In particular, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) work requires, as an essential measure, the ability to provide access to information, align with the best practices developed worldwide, and open the debate to seek solutions to current and future problems.

In this spirit, every year we select a highly relevant ESG topic and use it as a starting point for open conversations across our usual communication channels.

This year, we internally defined May as Circular Economy Month. This decision coincides with the fact that a significant number of global events on this topic took place precisely in this month.

Through our Circular Economy Month, we set out to achieve three concrete objectives:

Consolidating and sharing relevant information

Each week, we published and shared with all team members articles covering topics ranging from global circular economy goals and models, case studies, and references to local initiatives, to key national legislations and the latest circularity statistics.

Promoting circularity

We opened internal channels for the private sale/exchange of items so that team members could give a second life to objects they no longer use. At the same time, we continued promoting recycling measures and are currently organizing our second e-waste recycling event.

Learning from best practices

For the ESG team leading this project, this initiative was a valuable opportunity to become familiar with the best circularity practices implemented by other companies, which will begin to form part of our own package of future initiatives.

The Future of ESG at SimScale

Circular Economy Month may be over, but our commitment continues. The insights gained this May will serve as the foundation for future ESG initiatives, ensuring that circularity remains embedded in the way we work.

For those who want to follow our journey, stay tuned for more insights into SimScale’s sustainability efforts and other exciting updates on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post The month of circular economy! appeared first on SimScale.

How many tons of carbon do we generate each year?

This question, of course, posed the challenge of not having the relevant information in an organized and accessible way, as well as a lack of experience in how to analyze it once collected.

In 2021, with the help of ClimatePartner, SimScale was able to achieve its goal of measuring its corporate carbon footprint for the first time. With this first milestone achieved, we knew this was just the beginning: we now had to continue measuring ourselves and set reduction and optimization targets, understanding that emissions are an unavoidable part of running a business.

Today, four years after that first milestone, we have measured our corporate carbon footprint for the fourth time, which allows us to better understand our progress, the impact of our decisions, and the areas that still need improvement. 

The general data clearly shows that our highest consumption falls under the category of business travel, which we are constantly trying to mitigate (for example, through the creation of corporate travel guidelines and recommendations for sustainable travel practices). Fortunately, this category has shown a slowdown in the most recent measurement for the year 2024.

Additionally, when analyzing the carbon footprint per employee, we see that it continues to decrease from its peak in 2022, entering a stable range that allows us to continue introducing optimization measures.

Looking ahead, and with all of this experience, we are working on introducing artificial intelligence innovations to support data collection and processing, contributing to a scalability plan for our corporate footprint evaluation project.

For those who want to follow our journey, stay tuned for more insights into SimScale’s sustainability efforts and other exciting updates on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post Four Years of Measuring Our Carbon Footprint appeared first on SimScale.

Without a doubt, 2024 was a year full of achievements and milestones, and we’re so happy that we’d like to share them with you!

Environmental

For the third consecutive year, SimScale measured its carbon footprint with ClimatePartner, reaffirming its commitment to understanding the company’s environmental impact. This knowledge will translate into concrete measures that bring us closer to joining global net-zero commitments.

Additionally, we developed our Sustainable Office Program, a series of initiatives and campaigns aimed not only at reducing emissions generated by our daily operations but also at raising awareness (through gamification) about current environmental challenges and how we can contribute to improving the situation.

As part of this, we launched campaigns for cleaning up digitally stored files, organized e-waste recycling events, and created supplier selection guides for office products based on ecological criteria, among others.This program has also been registered under the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 12), and as of the publication of this article, it is in the approval process.

Social

On the social front, we carried out campaigns encouraging more team members to join our volunteering program, helping support their local communities. From teaching new technologies in schools to aiding natural disaster victims and participating in reforestation initiatives, many SimScalers dedicated time to giving back to the world.

