Sustainable Products and Innovations

Sustainability in the innovation process and product development

NORMA Group offers product solutions that help its clients to respond to megatrends such as scarcity of resources and climate change. The long-term economic success of NORMA Group also depends on whether NORMA Group keeps this promise. Should this not be the case, NORMA Group would face medium to long-term risks in the area of sales development. CLIMATE-RELATED RISKS

The strategic orientation of NORMA Group‘s innovation management ­therefore builds on these megatrends and focuses on emissions reduction and scarcity of water. Based on these long-term trends, NORMA Group’s FORESIGHT MANAGEMENT and business development derives potential market segments, for example in water management or the areas of battery cooling and exhaust treatment. NORMA Group continuously measures its ability to innovate based on the invention applications reported by employees in a formalized process. In 2021, the number of invention disclosures was 25 (2020: 22).

Simultaneously, NORMA Group gives all employees the opportunity to actively contribute their own ideas. In the evaluation of proposals, alignment with megatrends is an important criterion for ensuring focused business development in the strategically important areas of water management and e-mobility. The ideas are directly incorporated into product development. Furthermore, NORMA Group has integrated sustainability aspects into the product development process itself. Products are evaluated according to whether their materials are recyclable, whether the design is as light as possible (thus avoiding unnecessary emissions in the use phase, especially in the automotive sector) and whether they take environmental requirements, such as those relating to hazardous substances, into account.

Further information on innovation management can be found in the chapter RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. Further information on the topics of e-mobility and water management can be found in the respective subchapters WATER MANAGEMENT CLIMATE PROTECTION