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Construction industry and sustainability – a contradiction in terms? Not for Godelmann. The concrete block manufacturer started recycling paving stones back in the 1980s, long before the topic gained traction in the industry. This fourth-generation family business is definitely a pioneer in the circular economy. With its innovative GDM.KLIMASTEIN, Godelmann is also at the forefront of adapting our cities to climate change.
These are good prerequisites for authentic sustainability communication, but the market environment is highly competitive. That’s why we had a higher aspiration from the start: a sustainability strategy that lives up to Godelmann’s pioneering role – and from which strong, brand-defining communication is derived.
During the process, it quickly became clear that the concept of circularity is central to the brand. This also applies to the GDM.KLIMASTEIN, which creates permeable surfaces, thereby enabling life in our city centers even with rising temperatures. From this, we developed a brand story that positions the climate stone as a symbol for sustainable urban transformation – and Godelmann as a manufacturer that takes on social responsibility. In this way, a product promise evolved into credible sustainability communication, and sustainability became a central driver of the brand.
For the implementation, we used a very classic approach:
The sustainability communication began with a competitive analysis and a joint workshop, where we defined the appropriate sustainability strategy, stakeholders, and communication goals with Godelmann. By mapping these to the three pillars of sustainability – Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) – and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), a materiality matrix was developed, which we substantiated through a stakeholder survey. This allowed the entire sustainability communication to be built on an evidence-based foundation.
The first communication task was a completely redesigned sustainability report. The new Future Report combines classic reporting according to EMAS and ESRS with storytelling about sustainability at Godelmann – conceptually anchored in the highly topical theme of ‘Climate-Resilient Cities.’ With this thematic depth, the report provides not only figures but also significant added value in terms of information and background for all stakeholders, including details on the GDM.KLIMASTEIN.
We utilize the extensive content from the Future Report for cross-channel communication measures regarding the company’s sustainability and the GDM.KLIMASTEIN, for instance, through a whitepaper. In this way, a sustainability report transforms into strategic sustainability communication that strengthens the brand, generates awareness, and provides a credible foundation for product marketing.
More on sustainability at Godelmann here