On February 6, 2026, the Federal Chairman of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Franziska Brantner, visited the Hanau-based company Umicore, a leading player in sustainable materials management. She was accompanied by Julia Frank, country chairman of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen in Hessen, Mahwish Iftikhar, top candidate for the district election in the Main-Kinzig district, Angelika Gunkel and Stefan Weiß, top candidates for the Hanau City Council, as well as Sascha Feldes, mayor candidate for Hanau.
The focus of the visit was the exchange on sustainable production processes, recycling technologies and innovative approaches in materials management. Dr. Bernhard Fuchs, CEO of Umicore AG & Co. KG, provided information about the company, explained the technologies and presented Umicore's sustainability strategy. Recycling, circular economy, metal technologies and the development of appropriate solutions are core areas of the company.
Franziska Brantner pointed out:
“Companies such as Umicore show that economic success and environmental action can go hand in hand. Sustainable innovation is a key component of sustainable value creation.”
A key success factor for the company is also the workforce. Here, good conditions such as flexibility, an own day care center and family-friendly organization are important to keep skilled workers.
Sascha Feldes stressed the importance of regional enterprises for innovation and employment:
“Today's exchanges have highlighted the importance of companies taking active responsibility for sustainable technologies and workers. Hanau can be proud of these skills in our region.”
The company is also committed to the sustainability goals. The goal is to achieve climate neutrality for direct emissions by 2035, to meet a 35 percent quota for women in management and to reduce indirect greenhouse gases for all materials.
Mahwish Iftikhar:
“The combination of innovation, climate action and economic stability is a strong signal for the region. The company demonstrates that green approaches can be successfully implemented in practice.”
The visit to Umicore provided all participants with valuable insights into the future-oriented work of the company as well as the role of sustainable technologies and corporate culture in business and society.
English (UK)