Intrinsic motivation
Employees are aware of the meaningfulness of their actions
Knowledge is the basis
How do we best act so that we do not harm the sea? In order to be able to assess this, research into the oceans, its organisms and the ecological interrelationships is so important.
Knowledge is the basis for protecting the oceans, because only then can we organize their use as a resource in such a way that it is sustainable. However, estimates suggest that we know just one-tenth of the organisms that live in the oceans.
Knowledge is also the basis for innovations that support sustainable business.
Therefore, we invest a significant part of our generated financial resources “back” into the research of the oceans, their ecology and their natural substances.
Sourcing
The oceans are home to an enormous wealth of species and play a major role in determining the weather and climate of the entire planet. Next to the rainforests, the oceans are the most important oxygen suppliers. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are largely sequestered in the ocean, both in the water and in sediments and organisms.
We humans can protect our common heritage by acting responsibly and continue to enjoy its natural healing powers in the future. Particularly rich in healing properties are the large algae growing in the sea, also called kelp. They are also an important habitat for other animals and plants, which find shelter and refuge in these large and vigorous stands.
Due to the intensive use of the Baltic Sea by humans, these beautiful underwater plants have unfortunately declined in many places. For us, the plundering of natural stocks is prohibited.
For this reason oceanBASIS stands for a sustainable use of the “blue pharmacy” and has founded the first offshore algae farm in Germany. The game population with its important ecological function is thus preserved.
Footprint
For us, sustainable action means that measures at the ecological, economic and social levels are practically interlinked. In addition to responsible use of marine resources, we are also constantly taking new measures to reduce our carbon footprint. Here are some examples of this:
With regard to our production and supply chain, we give clear preference to packaging with sustainable approaches (material, recyclability, refill) and are a member of the Bio2Pack packaging network. We source most of the oil and butter raw materials for the cosmetic products from controlled organic cultivation from sustainably operating suppliers. Our formulations contain both palm oil-free neutral oil and a palm oil-free emulsifier.
Our office life is powered by 100% green electricity, and office supplies come from sustainable sources wherever possible. Even the small but indispensable commodities that no one else talks about have to stand up to critical scrutiny (permanent coffee filters for fair-trade organic coffee, gold buckets of toilet paper Abo…).
As a basis for concrete action, a survey of the status quo is indispensable. Where do we stand now? How can we become even more sustainable, even better? For example, oceanBASIS was one of the first SMEs to determine the CO2 footprint of a product (algae extract) according to the GHG standard. A carbon footprint report conducted by ClimatePartner GmbH also showed that the largest source of emissions was the travel of oceanBASIS employees to the company headquarters. The company’s promotion of electromobility and purchase of an e-car, an e-scooter and several e-bikes for employees counteracts this trend.
Care
Responsible, social action does not only concern issues of environmental protection. It is also inward-looking, looking at the employees who work to achieve our mission. This includes fair employment contracts with permanent positions, and everyone can also take out an eco-pension plan as a retirement provision if they wish.
Independent work and flat hierarchies characterize our corporate culture. In doing so, we encourage employees to find out where their talents and passions lie so that they can develop freely in their careers. Those who work at oceanBASIS bring a high level of self-motivation with which they can live our values of freedom and creativity.
Since July 2019 oceanBASIS is a member of the Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie e.V. (GWÖ). We see the idea and the instruments of this association as a possibility to evaluate our company internally and to uncover in which areas we can improve further. The topics of human dignity, solidarity & justice, ecological sustainability, and transparency and co-decision-making are examined in a GWÖ balance sheet, with regard to all contact groups of the company, both internally and externally.
Management, guidelines/quality seal
With the SDGs, the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by the global community, we as a company have a great orientation on how we can concretely support transformation, change and sustainability and implement them in our immediate sphere of influence. The 17 goals seek to achieve sustainable development for the benefit of all people.
We contribute to this by analyzing our impact on the direct and indirect environment in detail and holistically.
We actively and comprehensively address the SDGs and proactively invest our resources, competencies and innovation capabilities in support of the SDGs.
We act transparently and demonstrably sustainably by, for example, having our carbon footprint reviewed again and again and constantly improving our environmental footprint. For us, the social “pillar” of sustainability is just as important as the ecological and economic ones: motivation, participation and respect for those who think “differently” is our fuel for implementing our mission.
Our guiding principles
Our organizational structure is based on
Our togetherness is characterized by
We create added value for society by
We inspire our customers through
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