How sustainability can become a competitive advantage
Companies need to position themselves more sustainably in order to be successful in the future. The "Future Economy" expert forum at the TaT theme park in Rheine on Wednesday proved that this is not just an empty phrase, but a reality. Entrepreneurs and people interested in setting up their own business were invited by the joint project "Grünes Gründen Münsterland", the business development and promotion company Steinfurt mbH and the development and business promotion company for Rheine mbH. A total of around 50 participants attended the event.
"There is no 'or' between business and climate protection, but a clear 'and'. Sustainability is not an obsolete model, but the basis of economic competitiveness. It reduces risks, strengthens resilience and thus becomes a decisive success factor for companies," said Prof Dr Katharina Reuter, Managing Director of the German Sustainable Economy Association (BNW e.V.) in her keynote speech. Rising costs of fossil fuels and falling prices for renewable technologies clearly showed that change was economically unavoidable. She also illustrated which strategies companies can use to use climate protection not as an obligation, but as a differentiating factor - compared to the competition, in the search for qualified labour and in opening up new markets.
Various examples of best practice from the Münsterland region then presented how sustainable business can work in times of political and economic challenges. An accompanying exhibition of regional companies and a get-together offered ideal opportunities for networking between business, founders and regional stakeholders.
The joint project "Grünes Gründen Münsterland" is funded by the European Union and the NRW Ministry of Economic Affairs as part of the ERDF call for proposals "Regio.NRW". Münsterland e.V. is realising the project as lead partner together with the following partners: Münster Chamber of Crafts, IHK Nord Westfalen, Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung im Kreis Warendorf, Wirtschaftsförderung Kreis Coesfeld, Münster University of Applied Sciences, Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft für den Kreis Borken, Technologieförderung Münster and Wirtschaftsförderungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Steinfurt. The project will run until February 2027.
