Fachhochschule Dortmund is the first university in North Rhine-Westphalia and the second university in Germany to draw up a common good balance sheet for all of its activities. On January 18, 2024, it and eight other Dortmund companies were presented with the certificate.
"We have embarked on this path, not because it is easy - but because it is simply necessary," says Prof. Dr. Franz Vogler, Vice-Rector for Sustainability and Digitalization at Fachhochschule Dortmund. The UAS has experienced and helped shape the structural change in the Ruhr region. "And as a university of the future, we also see ourselves now as a driving force for the upcoming socio-ecological transformation," emphasizes Prof. Vogler. The climate crisis requires committed action. It is important to involve everyone and to act as a whole society.
The common good balance sheet can help with this. It illustrates the impact of the company's activities on the common good. The so-called common good matrix takes a detailed look at how universal values (human dignity, solidarity, ecological sustainability and co-determination) are anchored in the company - be it in its dealings with employees, customers, suppliers or the social environment. The balance sheet not only shows the current situation, but also develops recommendations for action. "For Fachhochschule Dortmund, the common good balance sheet is therefore the starting point for a comprehensive sustainability strategy," promises Franz Vogler.
Heike Marzen, Managing Director of the Dortmund Economic Development Agency, calls the companies certified for the common good important pioneers. "The business location is facing up to the challenges," she emphasizes. Even though Dortmund set out a long time ago to promote social and sustainable aspects, it is not yet state of the art to face up to the process of common good accounting. However, conscious action is the right way forward - also with regard to the recruitment of skilled workers.
Test certificate is both a milestone and a starting point
Lecturers, employees and students at Fachhochschule Dortmund were all involved in drawing up the common good balance sheet. "During this process, we found some areas in which we had not initially made use of the scope. We were able to improve this quickly," reports Sebastian Kreimer, Sustainability Manager at Fachhochschule Dortmund. For example, in purchasing, catering and energy issues. In other areas, changes were more complex. "Raising awareness is important here, because we have to start thinking about sustainability and the common good as early as the tendering process," says Sebastian Kreimer.
At one location, for example, it has already been possible to enable cleaning staff to work during the day and outside of night-time hours - thus ensuring better and more family-friendly working conditions. "I see that many people at the UAS are passionate about the idea of an economy geared towards the common good. At the same time, there are regulatory frameworks that still stand in the way of action in some cases. We want and need to tackle this," emphasizes the Sustainability Manager. The certificate for the common good is an important milestone for Fachhochschule Dortmund and also a starting point. The real work begins now.