“Intergenerational thinking is in our company’s DNA.”

We had the opportunity to talk with Philipp Dehn, CEO of DEHN SE and great-grandson of the company’s founder, about the importance of sustainability – from a business and personal perspective.

Philipp, your company published a comprehensive sustainability report last year and is following up with an update this year. Why?

In order to be transparent – both in terms of our sustainability strategy and the associated goals and measures. We want to show what we have already achieved, but we are also not afraid to address the areas where we can still improve. And because we want to make it clear that ecological and social aspects are just as important to us as our financial performance. It was therefore a matter of course for us to establish this transparency towards our stakeholders.

You mention financial performance. Do you see connections between the success of your company and sustainability?

Absolutely. More and more customers and business partners expect us to act sustainably, particularly when it comes to how we manufacture and ship our products. We are increasingly integrating circular economy principles into our product development, reinforcing our role as a technology leader in the industry. However, we see sustainability not only as a driver of innovation, but also as an opportunity to reduce business risks, for example in energy supply. That is why we are consistently expanding the generation and use of renewable energies, and by doing so we are protecting the climate at the same time.

Climate protection, but also the topic of sustainability as a whole are currently under pressure. Legal requirements are being withdrawn or weakened under the argument of reducing bureaucracy. Do you also feel relieved about this development?

At DEHN, we do not pursue an approach to sustainability whose aim is to comply with regulatory requirements, even though we fully meet legal requirements at all our locations. Our motivation lies rather in the conviction that we can strengthen our competitive position in the long term by acting sustainably. What we are currently observing is, in my opinion, short-sighted. Challenges such as climate change and resource scarcity will inevitably become even more intense over time. In order to successfully deal with them in the future, we must face them today. This is what drives us forward, because as a family business, long term thinking is in our culture.

You referred to long term thinking. Is a family company with such a long history as yours not already sustainable by definition?

I wouldn’t claim that our 115-year company history in itself is proof enough for the sustainability of our company. But from the very beginning, treating our employees fairly, in addition to conserving natural resources, has always been a fundamental principle for us. When I walk through the company, I meet people whose parents and grandparents have already worked for us. This cross-generational approach, which was already shaped by my great-grandfather, expresses a responsibility that I also see for myself: I want to leave the fifth generation of our family not only a sustainable company, but also a functioning social and ecological environment in which they can shape their own future in a way that is worth living.