AURO-Environmental-declaration-2014-04.2019

3 Introduction On nature’s trail AURO ranks with the recognised pioneering enterprises in the field of ecologically oriented production. The impulses that led to its formation date back to the early seventies of the 20 th century, to a time when the idea of a sustainably ecological chemistry still was a world away from its present-day social acceptance. Four decades ago, the concept of chemical- technical everyday products principally made from organic and therefore renew- able raw materials was far ahead of the times. The general direction of the chemical in- dustry still was based, in a virtually unre- stricted way, on fossil raw materials like crude oil or gas which caused heavy en- vironmental problems and led to products that were harmful to people’s health. Therefore, it is understandable that, at the beginning, the idea of a new kind of everyday chemistry that relinquishes petrochemical raw materials was ridiculed and strived against by representatives of the conventional chemical industry. As the founder of AURO Pflanzenchemie AG, I ex- perienced, endured and finally overcame all phases of this early resistance at first hand. However, little by little the circle of supporters of this idea grew. A main group consisted of consumers that were arous- ed or even themselves affected by the chemical scandals of the 1970’s and 1980’s. Thus the idea of a sustainable chem- istry that AURO implemented insistently and tirelessly from the beginning moved towards the middle of society and soon found imitators. Just like the idea of sustainability can matter-of-factly be derived from scientific principles and ideas, AURO’s con- cepts are developed following strict scientific criteria. This scientific approach is the inherent basis of the company. As a qualified and graduated chemist and founder of the company, this basis allowed me to constantly withstand ideological or political usurpation. The technical-chemical quality of the products, documented by the enormous consumer acceptance as well as numerous prizes and awards, is only one of AURO’s key success factors. Many of the ecological pioneering enterprises did not survive the initial phase. AURO escaped this fate by adding econom- ic solidity to the scientific integrity from the beginning. To- day AURO is the undisputed market leader for natural paints. The sustainability of our actions is also mirrored in the com- pany’s economical and organisational structure and in the very low staff turnover. In the end, even technical quality and economic strength cannot sufficiently explain AURO’s sustained success. Both only constitute necessary qualifications for the success on the market. A strong marketing team under the guidance of AURO’s CEO has laid the groundwork for this. The essential foundation of this marketing strategy and AURO’s sustained success are the worldwide brand awareness and the excel- lent reputation of the brand AURO. We look upon achieved successes only as waypoints. Our view is constantly directed towards the future because, strictly speaking, sustainability is not a status quo but can only prove itself in times to come. The sustainability of the inspir-ing organisational and procedural example, the living bio-sphere, has always been a result of its flexible reaction to new challenges. Looked upon from a longer distance of time, we call this: evolution. AURO feels obliged to this thought. The future success of the enterprise as a living organism will therefore always depend on how innovative we will continue to be in the years to come. Dr. Hermann Fischer, company founder