ZNU-Standard Driving Sustainable Change
Partnering for success & creating Value together.
The ZNU-Standard is a holistic management system for sustainable corporate governance. It integrates environmental, economic, and social aspects into a continuous cycle of improvement comprising thinking, acting, measuring, and communicating – and makes progress measurable and verifiable by external parties. In this way, structures are established within your organization that ensure a clear focus on the most critical issues, efficient use of resources, and proactive risk management.
The benefits for you: The ZNU-Standard helps you structure the various aspects of sustainability within your company, bring them together under one umbrella, and make progress measurable. It offers the opportunity to “get started” at any stage of progress and to continuously improve over the coming years. Key topics play a central role in this process: The goal is to focus on them, continuously improve them, communicate them transparently, and firmly embed them in the mindset of the entire company.
We guide you from the initial assessment to a successful third-party certification audit.
Our Approach
1. Assessment: Where Do You Stand Today?
In the first step, we gain an overview: How do you manage all sustainability aspects? Where does your organization stand in the environmental, economic, and social areas? Which topics are already being addressed – and where are the blind spots? To do this, we record the current state along the ZNU standard fields of action, identify existing structures, processes, and data, and recognize what is missing for a potential certification.
In the first step, we get an overview: How do you manage all sustainability aspects? Where does your organization stand in the areas of environment, economy, and social affairs? Which topics are already being addressed – and where are there blind spots? To do this, we record the current status along the ZNU fields of action, identify existing structures, processes, and data, and recognize what is missing for a potential certification.
Result: An overview of your current status: Where are you already making good progress, and what still needs to be developed? An action plan we create will provide you with guidance and planning certainty.
Typical duration: One day on-site at your company.
2. Concept: Identifying the Essential Topics
Based on the assessment of your current position, we will analyze together what matters most for your company: What are the risks and opportunities of your business activities? What are the impacts on the environment and society, but also on your company itself? Which stakeholder groups are relevant, and what do they expect from you? We will compile the results together in a materiality matrix – your central steering tool for operating effective sustainability management.
In the first step, we gain an overview: How do you manage all sustainability aspects? Where does your organization stand in the environmental, economic, and social areas? Which topics are already being addressed – and where are there blind spots? To this end, we record the current state along the ZNU fields of action, identify existing structures, processes, and data, and recognize what is missing for a possible certification.
Result: An overview of the greatest risks and opportunities, the most significant impacts, and the top interests of stakeholders in a materiality matrix.
Typical duration: 4 days of on-site workshops, usually spread over a period of 8–12 weeks.
3. Implementation: Moving from Strategy to Action
Together, a target and action plan is derived from the materiality matrix: defining measurable targets with indicators, concrete measures, responsibilities, and timelines – for each material area of action across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. If required, we can support you in implementing the initial measures and ensure that sustainability is integrated into your existing processes.
In the first step, we gain an overview: How do you manage all sustainability aspects? Where does your organization stand in the environmental, economic, and social areas? Which topics are already being addressed – and where are there blind spots? To this end, we record the current state along the ZNU fields of action, identify existing structures, processes, and data, and recognize what is missing for a possible certification.
Result: A plan outlining goals and actions with clear responsibilities for short-, medium-, and long-term goals.
Typical duration: One day on-site, followed by internal work on the topics over a period of 8–12 weeks.
4. Review & Report: Ready for certification
Before the external audit takes place, we conduct an internal audit: We check whether all standard requirements are met, identify any gaps, and develop an action plan for the outstanding issues. Our internal audit report is your first indicator and ideal preparation for the external audit.
Result: Internal audit report with an action plan; determination of readiness for certification.
Typical duration: One day on-site, followed by resolution of outstanding issues, usually 8–12 weeks prior to the external audit.
Other Standards
CSRD & sustainability reporting
We support you in your reporting according to CSRD or VS.
Carbon footprinting according to GHG Protocol / ISO 14064
We support you with your carbon footprinting.
EcoVadis and other customer, banking, and ESG requirements
We support you in meeting customer, banking, and ESG requirements reliably and efficiently.
EmpCo – Making Sustainability Claims Credible
We support you in professionally contextualizing your sustainability communication.
Other Standards
Reporting (in accordance with CSRD / VS)
We support you with your reporting.
Carbon footprinting according to GHG Protocol / ISO 14064
We support you with your carbon footprinting.
Establish and improve ratings (e.g., EcoVadis, ESG ratings)
We support you in meeting customer, banking, and ESG requirements reliably and efficiently.
EmpCo – Making Credible Sustainability Claims
We support you in professionally contextualizing your sustainability communication.
Your contact persons
Would you like to introduce the ZNU Standard for Sustainable Management or prepare your organization for the certification audit? Let's talk for 20 minutes about your current status, the effort involved, and the appropriate next step.
Your contact persons
Would you like to introduce the ZNU Standard for Sustainable Management or prepare your organization for the certification audit? Let's talk for 20 minutes about your current status, the effort involved, and the appropriate next step.
Your contact persons
Would you like to introduce the ZNU Standard for Sustainable Management or prepare your organization for the certification audit? Let's talk for 20 minutes about your current status, the effort involved, and the appropriate next step.