Sustainability in Vocational Training – Emmi Starts the Company Challenge with myclimate

With the Sustainability in Vocational Training programme, Emmi Switzerland launched a company-wide initiative in the spring of 2017 which combines employee development and sustainability. In partnership with myclimate, Emmi has now launched the Emmi Company Challenge. The company-wide project competition is addressed to all apprentices. These are the people that develop energy-saving projects, promote energy efficiency, sensitise employees to this issue, or otherwise help to reduce greenhouse gases.

Sutainability in Vocational Training – new internal sustainability programme at Emmi Switzerland

Vocational education and learning are high priorities at <link ch.emmi.com/fr/ - external-link "Opens external link in current window">Emmi Switzerland</link>. The company thus ensures highly trained employees with the necessary sector-specific expertise. At the same time, today’s apprentices at Emmi are the specialists and leaders of the future. For Emmi, supporting and encouraging them to develop is a major concern. It is for this reason that Emmi is acting as a pioneer company in starting the Emmi Company Challenge.

“The Company Challenge gives our apprentices room to take the initiative and have creative ideas. This allows them to grow. At the same time, the resulting projects reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency at our production sites,” says Marc Heim, Head of the Switzerland Division at Emmi.

How the Emmi Company Challenge Works

The competition is a team effort. To begin with, all apprentices tackle a site visit which involves initial sustainability activities. This is followed by the team-run myclimate Energy and Climate Workshop, which for more than ten years has provided Swiss apprentices with options for getting involved with climate protection. The workshops refresh and deepen basic knowledge, also providing assistance in the founding, development and elaboration of projects.

In the second stage, all the teams that have submitted their projects present them to an expert group from Emmi and myclimate in the hope of getting the green light for the final development. Examples of tested project ideas include the use of more efficient LED lamps, measures for the reduction of (hot) water consumption, a focus on production lines & process optimisations, and ideas for more efficient commuting and on-site mobility.

After the December 2017 deadline, a jury will evaluate the submitted projects. At the same time, all employees at Emmi will vote on the projects. The highlight of the Emmi Company Challenge follows at the 2018 Employee Event, where all projects are presented in the form of a project market and the winner’s project is given an award as part of a ceremony.

Company Challenge and the Energy and Climate Laboratory

All participating apprentices also take part in the national competition of the <link www.energie-klimawerkstatt.ch/fr.html - external-link "Opens external link in current window">myclimate Energy and Climate Laboratory</link>. This offers trainees and Emmi a further platform on which to present their ideas on energy and climate. “This commitment to apprentices will pay off – for Emmi as a company, the apprentices themselves, and also for a sustainable Swiss economy. It is great that with Emmi, such a well-known company is taking the lead”, says René Estermann, Managing Director of the myclimate Foundation.

Learn more about the Company Challenge

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