“Only companies that pay above-average attention to protecting resources, and offer products that enable their customers to do the same, will survive the coming decades,” says Björn Stigson, President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), to which around thirty large international enterprises belong. At its core, the message is that sustainable management and economic success are two sides of the same coin. What’s more, sustainability and corporate responsibility for society and the environment are increasingly becoming determining factors for whether a company is fit as to the future.
At Wincor Nixdorf, this message has been heard and taken to heart: The company has been actively promoting sustainability for a long time, with efforts that are motivated not just by economics, but also by a strong sense of responsibility. Wincor Nixdorf is committed to a healthy balance between economic, ecological, and social behavior, and is already practicing what it preaches. A holistic approach ensures that all three pillars receive equal attention. Wincor Nixdorf meets its social responsibility by attending to the welfare of its employees. In addition, it has pledged itself to abide by universal rights and laws such as those protecting human rights. Orientation for employees is provided not just by the company’s code of conduct, but also by the Wincor Nixdorf Compliance Management System (CMS), which describes both the company’s goals and the development of an appropriate organization. Wincor Nixdorf has likewise long promoted harmony between economy and ecology.
Development of Power Consumption of ATMs.
Looking back, the ProCash 2000xe series had already achieved a
best-in-class performance with regard to energy consumption. Indeed,
it was considered a pioneer in its use of energysaving components
such as LCD monitors.
Conserving Resources as a Holistic Principle.
Wincor Nixdorf is not responding to changed requirements, but is instead actively involved in driving development. Years ago, Wincor Nixdorf gradually began to switch to energy supply and production processes that save resources and the environment, and has been continually refining them ever since. Wincor Nixdorf regards the conservation of resources as a holistic principle: Analyses of the total cost of ownership (Glossary) (TCO) determine all the costs of a product across its life cycle, from planning and development, production and logistics, through to operation at the customer site, including maintenance, and service. The point of this exercise is to focus on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient components right from the start, and to ensure from the outset that customers can also reduce energy consumption and operating costs for the customer through specially designed products.
Carbon Footprint Analysis for CINEO.
Another significant step toward sustainability is the carbon footprint analysis we conducted last year for the new CINEO system family for bank branches and retail stores. This carbon footprint measures the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions resulting directly or indirectly from the manufacture and use of a product across its entire life cycle. In the meantime, carbon footprint measurement is regarded as a reliable method of determining the climate impact of products, services, and other events in human life. Climate impact can only be effectively reduced on the basis of the information and insights gained from such measurements. And this reduction is necessary in order to achieve the climate goals we have set ourselves.
Wincor Nixdorf continues to work rigorously on reducing energy consumption. For example, we are continually optimizing our hardware platform technology to improve its TCO and meet the goals of “green IT.”
One example is the cash dispenser from the new CINEO product family, which uses 31% less energy than the predecessor model (see illustration). And in cooperation with PE International, Wincor Nixdorf commissioned a carbon footprint analysis of its cash recycling system (Glossary) CINEO C4060 to demonstrate and quantify its progress with regard to sustainability.
CO2 Reduction in the Cash Cycle.
The automated cash handling concept on which the new CINEO system generation is based also has a substantial influence on the CO2 balance. Our cash recycling technology shortens and optimizes the entire cash cycle in bank branches and retail stores. Banknotes deposited at a bank branch counter into the intelligent storage unit in an automated teller safe can be dispensed again at an automated teller machine. Similarly, a closed cash cycle between the checkout zone and cash office can also be created in retailing. For example, a note storage unit that holds cash takings from a retail business could be directly inserted in a nearby ATM to replenish its cash. The takings then need to be removed to a CiT operator’s cash center much less often. The need for cash-in-transit services can thus be reduced by 30% to 50%, which in turn significantly improves the CO2 balance. In addition, on average, a cash recycling system emits 34% less CO2 (in kilograms) over a service life of eight years than the combination of a separate cash dispenser and separate deposit unit.
Sustainability as a Business Model.
This example alone shows what is possible and feasible through rigorous research and development. And this is important since it will be the market, customers and end users who, in the foreseeable future, will determine which products are purchased over the long term and are beneficial to society. Businesses are already being encouraged to compile their sustainability reports according to the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which was founded in 1997 in partnership with the environmental program of the United Nations. In the meantime, these guidelines are regarded as the most important benchmark for sustainability reporting. Over the long term, all these things mean that sustainability must be an important element of the business models of the future.