We also strengthened our internal recognition program with initiatives like the Reward & Recognition Program, which celebrates the outstanding achievements of our team members throughout the year. Several SimScalers have already received their 2024 awards, and we’re excited for the upcoming 2025 recognitions!

Governance

SimScale’s governance structure was also reinforced throughout 2024. We introduced six new policies into our program while reviewing and improving our existing framework to ensure it remains up-to-date and effective.

Additionally, our team members received training on various governance-related topics, including best practices, mental health, and cybersecurity risks. In total, 210 hours of ESG training have been delivered across the organization.

Finally, 2024 has been a year of enhanced communication, both internally and externally. In addition to publishing blogs that showcase our passion for sustainability and promote best practices, we have introduced quarterly ESG check-ins with team members, providing both retrospective insights and educational discussions.

We have also launched our monthly ESG Newsletter, designed to keep everyone informed about the latest developments in environmental, social, and governance matters.

As we continue this journey, we remain committed to making a lasting impact—within SimScale and beyond!

For those who want to follow our journey, stay tuned for more insights into SimScale’s sustainability efforts and other exciting updates on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post What a Year for Our ESG Journey! appeared first on SimScale.

So throughout October, the month when World Mental Health Day was celebrated, we assigned training courses on mental health to all our team members in order to reinstate the importance of talking about mental health and highlight the resources that SimScale offers to them.

How Do We Ensure a Healthy Work Environment?

We are fully committed to creating a healthy workspace that prioritizes our team’s mental health built on our core organizational values.

As a result, we have established the following core pillars for our approach to workplace health:

• Promote a culture of open communication.
• Take stress and mental well-being into account when planning and allocating workloads.
• Ensure that risk assessments address work-related stress.
• Promote a fully flexible working scheme.
• Implement policies and procedures to address factors that can cause or worsen stress, ensuring a healthy workplace.
• Provide training to help all team members understand and recognize the causes of work-related stress and mental ill health.
• Provide support for anyone who is affected by or absent due to stress.

The Role of Our People & Engagement Manager

One of the cornerstones of our mental health management is our colleague Preeti. She is passionate about ensuring that our team members have an optimal work-life balance, enhancing well-being, and directly impacting mental health.

In this way, she coordinates regular meetings with team members in a relaxed and strictly confidential environment. Her warm, open, and objective approach allows team members to have a safe space to talk about issues they may be uncomfortable discussing with supervisors and colleagues.

In her own words:

“It is such a privilege to engage with my team on a one-to-one basis and ask the simple yet profound question, “How are you?” The diverse set of responses, both professional and personal, enables me to offer tailored support to each individual’s unique situation. Supporting my team’s mental health is not just a day-to-day job; it’s a passion, and there is nothing more satisfying than seeing my team progress.”

Preeti Dabelstein People Engagement and Retention Manager

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

Talking about mental health isn’t always easy, but it’s essential. Open conversations help reduce the stigma and remind us that mental well-being deserves just as much attention as physical health. By supporting each other, we create a stronger, more resilient work environment where everyone feels they have a safe space to turn to.

For those who want to follow our journey, stay tuned for more insights into SimScale’s sustainability efforts and other exciting updates on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post Mental Health at SimScale appeared first on SimScale.

We achieved a 15% reduction in digital file storage, leading SimScale to commit to planting 150 trees.

At SimScale, sustainability is a key part of how we operate. Our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Policy promotes a sustainable culture at all levels as a pillar of its strategy, guiding us in making responsible choices that benefit both our company and the planet. We’re committed to fostering a sustainable culture, and we work together to make this a reality.

SimScale’s Digital Cleanup Campaign

In the second quarter of this year, SimScale launched its first Digital Cleanup Campaign. The goal was simple: reduce the amount of unnecessary digital files we store. Many people may not realize that storing old, duplicate, or spam files requires energy, which contributes to our environmental footprint. By clearing out these unnecessary files, we aimed to free up space on our suppliers’ servers and reduce their energy use, which in turn helps lower carbon emissions.

