Our sustainability engagement
Achieving more together

We owe our good market position to a sustainable business strategy – characterised by values that the owner family represents both internally and externally. They are the cornerstones of our current and future decisions.

Down-to-earth attitude

Jokey is tradition-conscious and modern. A global player with regional roots. We reinvest our profits. Our high equity ratio gives us stability in volatile markets – and agility when it comes to innovation, quality, service and sustainability.

Honesty and appreciation

We communicate openly, honestly and transparently. We see feedback as an incentive to improve. Through respectful honesty, we open up new creative scope for our employees. And we are a trustworthy partner for our customers, partners and stakeholders.

Ecological and social responsibility

As a family business, we take our responsibility towards people and nature very seriously: as a secure and crisis-proof employer. As a guarantor of a sustainable business policy. And as a pioneer for sustainable packaging and a contributor to the ecological balance.

Quality and expertise

Our striving for quality and expertise accompanies us every day and everywhere. It starts with simple things such as thoroughness and tidiness and extends to the continuous development of the professional and personal expertise of our employees, managers and society as a whole.

“As our business has grown,
so has our responsibility – and it extends far beyond
the manufacturing of our products.”

Every day, our employees around the world ensure that the increasing market supply is secured and that the area of sustainability is continuously strengthened. They are all united by a strong corporate culture and a shared set of values. Together with our customers and partners, we want to create values that open up secure long-term prospects for the environment and society across all borders.

The Jokey management is responsible for sustainability issues, taking into account economic, ecological and social aspects. The managing directors derive operational measures from the overarching strategic objectives set by the board of directors and the shareholders’ meeting. These are broken down according to the top-down principle to the respective departmental and national level. At the same time, employees at all plants are involved in communicating their ideas, projects and actions according to the bottom-up principle, i.e. from the bottom up to the management level. In this way, our teams exchange their acquired knowledge and best-practice experiences across the group. Jokey standards can then be developed from the insights gained.

In 2021, we established the position of a sustainability manager at Jokey. He is responsible for the further development and implementation of our sustainability goals throughout the Jokey Group. By bundling these activities in one place, we can better monitor the implementation of our sustainability strategy, starting with the execution and continuous development of our Jokey Eco Concept and extending to the analysis of the impact of our activities and products in terms of sustainable topics. In addition to this, we are currently establishing a group-wide network of local sustainability officers to ensure that our sustainability strategy is implemented in a concerted manner throughout the group.

The implementation of sustainability goals and fields of action in the social area is supported by employees from the Human Resources department.

Jokey entered into a strategic and transformative partnership with WWF Germany in 2021. The aim of this partnership is to place sustainability even more firmly at the centre of all corporate activities and to integrate it responsibly into all areas of the company. Since then, the areas of circular economy for plastics (focus on packaging), sustainable procurement and climate have been tackled and specific targets formulated. In doing so, we want to use fewer resources, especially those in a closed loop if possible. In November 2022, Jokey signed the Commitment Letter of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). In doing so, we have committed ourselves to science-based climate targets and continuous review by this globally recognised network. In March 2023, we submitted our interim targets, the near-term targets, to the SBTi, where they are now being evaluated and validated.

Jokey has been a member of Global Compact Germany since June 2021. This involves an obligation to support the Global Compact’s ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption. At the same time, they are to be bindingly integrated into the corporate strategy, corporate culture and day-to-day business. In addition, we have declared our willingness to participate in cooperative projects that promote the general goals of the United Nations, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Membership of Global Compact Deutschland is subject to the condition that an annual progress report (Communication on Progress/CoP) be submitted. In this report, companies provide information about their efforts to implement the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact and about their activities to promote sustainable development. We fulfilled this obligation for the first time in May 2022 and submitted the documentation of Jokey’s sustainability course entitled “The future beyond tomorrow”. In December 2023, we submitted the progress report in accordance with the guidelines revised by the UN Global Compact in the form of a questionnaire entitled “2023 Communication on Progress”. Both documents can be viewed in the download area.

To continue and consolidate sustainable development at all levels, Jokey has launched, among other things, the Operational Excellence Program (OpEx) 2030. In this programme, all department heads describe their goals up to 2030. In addition, the measures, activities and key performance indicators (KPIs) are outlined as a holistic roadmap.

In April 2022, we launched a strategy paper that provides our employees and relevant stakeholders with an up-to-date overview of the status and objectives of our sustainability strategy. Based on the Jokey Eco Concept, it describes all the fields of action that we want to work on or have already worked on. It also contains the targets we have set ourselves at all levels in order to make both a circular economy and climate targets a reality by 2030, measured against the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement. Of course, we continue to seek dialogue and exchange with our stakeholders.

All stakeholders also have the opportunity to express critical concerns, for example through the compliance officers or ombudsmen and women. These can then be brought to the attention of the Board of Directors through several channels.

