How sustainability can drive innovation and growth
Ekodev, a leading French consultancy specializing in sustainable transformation, has recently opened a branch in Düsseldorf. Since its establishment in 2009, Ekodev has successfully completed hundreds of projects and established itself as a key player in the field of sustainability. Ekodev Germany is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EPSA Group, with CEOs Jean-Christophe Giannesini and Theodor Uljanov at the helm.
Environmental protection and child labor: Ekodev’s portfolio
Ekodev aims to fully support German-speaking companies in their sustainable transformation journey, starting from initial assessments, through strategy development, to operational implementation and continuous improvement. Their wide range of services includes climate strategies, sustainable mobility, biodiversity strategies, and the development and implementation of CSR strategies. Additionally, Ekodev offers tailored training programs to strengthen companies’ sustainability competencies.
Ekodev project examples
Among Ekodev’s sustainability projects is their collaboration with Atlantic Group (HVAC systems) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Atlantic Group employs 13,000 staff across 31 production sites worldwide. Another example is the implementation of a sustainable mobility plan for OGIC (real estate developer), aimed at making travel more sustainable for approximately 270 employees. At Yprema’s (construction and demolition materials recycling) company locations, biodiversity has been promoted. Yprema recovers, recycles, and resells more than 1 million tons of materials annually.
Complementary partnership: sustainability and pragmatism
Partner Jean-Christophe Giannesini, CEO of Ekodev, explains: “By integrating Ekodev into the EPSA Group and partnering with Kloepfel Consulting, we can scale faster and complement each other. For example, Ekodev’s expertise in data collection and analysis enables a thorough assessment of sustainability metrics such as CO2 footprints. Kloepfel Consulting, in turn, has a global network with tens of thousands of supplier contacts and extensive experience in optimizing supply chains and procurement for over 1,100 SMEs, large enterprises, and corporations.”
Avoiding disadvantages in global competition
Theodor Uljanov, CEO of Ekodev, says: “Medium-sized businesses often simply lack the expertise and resources to comply with the bureaucratic requirements of European and German supply chain laws. While Chinese and Indian companies, for example, do not have to adhere to the same human rights and environmental standards, European companies are initially slowed down by supply chain laws. Our task is therefore to make our customers’ supply chains future-proof with our tools, networks, and expertise. We benefit greatly from Ekodev’s French DNA, as France has long been a leader in sustainability legislation and practice.”
Technology and platform partnerships
Ekodev and Kloepfel Consulting also collaborate with sustainability platforms such as Prewave and Integrity Next to offer solutions that efficiently meet regulatory sustainability requirements and avoid competitive disadvantages. These platforms, for instance, monitor social media to detect emerging unrest in remote regions.
How sustainability can drive innovation and growth
German-speaking and European companies that integrate sustainability, circular economy, renewable energy, and decarbonization into their business strategies are well-positioned to lead in global competition. These approaches foster innovation, increase efficiency, and open up new business opportunities, enabling companies to establish themselves as market leaders in an increasingly environmentally conscious world. Therefore, the requirements of German and European supply chain laws can also be seen as an opportunity. Companies like Ekodev, Kloepfel Consulting, and EPSA can significantly simplify the implementation of sustainability strategies through know-how, manpower, and digital tools.
Website: www.ekodev.com
Contact:
Kloepfel Group
Christopher Willson
Tel.: 0211 941 984 33 | Mail: rendite@kloepfel-consulting.com