To add an extra incentive, we decided that for every 1% reduction in storage, SimScale would plant one tree through the One Tree Planted program. As such, we aimed to contribute to its reforestation and environmental improvement plans, especially in those places most affected by indiscriminate logging and lack of protectionist regulations.

The campaign ran for a month, with weekly updates on our progress. We also shared tips and information internally on how to manage digital files more efficiently, helping our team understand the environmental impact of digital clutter and file storage and encouraging more sustainable practices.

Impact Unveiled: How We Made a Digital Difference

The results of the campaign were outstanding. Thanks to the dedication and commitment of all SimScalers, we achieved an impressive 15% reduction in the storage of old, duplicate, and unnecessary files. This success translated into a commitment from SimScale to plant 150 trees, reinforcing our contribution to a greener and more sustainable planet. But the impact of this initiative goes beyond the immediate numbers. It serves as a powerful reminder that collective action, even in the digital realm, can lead to meaningful environmental benefits.

While the Digital Cleanup Campaign has concluded, the principles it championed continue to resonate within our organization. We are convinced that initiatives like these are essential in cultivating sustainable habits and behaviors that, over time, can transform into lasting positive changes for our environment. As we move forward, SimScale remains dedicated to exploring new ways to integrate sustainability into our operations and to inspire others to do the same.

For those who want to follow our journey, stay tuned for more insights into SimScale’s sustainability efforts and other exciting updates on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post It’s Time to Clean Up: Reducing Our Digital Footprint at SimScale appeared first on SimScale.

With enough experience and data to compare, we have clearly identified one of the main components of our footprint: business travel. While technology and new practices have reduced the need for travel in the business world (e.g., through the use of video calls), it is still usually necessary to strengthen ties or fulfill formalities. This implies that reducing corporate travel to zero becomes an unenforceable practice. However, SimScale (within the framework of the ESG policy and strategy) aims to actively and consciously reduce all such reactors to a minimum, so that the impact on the environment is reduced accordingly.

For this reason, SimScale has recently launched an internal sustainable business travel guideline. It includes a series of suggestions and best practices to help team members make travel decisions that prioritize sustainability principles.

First of all, we recommend that all meetings be held virtually. We see it as the most efficient and environmentally friendly way possible. If the particular conditions of the meeting prevent it from being done this way, then it will be important to follow a series of recommendations based on the means of transportation to be used. For example, in the case of air travel, it is important that flights are in economy class. Also, priority should be given to direct flights or flights with up to one stopover. We also recommend comparing the emissions generated by the different flight options and opting for the one that generates the least carbon emissions.

For land travel, we always recommend the use of cleaner means of transport such as trains. Alternatives such as buses (depending on route availability) are also valid depending on the circumstances. Only when neither of the above is available is individual car rental recommended.

Accommodation is also an important aspect of any business trip. In this section, the possibility of choosing hotels or apartments framed as sustainable properties is something absolutely desirable, as it is that they have green certificates or indicate the use of renewable energy.

These recommendations, among others, help firstly to promote internally a greater awareness of our impact. On the other hand, they also influence the metrics of future carbon footprint measurements. In other words: sometimes we might not have the chance to choose when not to travel, but we have the opportunity to do it in a sustainable way. And that’s a step forward in our commitment.

Stay tuned for more insights into SimScale and see what the team has been up to on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post Sustainable Travel at SimScale appeared first on SimScale.

The question was interesting because not only is it something we in Germany have so internalized that we sometimes do it without thinking or questioning whether what we do is absolutely effective, but also because it raised other questions such as: Are we being sustainable in our office? Do our colleagues know how different materials should be recycled in our city? Are we aware of the (avoidable) waste we generate?

We knew we were on to something and that we wanted to run with it and shape it. The potential was interesting because it was a discussion we had never had in the company and it allowed us not only to have concrete actions but also to raise awareness, perhaps one of the most important steps towards a more sustainable world.

