When responsibility becomes part of the business model

Many companies can probably recognise the problem: as a company, you want to contribute to the green transition and become part of the solution to the challenges facing the planet and the climate - but how do you do this in a credible way that also creates value for the business?

At Mouritsen A/S, this is self-evident, as responsibility is one of our three core values. Thus, it can't help but be part of our ‘why’ as a company.

"We don't see the green transition as a cost. We see it as a business opportunity because acting responsibly is part of our 'why' and part of our business model. It's simply an important part of who we are," says CEO Claus Andersen.

He adds that he deliberately uses the word 'responsibility' rather than 'sustainability'.

"I think responsibility is a better and more comprehensive term. Sustainability is actually a very narrow term that is increasingly used interchangeably and therefore risks being misunderstood. I think responsibility is a better word to describe who we are as a company."

How do we make the precious resources stretch a little further?

According to Claus Andersen, Mouritsen's role in the green transition is obvious: as a supplier and advisor of specialised solutions in areas such as surface treatment, Mouritsen A/S can help to make the best possible use of the resources available to us all.

"The sustainability agenda is ultimately about protecting the earth's resources. Here, thanks to our solutions and technologies, we can help make the resources stretch a little further - whether it's guardrails for guardrails, furniture or wind turbine blades," says Claus Andersen, adding that the same applies to fluid handling and Offshore Energy, which are Mouritsen's other two primary business areas.

"Here, too, we can contribute with solutions in relation to lifetime extension and energy optimisation," he says.

Strong cases

For example, we have helped Montana switch from hydraulic pumps to electrically powered pumps in their furniture production, which saved them 50 per cent in power consumption.

And as another example, our PM2100 nitrogen generator is helping Ineos reduce its carbon footprint for a project in the North Sea.

A good starting point

Claus Andersen emphasises that, as is the case with many other companies, Mouritsen A/S has in fact been working with responsibility for many years, as it has been one of the company's core values from day one.

"But we have put a strategic focus on it, and at the same time we have succeeded in massaging these concepts into our business, so today we have a strong position from which to act," he says.

Going somewhere new

Claus Andersen is convinced that the green transition will only accelerate Mouritsen's transformation from supplier to sparring partner.

"That's why we are also very interested in entering into collaborations and partnerships with partners with whom we share the same vision and values. Like everyone else, we need to continuously become as sharp and skillful as possible."

As an example, he points out that Mouritsen A/S is involved in several development projects focusing on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Power-to-X, among other things.

"From a responsibility perspective, it makes much more sense to me that we, as a technically based company, offer some well-thought-out and responsible solutions - rather than, for example, donating ourselves to a better conscience. It's perfectly fine to do that, but we want something different and more," he concludes.

Read more about our company DNA here: https://mouritsen.com/en/our-dna/