today, businesses are expected to contribute added value to society by helping to overcome ecological, social and economic challenges. Steinbeis Papier made this expectation its own claim in the 1970s and even then initiated the "ecological" turnaround and developed its production site into one of the most modern ecologically integrated recycled paper mills in Europe. Here, the company produces around 300,000 tonnes of copy, magazine and digital printing paper from 100 percent waste paper every year. With its ecological savings in CO2 emissions, water and energy consumption and the protection of natural resources (wood), Steinbeis Papier continues to lead the industry.

Cover picture: Steinbeis Papier GmbH