It was then that we decided to build a program (which we later called the Sustainable Office Program), that would work as an umbrella program for many initiatives, some simple (so simple that it seemed incredible that we had not done them before) and others more complex and requiring a collective contribution.

Sustainable Bites: Opting for Reusable Lunchware

During the brainstorming, we started with what seemed most logical: what do we do every day that generates waste? Lunch! Every time we go to pick up food from nearby restaurants we are given plastic containers that always end up in the black bin. So, we came up with our “Plastic-free lunches” initiative which consisted of buying reusable containers for the office and making agreements with the most popular restaurants in the area to use these containers every time one of our employees passes by.

A Day Dedicated to Responsible E-Waste Recycling

We also knew that there was a lot of waste that for many people might be difficult to know how to dispose of — e-waste. We organized an e-waste recycling day, where employees brought in electronic waste or batteries that they no longer use so that we could go and dispose of them safely.

At SimScale, we like to celebrate. We organize events that bring us together and allow us to socialize. These events are great, but they can generate a lot of waste. We have benchmarked the market and decided to work only with environmentally aware suppliers whose products are biodegradable and have less impact on the planet.

These are just a few of the many initiatives that are part of our Sustainable Office Program, a simple idea but one that allows us to translate our sustainability intentions into everyday life, which is where we can have the most impact.

Stay tuned for more insights into SimScale and see what the team has been up to on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post Sustainable Office Program: Let’s Get Down to Work! appeared first on SimScale.

For this reason, over the last two years, the ESG task force (i.e., a group of people from different departments who volunteer time during the quarter to work on environmental, social, and governance projects) has focused our efforts on raising awareness and taking small steps towards becoming a mature organization in terms of sustainability.

One example of this work was the focus group we held in September, led by Darren Lynch. In this meeting, we brought together different members of the SimScale team to discuss a very relevant topic: how does remote working impact our carbon footprint and what can we do to improve the situation?

Doing this type of activity is very important because while we know that remote working can be sustainable, we must identify potential pitfalls and act on them proactively. By understanding the environmental impact of our remote working practices, we can make informed decisions.

At the end of the session, we wanted to have a series of recommended actions to address the pitfalls we identified throughout our meeting… and we found them!

Some of the issues identified that negatively affect the environment when working remotely are:

• Central heating in home offices
• Travel to the head office for events
• Generation of plastic waste

Talking openly during the focus group helped us to share solutions that some of us were already implementing and to discover new ones during the brainstorming. Some points of agreement we came to were:

1. Zoned heating will allow us to stay warm during working hours in our dedicated office/room. Instead of centrally heating rooms that are not in use, the heating can be turned on an hour before moving to those other rooms.
2. Find and use more zero-waste shops. These places stock products but not in an individually packaged form. Encouraging shopping through these means would generate better consumption habits and a reduction in the use of unnecessary plastics.
3. Purchasing energy-saving electronic devices would also help to reduce electricity consumption during the working day. During breaks or at the end of the working day, it is important to switch off or put equipment on standby to avoid unnecessary consumption.
4. Encourage remote meetings and in case of travel, use the sustainability guidelines recommended by SimScale.

This was the first of many open talks SimScale employees will be holding on sustainability and what more we can do to care for our planet. We highly recommend that you take the time to talk about these issues with colleagues, family, and friends because while individual efforts are crucial, collective actions amplify the impact.

Stay tuned for more insights into SimScale and see what the team has been up to on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post Sustainability in Remote Work: Let’s Talk About It! appeared first on SimScale.

So… we decided to get down to work!

What is Appreciation Week at SimScale?

In the context of World Gratitude Day, we decided to dedicate a week to thank our colleagues for their invaluable contribution to making SimScale an amazing place to work. As such, everyone was invited to send their appreciation and kudos through our internal Slack channels, either publicly or privately. This activity was a wonderful reminder of the great team we have and the achievements we have been making in recent times.

