Das Unternehmen hat erstmals an einem Assessment der Unternehmensberatung T&O Group teilgenommen und geht als Gesamtsieger des „Lean & Green Management Award“ in der Kategorie „Lean & Green Exzellenz“ hervor. The successful completion of the in-depth assessment clearly shows that Schubert is solution-oriented and sustainable through and through – thanks to a culture that truly lives both values rather than just making them part of the system.

It’s rare to find two concepts as closely linked. Lean processes, for example in procurement, design and logistics, directly support sustainable practices. In most cases, resources can be saved where distances are short or where innovation is the norm in everyday production. Gerhard Schubert not only succeeds in combining these two approaches, it also far exceeds the industry standard – as confirmed by a one-day assessment carried out by the T&O Group in Crailsheim in June of this year. Schubert successfully applied for the award in April. The German management consultancy T&O, which specialises in lean methodology and environmental, material and energy issues, has been presenting the ‘Lean & Green Management Award’ since 2012, honouring the best resource management in several categories. In 2025, it evaluated 18 companies that had made it through the preliminary round to the shortlist.

The assessment takes an in-depth look at how companies can use resources more efficiently to avoid waste. To make their evaluation, the T&O Group analyses the processes and methods of selected companies in key areas of business practice such as logistics, supply chain and strategy. Experts from T&O, the Technical University of Munich and the Technical University of Würzburg-Schweinfurt use their findings to derive a benchmark against which the participating companies can measure themselves – and for Schubert, with resounding success. “The Lean & Green Excellence Award confirms that we seamlessly integrate lean methods and the economical use of resources – and that we are well above average in this respect. This is something we are proud of and it motivates us to remain committed to this direction,” explains Tobias Bierlein, Group Manager GRIPS Process Management at Schubert. The successful interaction between Schubert’s Mission Blue Sustainability Initiative and the company’s in-house GRIPS methodology, which stands for ‘Gemeinsam in Richtung Innovation, Prozesse und Standards’ (Together towards innovation, processes and standards), has been instrumental in achieving this impressive result.

With GRIPS, Schubert promotes the implementation of carefully thought-out, practical solutions across the entire company in order to contribute to core objectives such as growth, profitability and climate neutrality – from within the workforce and without external support. “Short decision-making processes, practical suggestions and teamwork are at the heart of GRIPS and lay the foundation for the exceptionally high operational effectiveness that clearly impressed the jury,” points out Jens Stoll, Head of Technical Organisation at Schubert. According to Stoll, this efficiency is also reflected in the bigger picture. In procurement, for example, Schubert consistently relies on local partners for short, resilient supply chains – an approach that is by no means common in the industry. “In fact, we have hardly any materials on the road. We can remain flexible thanks to our local approach and are less vulnerable to global challenges.”