What does sustainability mean to braintec?
Philipp Fux, Silvan Wyden: Sustainability is deeply anchored in our DNA and we work consistently to make our business processes sustainable, to raise awareness and to integrate and live sustainability at every level of the company.
We see sustainability as a top corporate priority, encompassing environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Within the framework of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), we focus on responsible growth, long-term economic stability, social responsibility and conserving resources.
What specific sustainability goals has braintec set?
We align our efforts with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on Goal 8: promoting sustainable economic growth and Goal 13: taking action to combat climate change. A cornerstone of our sustainability strategy is our commitment to achieving a CO2-neutral footprint. Our declared goal: climate neutrality by 2030.
What steps is braintec taking to achieve these goals?
We consistently measure our CO2 emissions and focus on preventing them wherever possible while reducing emissions across all areas. Any unavoidable emissions are offset through targeted compensation measures.
How does braintec track its CO2 emissions?
Fortunately, we are right at the source and have the best tool for tracking and documenting resources: the Odoo Business Software! Using Odoo as our ERP system, we ensure our internal processes are efficient, transparent, and sustainable.
We are currently developing our own emissions measurement module for Odoo to track CO2 emissions and pave the way for climate-friendly decisions.
How does the module work?
The braintec CO2 tracking module uses proprietary company data stored in the Odoo software, enabling comprehensive CO2 monitoring.
Using artificial intelligence and specially developed algorithms, it analyses and extracts the relevant information from sources such as procurement, financial and expense reports or invoice documents. The module will then structure the data in the overall context of our sustainability strategy and automatically suggest measures to avoid, reduce or offset emissions.
This will help us maintain a clear view of our progress toward sustainability goals and what actions we need to take to proactively meet our defined sustainability KPIs. The reports generated will also fully comply with ESG reporting standards.
What specific measures are being taken to achieve the climate targets?
Our principle is: avoid, reduce, compensate.
We avoid and reduce emissions through sustainable working practices such as paperless processes and remote working. Our employees can work flexibly - whether mobile, in the office, or from home - reducing energy costs and unnecessary commuting. Meetings are held virtually by default. For essential travel, we prioritize public transportation or electric vehicles whenever possible. Additionally, we partner with green hosting providers that operate servers powered by renewable energy from hydro and wind sources.
And how does braintec offset emissions that can’t be avoided?
We fully offset unavoidable emissions, such as flights for our annual team gathering, according to the Gold Standard. This means we support climate protection and development projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and also fulfil our SDGs KPIs. The Gold Standard ensures the highest level of environmental integrity and sustainable development results. In 2024, for example, we supported the "Water is Life" development initiative in Madagascar, a climate protection project for renewable energies in Brazil and the International Red Cross (ICRC). We also contribute to climate protection through tree-planting initiatives.
What is braintec doing to foster sustainable economic growth?
For us, quality, innovation and entrepreneurial resilience are key drivers of sustainable long-term growth - whether in product development, our services or internal and external collaboration.
We focus on strong, sustainable partnerships at local, regional and global levels, as well as long-term customer relationships. Our infrastructure is GDPR compliant and with in-house developments, we uphold high standards for data protection and sustainability. As a four-time Best Odoo Partner in Europe, we invest strategically in technology, product development and quality assurance. For example, we are currently working towards ISO 27001 certification.
Tell us more about ISO 27001 certification.
The ISO 27001 certification is a further step to strengthen our sustainable economic growth and further develop our processes.
We host our data exclusively in the EU, guarantee the highest standards of data protection and conduct regular internal IT audits. All our security processes are handled in-house by our own well-trained staff - no outsourcing or freelancing, which is common in the IT industry. ISO 27001, the international standard for information security, confirms our high standards and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing maximum security, quality and responsibility to our customers and partners.
How does braintec integrate sustainability into customer relationships?
We offer our customers a full service for the entire lifecycle of their Odoo software project. This includes our own dedicated Customer Care team with a dozen employees who personally take care of their needs. In addition, we provide our customers with a handy Quick Support App allowing them to report their requests directly from their Odoo system and receive fast and targeted support.
"We believe that excellent service is the basis for long-term partnerships. With tailor-made solutions and individual support, we create sustainable solutions together with our customers."
Philipp Fux and Silvan Wyden, CEOs braintec
And how does braintec ensure that customer relationships remain successful in the long term?
We use retrospectives and satisfaction surveys to continually optimise projects and our customer relationships. The feedback helps us to ensure that customer requirements are met and their expectations exceeded throughout the project. It also enables us to identify areas for improvement at an early stage and take necessary actions to ensure a successful project outcome. Ultimately, we want our customers to achieve the maximum benefit for their business through digitalisation.
Can you give an insight into customer feedback?
We have a very high customer retention rate and the feedback from the satisfaction surveys is overwhelmingly positive. This shows that we are on the right track.
How does braintec promote sustainability among its employees?
The satisfaction of our employees is at the heart of everything we do. We do everything we can to ensure that our employees stay with us for the long term and we’re committed to creating an environment where our team members can thrive, grow and reach their full potential. This includes a flexible working environment that supports a good work-life balance. We promote strengths and personal and professional development through internal and external training programmes as well as local and international events. The low staff turnover rate is a key component of our sustainable business management.
How do you see the future of sustainability in the technology industry?
We definitely see opportunities in innovation and artificial intelligence to develop more environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions. It is crucial to use data efficiently and in compliance with data protection standards to conserve resources while maximising performance.
We firmly believe that more efficient code will be essential in the future. Leaner code consumes less energy and results in lower CO2 emissions. Open source software such as Odoo, which uses Python as its programming language and is maintained and developed by a broad community, is more resource-efficient and forward-thinking compared to proprietary software development. This promotes sustainable technology development that not only meets today's needs, but also the needs of future generations.