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Sustainability at BERNSTEIN: Contributions to environmental and climate protection.

For a better tomorrowOur contribution to environmental and climate protection

As a family-run company, thinking across generations has always been particularly important to us. That is why we are already making our contribution today to a better tomorrow. Because: The world and its resources are not inexhaustible. This makes it all the more important to use them responsibly and sustainably, especially as a company. 

We at BERNSTEIN are fully aware of this responsibility for the environment.

What we already do today

Green icon in the form of a solar system

A photovoltaic system for generating energy is installed at each of our sites in Porta Westfalica and Hille-Hartum. This enables us to cover part of our electricity requirements. For the remaining part, we obtain 100% green electricity from hydropower.

Graphic of the savings of the BERNSTEIN PV systems

Since commissioning our PV systems in September 2022 at the Hausberge site and in June 2024 in Hartum, we have already been able to save some CO2 emissions.
Graphic 1: Hausberge location
Graphic 2: Hille-Hartum location​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Green icon in the form of a fuel pump

Also, we had the first wallboxes installed at our Porta Westfalica-Hausberge and Hille-Hartum sites. We are thus already paving the way for the switch to more environmentally friendly company vehicles. 

Green icon in the shape of a bicycle

We want to motivate our employees to leave their cars behind more often and cycle to work instead. With our e-bike leasing, they can lease up to 2 bicycles with electric drives at favourable conditions.

Green icon in the form of a cloud with the inscription CO2

As a company with several production sites, it is important for us not only to produce efficiently, but also to package our products in a particularly resource-friendly way. Through interzero's take-back system, we were able to save 14,294 kg of greenhouse gas emissions in 2023.

Green icon in the form of a waste bin with a recycling symbol

Through our cooperation with interzero, we also collect and recycle the materials we use. This makes it possible to close cycles and protect the environment. Last year, we saved 103 tonnes of resources in this way.

Latest news on the topic of sustainability

From left to right: Site manager Bernd Borcherding, board member Nicole Bernstein and Achim Bernstein press the symbolic button to commission the photovoltaic system

Company

Solar energy in Hartum

We are taking a further step towards sustainability.

Read more
BERNSTEIN AG photovoltaic system at the Porta Westfalica site

Company

Sustainability at BERNSTEIN

Our measures to protect the environment.

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And what is already being planned

Grünes Icon in Form von zwei Fußabdrücken

We are currently in the process of determining the greenhouse gases we produce so that we can then balance them. In this way, we want to define further climate protection targets for our company in the future and continuously reduce our carbon footprint.

Green icon in the form of a cars

We are converting parts of our fleet to hybrid vehicles. We have already had the corresponding wall boxes installed. We will gradually replace our pool cars and company cars for employees with more environmentally friendly cars with hybrid drive.

Certified since 1996

A quality management system was first introduced at BERNSTEIN AG in 1996. Since then, this has been consistently applied in the company and certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001. 

In 2016, our environmental management system was also certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001.

Of course, we have these systems checked by regular audits and renew the corresponding certifications. 

Sustainability at BERNSTEIN: Overview of emissions and resource savings in 2023.

Closing the loop: Disposal of old appliances

Based on the Act on the Circulation, Return and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act - ElektroG), the requirements of the European WEEE Directive (Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment) - (Directive 2012/19/EU) are implemented in Germany.

According to the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act, manufacturers, distributors and importers who place electrical and electronic equipment on the market in Germany are obliged to register with the Foundation for Waste Electrical Equipment (Stiftung Elektro-Altgeräte Register, Stiftung EAR).

BERNSTEIN AG is registered under the WEEE registration number DE 50560927 in the manufacturer register of the EAR foundation.

Disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment

Product take-back by BERNSTEIN AG is carried out for article categories that are registered with the EAR Foundation. Affected are (according to the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) § 2) devices of category 5 "small monitoring and control instruments" (switches and sensors with electronic signal processing) as well as, if applicable, devices of category 4 "large monitoring and control instruments" (e.g. enclosures with built-in signal light).

Old appliances that were placed on the market before 13 August 2005 are excluded from being taken back. The production marking on the type plate of the respective product is used to identify the date of manufacture.

If you would like to return your old electrical or electronic equipment purchased from BERNSTEIN to us, please contact your sales representative or contact us via E-Mail: info@bernstein.eu.

The crossed-out wheeled bin on products, packaging and/or accompanying documents means that used electrical and electronic products and batteries must not be disposed of with normal household waste.

The deletion of personal data on the old devices must be carried out by the end user on their own responsibility before disposal.

BERNSTEIN products must not be disposed of via the municipal collection and return points. Waste electrical and electronic equipment can be taken back in the form of a return registered by the customer and approved by BERNSTEIN AG (WEEE product take-back).

Disposal of used batteries

Batteries may be included in the scope of delivery of a BERNSTEIN product. Batteries/accumulators that are not permanently integrated in the electrical (electronic) device must be removed and disposed of properly before disposal.

The crossed-out wheeled bin symbol means that batteries must not be disposed of with normal household waste. Certain batteries containing harmful substances are additionally marked with the following signs below the waste bin symbol:

Pb = Battery contains more than 0.004 mass percent lead

Cd = Battery contains more than 0.002 mass percent cadmium

Hg = Battery contains more than 0.0005 mass percent mercury

You are legally obliged to return used batteries so that proper disposal can be ensured. You can return used batteries to a municipal collection point or to your local retailer. As a distributor of batteries, BERNSTEIN AG is also obliged to take back used batteries, although our take-back obligation is limited to used batteries of the type that we carry or have carried as new batteries in our range.

You can return used batteries free of charge directly to our dispatch warehouse at the following address:

BERNSTEIN AG
Holzhauser Str. 31
32479 Hille
Germany

BERNSTEIN AG: Employees during repair work

Our passion: safety for people and machines

Since 1947, we have made it our mission to provide the best possible protection for people, machines and processes.

Get to know us better and learn more about what moves and drives us every day. Who the people behind BERNSTEIN are. And how our products help to make machines and processes safer.

find out more about the company