Gröner Group AG publishes first sustainability report

The nationwide company Gröner Group, which specialises in digital sustainable construction, today presented its first comprehensive sustainability report for the calendar and financial year 2022.

• Climate protection measures further expanded in 2022
• From digitalisation to prefabrication: sustainability is the most important goal and driving force for the measures of the Gröner Group
• Group’s own energy management with around 20 employees
• Two comprehensive strategies for sustainable construction developed with “ConceptGreen” and “Concept22hrs 
• Equality and a sustainable training and further education strategy underpin social responsibility

TThe document presents an inventory of the sustainability activities, describes the sustainability goals and places them in the strategy of the corporate group. The report is based on the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which supports sustainable development worldwide.

Sustainability strategy consistently implemented

The Gröner Group assumes ecological and social responsibility along its entire value chain. In 2022, a dedicated sustainability strategy was developed that sharpens the Group’s sustainability goals and bundles its sustainability performance. “The topic of sustainability is one of the great challenges of our time. It requires decisive, fast and targeted action. What enables us to take a pioneering role in the topic of sustainability is a clear stance, comprehensive technological expertise and a viable economic concept,” emphasises company founder and CEO Christoph Gröner and continues “Sustainability is the most important goal and impetus for future corporate activities.”

Ecobuildings are ecological, economical and digital

The real estate projects developed by the Gröner Group massively reduce CO2 emissions throughout the life cycle of a building and entire neighbourhoods and ensure a virtually climate-neutral or even climate-positive energy supply. Ecobuilding, as the Gröner Group’s new product is called, saves costs, time and CO2 during construction and operation – it makes a significant contribution to ecological transformation. It is a model for the sustainable future of the construction and real estate industry as a whole. With ecobuilding, the Gröner Group offers a product that clearly takes into account the ESG standards of the EU taxonomy and realises future requirements of the construction and real estate industry of the coming decades already today.

Sustainable energy supply through a mix of technologies

Every ecobuilding is planned digitally and with an individual energy concept. Openness to new technologies and innovative strength is the trademark of the Gröner Group. The group’s experts combine and network various complex technologies (“high-tech”) with simple solutions (“low-tech”) to create a climate-friendly energy design: photovoltaics, geothermal energy, hydrogen storage, combined heat and power plants, groundwater wells, wastewater heat, air heat pumps, ice storage and much more are used instead of the usual electricity and gas supply.  ”The building sector is responsible for around 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It is our mission to significantly reduce this rate, and to make as large a contribution as possible to combating climate change. We combine the economic success of our company with the fulfilment of our social responsibility to reduce CO2 emissions in the building sector,” says Ronald Pofalla, Member of the Board and COO of the Gröner Group. The measurability of the sustainability performance is outlined in the report.

Viable concepts for the future of real estate

The Gröner Group has developed two new approaches. For the “ConceptGreen”, in-house divisions for energy management and innovative technologies for renewable energies were founded with currently around 20 employees – a forward-looking, completely new approach within the industry. In order to build ecobuildings and operate them in a climate-friendly way, each project site is individually evaluated to create an optimal energy design. The Gröner Group summarises the associated measures and emission-avoiding processes in the “ConceptGreen”. The concept offers a comprehensive selection for the realisation of a climate-friendly technology mix for the respective project development that meets the demands of supply security, comfort and comprehensive climate protection. In addition to the “ConceptGreen”, the Gröner Group has also presented another innovative approach, the “Concept22hrs”. On average, a person spends 22 hours a day in a building worldwide. In the “Concept22hrs”, the group of companies develops approaches for a value-creating community in the neighbourhood, for communication-promoting and identity-creating architecture, for changing mobility needs. Considerations for general well-being in premises and neighbourhoods are also incorporated. “The Gröner Group places CO2 neutrality, high-quality architecture, people’s requirements and economic efficiency equally at the centre of its actions. This is impressively proven by the sustainability report that has now been presented and confirms my personal experience of working with the Gröner Group Board of Directors,” says Dr Peter Haueisen, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Gröner Group and the former Board Member of Allianz Pensionskasse AG.

Digitalisation and prefabrication set standards 

The group of companies is investing in the comprehensive digitalisation of all planning and construction processes as well as in the further development of prefabrication. The company has already set standards with the planning and implementation of the most modern prefabrication plant in Europe. Now two more prefabrication plants will follow, which will achieve an even greater prefabrication depth and save even more resources and avoid CO2 emissions. In this way, the Gröner Group is generating market demand that will utilise the modern plant beyond its own needs.

Circular construction industry as a long-term goal

In order to preserve resources in the long term, protect habitats and reduce CO2 emissions, a circular system is the prerequisite. The Gröner Group aims to make a significant contribution to a circular construction and real estate industry and is driving forward the innovations necessary for this. In its sustainability strategy, the corporate group has determined to fulfil the requirements from the EU taxonomy with regard to the circular economy and to exceed them in some aspects in the future. Already today, the Gröner Group avoids building on “greenfield sites” outside the city. In all real estate and neighbourhood developments, it is examined whether existing buildings can continue to be used or can be further developed at reasonable expense. If preservation is not possible, efforts are made to reuse the building materials worth preserving. The recyclability of new building materials has a major influence on resource efficiency. Here, too, the Gröner Group strives to play a pioneering role by focusing on recyclable materials and flexible load-bearing structures and floor plans in every project development and by supporting individual industry and research initiatives.

Social responsibility

In addition to climate protection, social responsibility is also a top priority at the Gröner Group. The employees of the Gröner Group make a significant contribution to the company’s success. The company therefore promotes the professional and personal development of its workforce and invests heavily in training and further education for a future-oriented and targeted transformation. The Gröner Group also takes diversity and equality very seriously and continually promotes these issues. The group has been working with an independent equal opportunities officer since 2020. She supports employees confidentially, processes concerns anonymously and then addresses them at management level. Diversity in the company expressly includes the topics of inclusion and integration in the Gröner Group. For example, the group guidelines for inclusive language to promote a fair and open corporate culture were published in September 2022. In addition to responsibility in the core business, social commitment is also an integral part of the corporate group. In 2022, the Gröner Group donated up to 1.25 million euros to selected projects and initiatives – an increase of 300,000 euros compared to the previous year.

Impulses for the future

The Gröner Group acts in an environmentally and climate-conscious manner, specializes in digitally sustainable construction, takes responsibility for its employees and is committed to a sustainable society. The Gröner Group’s 2022 Sustainability Report shows how the company has continued to implement its sustainability strategy, wants to meet future challenges and provides impetus for the future. The Gröner Group’s sustainability report provides information about how the company set its priorities in 2022 and how the group has developed with regard to important impulses and objectives. The report is available digitally and can be accessed on the company’s website.

Sustainability report 2022

You can find the Sustainability Report 2022 and further information about our understanding of sustainability here.