Why does this matter?

At SimScale, we know that recognition and appreciation are vitally important topics for motivation and engagement. It allows us to see the impact of our individual contributions on corporate objectives, as well as to enhance the development of our colleagues. We are convinced that actions such as these contribute to the development of a culture of recognition that must be worked on and strengthened on a daily basis. For this reason, the ESG team is working on other initiatives that will soon be implemented. Stay tuned!

Are you appreciating your colleagues enough?

If the answer is no, we recommend that you take 10 minutes and write a nice message to a colleague thanking them for their effort and dedication! Not only does it feel great, but you can also make your colleague’s day! Would you like to thank a colleague but don’t know how to write it? Here are some tips.

To enhance the clarity and effectiveness of the message, we suggest that appreciations should be structured as follows:

Who? Include the person or group of people you want to appreciate.

What? Specify what the person did or is doing that merits appreciation.

How? Describe how their actions make you feel.

When? (optional) If you want to refer to a specific situation, you can include it separately or within the “what.”

Example: I would like to [appreciate/say thank you to] [Colleague name]. Every time I have an issue with [something], he/she/they is/are there to assist me. This makes me feel extremely safe and not unsure or scared at all if any problem arises. 

Stay tuned for more insights into SimScale and see what the team has been up to on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post Appreciation Week at SimScale! appeared first on SimScale.

But first…what is the ESG task force?

It’s a group of volunteers from different teams and departments within SimScale that work together on Environment (E), Social (S), and Governance (G) related projects. In the time it has been functioning, the task force has developed a dozen policies, guidelines, and procedures to strengthen the company’s governance, measured our carbon footprint and supported a carbon offset project, raised awareness through internal training on topics like Workplace Harassment and Unconscious Bias, and laid the groundwork to collaborate more and directly with our society with initiatives such as the Volunteer Program, among others.

World Environment Day

As we were preparing the Q2 2023 program, we knew we wanted to organize an inclusive activity for everyone, regardless of their location, something fun that would directly impact the environment. The timing was perfect: we knew that World Environment Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers the environment faces and what we can do to protect it, was celebrated in June.

During the meeting, Steffen, one of the members of the ESG task force, suggested: “How about an activity where whoever comes to the office chooses to take the stairs (note: we’re on the fourth floor) instead of the elevator? Based on how many times they do it, we could plant trees in a place that has recently suffered deforestation or similar damage. We can do it throughout the month.”

Done! We had the perfect idea for the occasion and we named it #WorldEnvironmentalMonth! Now, we needed to address a few issues:

1. How do we count the number of times the stairs are used?

No problem! With a couple of components, Steve, another member of the ESG task force, took on designing this amazing counter that each person would press upon entering or leaving the office, before using the stairs.

2. How do we involve our remote colleagues who can’t come to the office?

Well, that’s simple! Stairs are not exclusive to the office. They are everywhere: public transportation, buildings, stores, etc. Each time they choose to use stairs instead of an elevator or escalator, it counts too!

3. How do we record it?

We committed to making a weekly post in a special Slack channel for the #WorldEnvironmentalMonth where we discussed highly relevant topics on the path to sustainability (e.g., plastic pollution, deforestation, water conservation, and renewable energy), along with statistical data and interesting articles. Whenever a colleague used the stairs, they could react with an emoji to the weekly posts!

Thanks to the contribution of everyone who participated in this initiative, SimScale participated in the planting of 100 trees in the Bavaria region of Germany, alongside onetreeplanted. This contribution helped improve an area that had been affected by drought, storms, and bark beetle infestation. Furthermore, using stairs instead of the elevator resulted in saving 10.491 kg of carbon.

We’re thrilled about this activity and look forward to sharing many more with you in the future!

Stay tuned for more insights into SimScale and see what the team has been up to on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!

The post Environmental Month 2023 appeared first on SimScale.