For 160 years now, the HF Group has stood for responsible business conduct, taking into account the interests of the market, the company, the employees, the environment, the law and changing times.

We are particularly committed to the following fields of activity:

Employees: Qualified and motivated managers and employees are the essential basis for sustainable success. Fair treatment in compliance with applicable laws and agreements is our obligation. Voluntary services and benefits are part of our business culture and demonstrate our regard for the interests of our employees.

We assume responsibility for our employees' health. We consider this to be not only our duty, but in fact even our utmost concern, since the health and wellbeing of our employees are major prerequisites for their commitment, performance, motivation, creativity and flexibility. To us, as machinery and plant manufacturers, occupational safety and health protection at our plants and global construction sites are of elementary importance. Regular risk assessments and training sessions on occupational safety, instruction in correct lifting and carrying, as well as first aid teams are among our numerous prevention measures.

Environment: To protect the environment, we pay particular attention to energy and resource-saving production, waste separation and waste avoidance. Waste separation and recycling measures ensure the reintroduction of waste materials into the recoverable substance cycle.

Furthermore, we constantly engage in energy savings projects. Within the framework of EU projects we are currently implementing infrastructural measures for the energy-optimized modernization of our sites:

• Replacement of all lighting elements at our production site in Croatia.
• A high degree of energy saving through wall and ceiling insulation and the installation of new windows.
• The use of the latest combined heat and power technology Sense Esco with renewable resources as energy source.

Through steady and continuously increasing research and development work, we are permanently creating innovative and ergonomically optimized products which can be easily maintained. Here, the main focus is on the sustainable reduction of energy consumption.

Compliance: In the past few years there has been, quite rightly, an increasing demand for sustainable and ethical conduct of the management.

We observe the law, practice fairness toward our business partners and the outside world in general, allow no room for discrimination and maintain a strict separation between business and private interests. We stand for dealings with our suppliers in a spirit of partnership and strive for long-term and sustained relations.

Dealings in compliance with rules of competition and the observance of laws are top priorities for us.

Social aspects: Social engagement is part of our societal obligation. The owner of our management company, Possehl Holding, is the Possehl-Stiftung (foundation).

Its goal is:

• to maintain the aspect of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck as a World Cultural Heritage site,
• to support charitable institutions in Lübeck,
• to promote art and science,
• to promote youth and
• relieve the distress of those in need.

These goals are realised in particular through financial and in some cases advisory assistance. The Possehl-Stiftung has provided more than 230 million Euro for its foundation purposes since 1950. The current lighthouse project is the construction of the Europäisches Hansemuseum (European Hanseatic museum) in Lübeck. It is coming into being exclusively with funding provided by the Possehl-Stiftung and the European Union.

Business management of Harburg-Freudenberger Maschinenbau GmbH