Association work in the field of sustainability and environmental management

Prof. Dr. Stephan Krinke, Head of Sustainability Management and Life Cycle Engineering at the Fraunhofer IST, was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Association for European Sustainability and Eco-Management Professionals VNU e.V. in December 2023. The Association is an independent collective that brings together industry, science and certification bodies and supports the practical implementation of sustainability and environmental management in companies. Furthermore, the VNU networks the stakeholders through conferences and regional meetings and helps to enable the implementation of the latest developments from science and standardization into practice. We asked the following questions

What are your tasks and objectives as a member of the VNU Advisory Board?
Within the framework of my work for the Association, I advise companies on current opportunities and risks in the area of sustainability. This includes legal challenges such as the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and customer and market requirements, as well as the ability to report on product carbon footprints (PCF).

Which specific topics would you particularly like to drive forward through your Association work, and why?
The industry requires scientifically robust and reliable tools in order to orient its companies towards sustainability. This is exactly where our work at the Fraunhofer IST in the field of Life Cycle Engineering comes into play.

What significance does your appointment to the Association’s Advisory Board have for the Fraunhofer IST?
Through the appointment to the Advisory Board, we are further expanding our network in the industry regarding sustainability. The direct dialog with company management thereby helps us to take the needs of our industrial customers even better into account within our work.

How does the work of the Association influence your day-to-day work at the Fraunhofer IST?
Association work means shaping the views and objectives of the various stakeholders from science, industry and certification bodies to form a strategic overall picture. As a result, new innovative projects are created that implement the technological innovations for greater sustainability.

What do you find particularly appealing about the work of the Association?
Through the Association work, I am able to broaden my own horizons, as my colleagues have a great deal of practical experience gained in industrial practice. And unconventional and creative approaches to solutions are things that I find enormously enriching.

Weitere Informationen:
https://www.ist.fraunhofer.de/en/press-media/2024/association-work-sustainability-environmental-management.html