At Wincor Nixdorf, we take a holistic view of sustainability. When it comes to the careful use of resources, for example, we follow an “end-to-end” principle that goes beyond our own internal processes to examine the use made of our solutions at the customer’s site. To this end, our entire portfolio – from hardware and software through to services – is geared towards helping our customers operate in an environmentally sustainable way.
Low Energy Costs, High Availability.
One example: Our BEETLE / Net X checkout system (Glossary) combines robust notebook processor technology and modern flash storage devices to reduce downtime rates by around 25% compared to conventional checkout systems. As well as minimizing downtime at the customer’s premises, this reduces the need for on-site call outs on account of the lower number of repairs. By incorporating an energy-saving processor and an energy-efficient power supply, we have achieved a substantial cut in the cost of electricity for the system and its peripheral devices. Furthermore, our intelligent power management system is equipped with a number of energy-saving operating modes to ensure that the power consumed does not exceed the actual amount required. This helps to make substantial energy savings and therefore minimize operating costs.
Economic and Ecological Sustainability.
The solutions provided by Wincor Nixdorf also make an important contribution towards the protection of our environment. Thanks to our cash cycle management (Glossary) system, for example, the number of secure transport journeys required can be reduced, thereby cutting CO2 emissions. Technician call outs can also be kept to a minimum thanks to remote monitoring of our Managed Services (Glossary) , including a preliminary assessment of possible disturbances and preventive Internet-based maintenance.
The holistic approach adopted by Wincor Nixdorf involves selecting economically and environmentally sustainable processes in the design and manufacture of solutions for our customers. It is their requirements in terms of quality, durability and efficiency that determine our own actions. However, we not only optimize the business processes of our customers; we also directly incorporate their environmental responsibilities into our products, thereby supporting the efforts they make to achieve their own environmental targets, with the ultimate aim of creating a sustainable value chain.
Environmental Protection from the Outset.
Environmental issues, for example, are given proper consideration right from the initial development stages of our hardware. This includes exploiting the potential for improvements based on our experience of production and services, and in our relations with customers. All our products are designed in line with international regulations to promote the development of recycling-friendly products with a low environmental impact (EC WEEE directive) and lower energy consumption (EC EuP directive), and to restrict the use of hazardous substances (EC RoHS, REACH directives).
We also expect our suppliers to incorporate and observe the relevant environmental standards. To this end, we ensure that they comply with Wincor Nixdorf’s code of conduct for suppliers and expect them to implement an ISO 14001-certified environmental management system. Our suppliers are audited on a regular basis to monitor their compliance with strict environmental standards.
Naturally, we apply these same environmental standards to ourselves. The environmental management systems introduced by each of the production sites making up our international network – in Paderborn, Ilmenau, Burgdorf (Switzerland), Singapore and Shanghai – are all ISO 14001-certified. By using modern technology, we can save energy, materials and water, and avoid waste, water contamination and emissions. One such example is our new paint facility in Paderborn, where the use of heat-capture technology has made significant improvements to energy efficiency and helps to reduce our environmental impact through a substantial cut in the volume of wastewater.
Commitment to Environmental Protection.
As we have already mentioned, Wincor Nixdorf places great importance on its environmental responsibilities. As in the preceding year, this annual report was printed on FSC-certified paper. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)* is an international charitable organization that promotes environmentally aware, socially acceptable and economically viable forestry practices. In addition, this year we resolved that the printing of our annual report should be climate-neutral. In collaboration with ClimatePartner*, the Bonifatius printing shop in Paderborn has implemented a sustainable low-impact concept to help protect the climate. As well as avoiding and reducing environmental damage, e.g., by introducing petroleum-free colored inks and abandoning the use of industrial alcohol (IPA) in the printing process, any unavoidable CO2 output is offset through accredited emissions certificates based on high-quality climate protection projects that promote and support the expansion of renewable energy in fast-growing industrialized countries and the third world.
* For more information, please see www.fsc.org, www.climatepartner.com and www.bonifatius.de.
