Successful cooperation between science and business for greater sustainability

In the summer semester of 2024, students of the Master’s program “Sustainable Corporate Management” at Aalen University of Applied Sciences worked together with specialists and managers from PAUL HARTMANN AG on specific issues of sustainable corporate management. The tasks were selected by company representatives from the areas of Risk Prevention and Corporate Sustainability. The aim was to use their work to explore options for PAUL HARTMANN AG’s sustainability activities.

One cooperation – diverse projects

  • One project researched and evaluated innovations for circular economy in the healthcare sector with regard to their relevance for HARTMANN. Plus, the environmental impact of disposable medical packaging in the healthcare sector was examined, and sustainable alternatives to plastic-based flow materials in the area of disposable surgical drapes and clothing were researched.
  • In addition to product-related topics, market and competitive issues were also addressed. Several studies were conducted to analyze sustainability activities of the healthcare industry worldwide. Publicly available sustainability reports with different focus areas were systematically reviewed. These included which ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) the companies used, which CO2 emissions were covered, the underlying methods, calculations and targets, as well as reporting on sustainable investments (sustainable finance) and EU taxonomy.
  • Furthermore, the differences in sustainability laws of European countries were compared and their key contents were structured and clearly presented.

Strong collaboration and positive feedback

Throughout the semester, there were regular exchanges on the progress of the cooperation. At the end of the semester, the students presented their results at a joint closing event.

The collaboration was well received by both the students and the experts involved. “The special thing about this module is its direct practical relevance. Real questions and problems from from business practice give us students the opportunity to deal with current topics in the context of sustainability,” said Niklas Schwarzenbolz, a participant and first-year Master’s student.

Win-Win for science and business

Prof. Simone Häußler, who holds a joint professorship at HARTMANN and Aalen University, was also pleased with the successful cooperation: “The students’ innovative ideas provide exciting impetus for further sustainable developments at HARTMANN. In addition, they were able to acquire important skills for their future careers by actively participating in practical sustainability projects and tackling complex business problems.”

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