How do you calculate the value of a company? Easy! All you need to do is take a quick look at the annual financial statement, right? If the company is listed on the stock exchange, the answer is even easier – simply multiply the number of shares by the market value of each share. That’s what people call market capitalisation.
Some values can’t be measured by a balance sheet
BUT – and believe us, it’s a very big BUT – some values can’t be measured by the stock market or a balance sheet. For example, “valuable” is when a company takes financial, environmental and social responsibility. Because then it’s acting sustainably, which has immense value for the future and for coming generations. So how can we measure this kind of value? FOCUS MONEY, a German business magazine, developed a method for this precise purpose. The result of their “calculations” was a delightful massage for DEBATIN’s ego that not only made us happy and content – but also just a little bit proud. “We’re one of Germany’s 500 most valuable companies! Not on account of our annual financial statement. But if you assess our efforts in the field of sustainability, or scientifically analyse our willingness to accept environmental, financial and social responsibility, then we actually turn out to be the third most valuable packaging company in Germany!” says DEBATIN CEO Thomas Rose with a big smile.
The German Sustainability Code: simply incorruptible
The DEUTSCHLAND TEST (“Germany Test”) is a survey project run by FOCUS MONEY magazine. One of its recent surveys, carried out jointly with the IMWF (Institute for Management & Economy Research), aimed to find out how companies in Germany approach sustainability, what action they take, how they report on their efforts, and how deeply the topic is anchored in the company’s corporate philosophy. The Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI) provided the necessary scientific supervision for the survey, which was entitled “Germany’s most valuable companies”. It used various data sources, including a list of the largest German companies (based on the number of employees) and the German Sustainability Code (GSC) database.
The GSC, incidentally, played a decisive role in the publication of our DEBATIN sustainability report. “Back in 2018, we voluntarily submitted the paperwork verifying and documenting our efforts in the field of sustainability. We consider this to be the only logical and meaningful way forward, because when you’re faced with an important topic like sustainability, you can’t just sit back and wait for others to do something. Each and every one of us is called upon to take whatever action we can,” says Thomas Rose. In its study, the DEUTSCHLAND TEST used the details we submitted to the GSC as well as the content from the sustainability report we published in the spring of 2021.
Commitment is an asset that can’t be counted in euros and cents. In fact, it’s priceless!
We know full well that our commitment to sustainability and to creating a future that meets the needs of young and old is a worthwhile venture – not least because we’ve made it our mission to develop the best packaging solutions for all areas of life and do full justice to social, ecological and financial aspects. It’s coded into our corporate DNA. It feels like home to us. At the end of the day, that’s what really counts – in our humble opinion. “Our ranking in this important survey of Germany’s most valuable companies was a huge affirmation for our efforts,” concludes Thomas Rose.
What more can we say but … Our pleasure!
And … Thank you, FOCUS MONEY, for doing your research thoroughly and ferreting us out!
