Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design TechnologyHere, you can quickly and easily try out sustainability benchmarking. Enter your data in the form, and by clicking the "Start Benchmarking" button at the end of the form, you will be directed to your evaluation.
Your data will not be stored! The evaluation is only for the purpose of illustrating sustainability benchmarking. If you are interested in a personalized sustainability benchmarking report afterwards, please feel free to contact us.
The input values always refer to a completed, full fiscal year and must relate to the same system (group, company, location).
If you do not wish to enter your own values, you can also evaluate sample values. Simply click on the button "Sample Values" below to fill the form with example values.
The following illustration shows your relative performance in the respective assessment categories compared to your chosen sector. For clarity, your rating is shown from inside (bad rating) to outside (good rating).
Detailed Analysis
In order to deepen the analysis, you will find the evaluations for each key figure here, together with a description to support the interpretation. Your performance compared to the selected sector is shown as a bar chart. The axis does not represent the linear values of the key figures, but the statistical distribution depict.
The color scheme of the bars reflects the assessment of your performance according to this distribution:
Very Strong Performance; Average Performance; Weak Performance; No Rating;
Explanation of the 3rd degree liquidity
3rd degree liquidity = current assets [€] / current liabilities [€] * 100
For companies to survive in the long term, their solvency must be secured in order to minimize the risk of default. As fixed assets should be intended to remain in the company in the long term and be used to create value, companies should try to cover their current liabilities with their liquid current assets. The 3rd degree liquidity puts current assets and current liabilities in relation to each other and thus shows the degree of coverage of current liabilities.
Absolute values below 120% indicate sales/pricing difficulties. If the value is too high, this may indicate an excessively high inventory level (capital commitment). A general target value for 3rd degree liquidity is therefore between 120% and 150%.
Explanation of Research and Development (R&D) intensity
R&D intensity = research and development expenses [€] / total revenue [€] * 100
With the increasing pace of technological progress, high customer expectations, and strong competition, companies need to engage in research and development to offer innovative solutions in the market and remain competitive. Research and Development Intensity is defined as the percentage of spending on research and development relative to total revenue, expressing the company's commitment to developing new processes, products, or services.
Conclusions about the investment activity and, consequently, the innovation capability of the company can be drawn from the R&D Intensity.
Explanation of Donation share
Donation share = donations [€] / total revenue [€] * 100
In order to support sustainable causes outside the company's own boundaries or sphere of influence, voluntary monetary donations can be made to non-profit and charitable organizations. This allows companies to passively support ecological or social causes. The proportion of donations is measured against total turnover and thus expresses the company's willingness to support charitable causes.
This key figure provides an indication of the extent of a company's financial commitment to charitable causes. Companies can also use their commitment to build trust with customers, donors and (potential) employees.
Explanation of Greenhouse Gas intensity
Greenhouse Gas intensity = Greenhouse Gas emissions [kg CO₂-equivalents] / value added [€]
Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are a significant cause of climate change. The change includes an increase in the global average temperature, more frequent periods of heat and drought as well as heavy rainfall and other extreme weather events. In order to mitigate the risks of climate change, the EU has set greenhouse gas emission reduction targets at intervals up to 2050. In order to achieve these targets, emissions must be significantly reduced in all sectors.
The intensity of greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced. Targets are defined in the German government's Climate Action Program 2030, e.g. a reduction in emissions to 140-143 tons of CO₂ in 2030 for the industrial sector.
Explanation of energy efficiency
Energy efficiency = value added [€] / total energy consumption [KWh]
Although the energy productivity of German companies is increasing at a relatively constant rate, it is still a long way from achieving the German government's targets. The main energy sources in industry are process heat, electricity and mechanical energy, while commercial enterprises use around half of their energy for space heating. The energy saving potential for industry and commerce in Germany is estimated at around 40% and is therefore becoming more economically relevant.
Energy efficiency is calculated as the ratio between value added and total energy consumption and thus considers energy consumption in relation to operational performance.
Explanation of the share of evaluated suppliers
Share of evaluated suppliers = number of evaluated suppliers [#] / total number of suppliers [#] * 100
In the context of globalization, the assessment of corporate sustainability should also be extended to the entire value chain. Significant environmental impacts or unfair business practices can occur in the upstream stages of the value chain in particular. As small and medium-sized enterprises usually have little influence, criteria should be applied when selecting suppliers in order to ensure sustainability in the procurement process. Suitable evaluation criteria must be defined for this purpose.
The share of evaluated suppliers can indicate a need to catch up in supplier management. The higher the proportion of evaluated suppliers, the better a company can ensure and guarantee its own sustainability performance.
Explanation of share of women in the workforce
Share of women in the workforce = number of female employees [#] / total number of employees [#] * 100
With around half of the population potentially employed and an equally high proportion of academic degrees, women represent an untapped potential to meet the demand for skilled professionals. Besides economic policy support, it also requires entrepreneurial initiatives to increase the work-life balance and provide women with equal career opportunities. At the very least, a consistent non-discrimination policy should be formalized and implemented within the company.
The proportion of women in the workforce, as a ratio between the number of female employees and the total number of employees, shows how balanced the gender distribution is. A balanced gender ratio should generally be aimed for. As the extreme values do not allow an assessment, these areas are colored blue.
Explanation of Accident Coefficient
Accident Coefficient = Workplace Accidents [#] / Total Employee Capacity [FTE]
Safe workplaces and accident prevention measures are an important direct area of responsibility for SMEs. Employees must be guaranteed the necessary occupational safety. The accident coefficient shows how successful the company is in ensuring occupational safety. Diagnosing the causes of accidents at work and taking preventive measures to avoid accidents at work in the future secures the company's reputation as a safe employer and reduces costs through compensation and lost working hours.
The accident coefficient measures the ratio of reportable workplace accidents to total employee capacity and can therefore provide information on the effectiveness of occupational safety measures. It should be as low as possible.
Explanation of the share of apprentices
Share of apprentices = number of apprentices [annual equivalent] / total employee capacity [FTE] * 100
Dual vocational training as an important source of formally trained skilled workers is currently undergoing a serious change. While the number of vacancies is continuously increasing, the number of applicants has been trending downwards since 2008, but is significantly lower. Small and medium-sized enterprises are the providers of dual training, accounting for around 70% of training places in Germany. It is therefore advisable to develop intelligent recruitment and retention strategies in order to actively counteract a worsening shortage of skilled workers in the future.
Investing in company-relevant apprenticeships contributes to securing skilled workers. However, it should be ensured that an appropriate ratio is maintained in order to guarantee trainees the necessary support.