In 2021, Jokey began to implement Vision 0-0-0 in the areas of operations, occupational safety and quality assurance. This is to be understood less as a goal and more as a vision for the future. The three zeros stand for: zero occupational accidents, zero customer complaints and zero production plant shutdowns. The formula is deliberately kept simple to help all Jokey employees in their day-to-day work to consistently align their actions with it.

All operational activities are aligned with Vision 0-0-0, which in turn is based on the Jokey mission and vision and supports the sustainability activities of the Jokey 2030 sustainability roadmap. Vision 0-0-0 also supports the operational sustainability goals as part of the strategic partnership with the WWF along a Paris-compatible, SBTi-validated 1.5°C pathway.

Zero unplanned downtime – improved production system

In the meantime, numerous measures have been initiated. In the area of operations, for example, these include the following modules to improve the Jokey Production System (JPS):

• Shop floor management (SFM) to optimise production processes at the point of value creation with daily reviews
• Total Productive Equipment Management (TPEM) to improve machine availability
• Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) for optimising tool changes
• Optimisation of costs and required energy/resources
• 6 S for a clean, orderly and safe production environment to ensure a waste-free and disruption-free process flow

The modules mentioned to improve the Jokey production system have been rolled out in all Jokey plants after initial test phases. In order to measure progress and compare plants, key performance indicators (KPIs) have been defined and are reviewed in monthly reports. At the same time, they enable healthy competition between the plants. To ensure that the improvement process is both networked and continuous, monthly cross-plant meetings are also held to exchange best practice ideas. In addition, the plant managers of all Jokey plants meet once a year at the Global Operations Meeting to exchange ideas on sustainable operating strategies, among other things. Projects for the use of tools based on artificial intelligence are currently in development.

Improvements in productivity using Jokey Wipperfürth as an example

Compared to the 2021 reporting year, the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness, also known as machine performance or overall equipment effectiveness) improved by around 7 per cent in the 2022 reporting year. (In 2023, the improvement compared to the previous year was just under 2 per cent.)

Zero accidents – improved occupational safety

Jokey is also continuing to pursue its Vision 0-0-0 in the area of occupational safety and will roll out activities and processes in all plants by 2024 (see also Occupational safety and health protection).

Zero customer complaints – improved quality management

In the area of customer complaints, the introduction of a Project Management Roadmap (PMR) has significantly improved the process of efficient customer project development, for example by introducing new tools. This also includes the careful use of resources.

Reduction of customer complaints using Jokey Turkey as an example

Jokey Turkey is cited here as an example: in 2022, we were able to reduce customer complaints by 18.43 per cent compared to the reporting year 2021. (In 2023, the reduction compared to the previous year was 46.86 per cent.)

On the basis of our values, we apply a high ethical standard to our actions. This applies equally to respectful cooperation in all our plants and to our contact with our customers, partners, suppliers and stakeholders.

“Jokey acts according to the
principles of responsible and sustainable
corporate governance.”

This includes, for example, the obligation to comply with the Code of Conduct (Code of the German Plastics Processing Industry Association), which has been in place since 2012, with its global demands for ethical and moral conduct, as well as guidelines for correct conduct in terms of competition and antitrust law in all Jokey branches and production facilities across national borders. This includes promoting fair and sustainable standards in dealings with suppliers and customers along the entire value chain as well as in dealings with the company’s own employees.

Since 2023, we have developed and implemented a sustainable procurement management system based on relevant norms and standards throughout the group. In addition, Jokey is certified according to SMETA 4-pillar audit and Sedex (B-membership) with the plants Jokey SE, Jokey Gummersbach SE, Jokey Poland Sp. z o.o. and Jokey Praha CZ s.r.o., among others. Furthermore, we have developed and introduced our own Code of Conduct throughout the group in 2023.

The Jokey Group underwent a group-wide sustainability rating by the renowned rating platform EcoVadis for the first time in 2023. At the end of January 2024, it was awarded a bronze medal. Jokey is therefore among the top 35 percent of the companies rated by EcoVadis in the rating year.

The world’s largest independent provider of sustainability ratings for companies only awards those companies that have completed the evaluation process transparently and can demonstrate that they have integrated principles of sustainability and corporate social responsibility into their business activities.

Sustainability performance in all areas of the company is examined. These are evaluated according to criteria from the areas of the environment, ethics, human and labour rights, and sustainable procurement. The rating is based on international sustainability standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact, the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), among others.

The aim is to produce packaging that reliably protects the contents from external influences and is as sustainable as possible. In addition to product considerations, our goals also include the development of a comprehensive conformity and specification management system and its integration into the corporate culture. Only in this way can the ever-increasing demands of customers and legislators be met. The further development of our management system is our top priority.

