Hearts and minds
People are what make the difference at Endress+Hauser. They value the past, they shape the present, they think about the future. And not least in this 70th-anniversary year, it is they who have collectively put in motion an abundance of initiatives: for customers, for themselves – and for a sustainable world.
70
is the age Endress+Hauser reached in 2023 – an anniversary celebrated around the globe.
600
apprentices and students swapped experiences and ideas at a networking event.
5500
employees, more than one-third of the total workforce, gathered in Basel to celebrate.
850
customers discussed the sustainable transformation of the process industry at the Global Forum.
Setting the course
Where have we come from? What makes us tick? Where do we want to go? And how can we continue making the world a better place? These have been dominant questions in 2023, the year that Endress+Hauser turned 70. Starting as a two-man operation, the Group has evolved over seven decades into one of the world’s leading providers of process and lab technology, automation solutions and services. Behind this success are the people. “Our customers value us, our employees are committed to the company and our shareholders maintain a long-term mindset,” emphasized CEO Matthias Altendorf. “We can be proud of our accomplishments as we look confidently to the future.”
The company’s 16,000 employees, numerous customers and members of the shareholder family celebrated at both small and large events across the world. The high point was the anniversary week in Switzerland, where 5,500 employees gathered to take stock of the past seven decades. More than 900 employees participated in internal conferences and 600-plus young people shared their experiences during the Young Generation Day networking event. In addition, 850 customers discussed the sustainable transformation of the process industry at the inaugural Endress+Hauser Global Forum. Users and experts shared their perspectives on topics such as decarbonization, the energy transformation, the circular economy, and resource and energy efficiency.
The event also provided an opportunity to honor the lifetime achievements of Dr Klaus Endress, president of the Supervisory Board, who will step down at the end of the year. Succeeding Dr Endress will be Matthias Altendorf, whose role as CEO of the Group is to be filled by Dr Peter Selders. The family will continue having two representatives on the Supervisory Board. Alongside Sandra Genge, Steven Endress will be representing the family interests as of 2024. Said Matthias Altendorf: “We can do so many good things at Endress+Hauser because we have shareholders with a long-term vision. They offer insight, values and human warmth and show their respect for the performance of the people at the company. It’s always the people who make the difference!”
The Global Forum provided a venue to discuss solutions for a sustainable future.
Tomorrow’s talent mingled with seasoned employees at the Young Generation Day networking event.
More than 300 employees designed and organized the program for the 70th anniversary celebration.
Trust and appreciation
They represent the future – and will shape it, too. More than 600 young employees and students from around the world came together at the Young Generation Day networking event on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Endress+Hauser. Two participants share their experiences and their takeaways from the gathering.
“It was great to get to know people from other countries and areas of the company, to network with them and to learn from one another. What really impressed me was that the shareholder family joined us and shared their thoughts, not to mention the interest they showed in our thoughts. This taking interest in one another is really a wonderful thing that sets the Endress+Hauser culture apart! It’s a mindset I first got to know during two internships at Endress+Hauser while completing my dual engineering studies; I’m now studying manufacturing technology. As I see it, the culture is the foundation of the company’s success.”
Frank Hund, student at the German Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT)
“Since obtaining my degree in electrical engineering, I’ve been working as a rotational engineer at Endress+Hauser in Greenwood. In this program, I move through various departments to expand my technical skills and get to know the company better. I have also completed summer internships at Endress+Hauser, including one in Barcelona! It seems that whatever the country, the company’s culture, values and style of personal interaction are always the same. I noticed this again during the Young Generation Day.
I always feel welcomed, valued and trusted at Endress+Hauser!”
Riley Parshall, rotational engineer at Endress+Hauser in Greenwood, Indiana, USA
Three times around the globe
In light of the Group’s 70th anniversary, employees set a special goal as part of the Endress+Hauser Water Challenge: circumnavigating the world in 70 days. First launched in 2019, the Water Challenge involves team effort to complete a predefined route by running, cycling, swimming or other physical activity and collecting the corresponding sponsorship donations. Endress+Hauser matches each donation with the aim of giving people access to clean water. The result topped all expectations: 622 participants in 84 teams across 20 countries completed a total of 133,049 kilometers – activities even included sack racing – thus circumnavigating the globe not once, but three times. The donations went to building two water houses in the highlands of Vietnam that will safeguard the water supply for more than 1,000 people.
Incubator for innovation
The innovative spark often jumps across organizational interfaces when people share ideas in a creative environment. Mindful of this, Endress+Hauser took six units, each individually specialized in sensor technologies and software solutions, and grouped them into an innovation center at the faculty of engineering on the campus of the University of Freiburg. The teams collaborate closely in an embedded setting composed of research institutes, startups and other companies. CEO Matthias Altendorf views the new location as an incubator for the measurement technology of tomorrow, where disciplines are intentionally mixed to complement and inspire one another.
>€52,000
The amount that Endress+Hauser donated for earthquake victims in Türkiye. The country’s southeast region was hit by two strong earthquakes in early 2023. 30,000 people lost their lives, 80,000 were injured and numerous buildings were destroyed. The proceeds from the campaign, initiated by the sales center in Türkiye, were used to purchase living containers for families left homeless by the disaster.
Outstanding engagement
Social engagement has always been deeply rooted in the Endress+Hauser culture. The Group’s 80-plus international sales representatives share these values as well and are committed to helping disadvantaged people, improving education and protecting the environment. Now the international sales organization has honored this commitment with a Corporate Social Responsibility Award. The inaugural award recognized two education initiatives started by Endress+Hauser International Asia-Pacific and the Myanmar sales representative, which made it possible for disadvantaged children to attend school.
Yes to climate protection
Endress+Hauser supports the 1.5-degree goal outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement and aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by the year 2050. That was the spirit in which the Group joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in March of this year. This initiative helps companies establish climate protection goals based on scientific findings, and focuses on reduction of emissions – not compensation – along the entire value chain. A corresponding climate strategy, with concrete intermediate objectives, is currently in development.
Published 06.11.2023, last updated 15.11.2023.
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