From the outset, Jokey has been committed to continuously improving the ecological profile of plastic packaging and sustainability along the entire value chain. This is reflected, among other things, in the consistent further development of the Jokey Eco Concept. Through our involvement in numerous initiatives, industry associations and committees, we actively promote relevant sustainability goals with our expertise. These include, for example:

• Use of raw materials according to the minimum principle
• Establishing and closing material cycles
• Further development of recyclable packaging designs
• Procedures for the recovery of used plastics
• Protecting the environment from plastic waste

We are in continuous dialogue with all relevant stakeholders. The aim is to make their interests transparent, to counteract information deficits and to fulfil our shared responsibility for the environment and nature in many initiatives through close cooperation.

“We take a close look at the perspectives of
our stakeholders in order to identify
ecological and social conflicts at an early stage
and take action to counteract them.”

At the same time, the dialogue helps us to identify and avoid risks and conflicts at an early stage – together instead of alone. Our compliance department monitors our business practices and activities and informs our employees about the respective policies. The Code of Conduct and the guidelines derived from it are guiding principles for all Jokey employees. The managing directors and the local managing directors are responsible for implementing them. The Board of Directors, as the highest decision-making body, is involved accordingly.

There were no incidents of non-compliance with laws and regulations in the 2022 reporting year. This also applies to 2023.

The Jokey network is diverse and broad-based. We maintain memberships and are committed to national and international initiatives within the framework of our sustainability goals of climate and circular economy.

We work together with renowned scientific institutes on important topics, thereby laying the foundations for our development course in product design and resources

It is important to Jokey to promote the goals of the United Nations, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ever since the company was founded, we have taken responsibility for the people who work for Jokey and the regions in which the locations are based. In addition to regular donations to smaller local aid projects, this includes, for example, an emergency aid of over 50,000 euros to a large Turkish aid organisation and the Turkish state disaster relief authority for the benefit of those affected by the earthquake in Turkey at the beginning of 2023. As stated in the Jokey funding guidelines, we support projects that help people, protect nature and the environment, and challenge local regions.

We review and approve donation applications according to criteria that correspond to our corporate philosophy:

• Donations from Jokey primarily flow into the respective region around a Jokey plant.
• With our donations, we want to achieve a visible effect, a purpose. We value a defined purpose and the unselfish use of the donation.

Jokey particularly supports the areas of:

• Culture, art and education
• Integration of disadvantaged groups (e.g. care of the elderly, soup kitchens, socially deprived people, ecumenical initiatives)
• Health and sports
• Environmental protection, nature and animal conservation
• Prevention of violence and addiction
• Local history and customs
• Natural disasters/exceptional emergencies

We donate exclusively to charitable projects and institutions, registered associations or individuals/organisations in need or worthy of support. We do not donate to political parties or political movements.

Since 2019, a small team of volunteers has taken on the task of taking a holistic approach to sustainability issues such as environmental and resource protection. The employees are continuously developing creative ideas on how sustainability can be implemented in all areas of our company. For example, the sustainability team at the Oberberg site collects empty printer cartridges as part of the ‘Sammeldrache’ (collection dragon) campaign to give them a second life. They are recycled and refilled, which saves CO₂ and resources. A new digitalisation project at the Jokey Sohland site, in the Spa division, is helping to reduce paper consumption.

The team wants to actively promote the circular economy with the ‘Yellow Sack’ introduced at all Jokey sites in Germany. Participation in Jokey Global Cleanup Day and the collection of rubbish at all Jokey locations are also the result of initiatives by our sustainability team, as is the support for nature and environmental conservation projects: here, Jokey employees regularly prune the fruit trees they have planted in meadow orchards, for example. During the reporting period, a joint apple harvest also took place in Fähnrichstüttem and a scything course in Wipperfürth.

Small deeds that help people

Jokey employees are also actively involved in social projects. For example, the printer cartridges collected at the Oberberg plants are sent to a primary school in Gummersbach, which in turn receives money from the recycler. The school uses the income to finance its own projects and modern furnishings. Employees regularly bake bread for the Oberberg food bank.

Access to education as a basis for sustainable development

In 2023, the Jokey donation and sponsoring team, which also includes Jokey shareholders, also launched a long-term donation project in Nepal. After a thorough examination, the choice fell on the Germany-based association Surya Kiran – a ray of sunshine for children e. V. This association finances the maintenance of two children’s homes as well as the school and vocational training of pupils at the SBD school in the district of Lalitpur, Kathmandu. Of the 500 children and young people who come from poor, underprivileged families, 200 are supported by school sponsorships. With an initial donation, Jokey has taken on 15 school sponsorships as well as providing regular school meals for the sponsored children. Part of the donated money was also used for photovoltaic systems and the installation of cisterns for the two children’s homes. Another part was earmarked for the acquisition and improvement of the school infrastructure. All Jokey employees were encouraged to participate in this fundraising project. With this commitment, we want to increasingly focus on education as the key to a better and more self-determined life. After all, many young people from poorer regions of the world are denied the opportunity to attend school or receive vocational training (see also SDG 4).