FC Schalke 04 has adopted a long-term sustainability strategy, which includes the establishment of the Zukunftsschmiede 04. ZINQ is also a founding member of the new network as a climate protection company, which has additionally had strong ties to the city of Gelsenkirchen since 1889. The shared goal of all participants: a more sustainable Ruhr area.

„As FC Schalke 04, we have committed to supporting the region with key challenges. S04 acts as a workbench for sustainable projects that are implemented together and communicated externally,“ explains Dr Bernd Schröder, Chairman of the Board of FC Schalke 04. To promote sustainable projects by, on and around Schalke, the Zukunftsschmiede 04 brings together ZINQ and other strong partners from medium-sized enterprises and DAX companies from the region. With a wealth of know-how and expertise in the field of sustainability, the new network aims to analyse upcoming challenges, exchange knowledge and ideas, pool resources and develop suitable solutions for a more sustainable Ruhr region.

Dr Christian Kleinhans, Managing Director of Digital Campus Zollverein: „Our starting line-up of companies in Zukunftsschmiede 04 already possesses a high level of expertise in the field of sustainability, which we now want to expand further together and bring to the general public.”

Among other things, there will be expert conferences at the VELTINS-Arena to bring even more expertise to the Ruhr region. On the initiative of ZINQ, a matchday dedicated to the topics of sustainability and Cradle to Cradle is planned once a year. As a Cradle to Cradle pioneer, ZINQ demonstrates by way of example that a circular economy is not only possible in the energy-intensive industry, but can also be implemented in a holistically oriented, circular business model.

Zukunftsschmiede 04, which is being spearheaded by the football club as a core project of its sustainability strategy and was initiated jointly with the Digital Campus Zollverein, was born in February with the signing of the contract at the VELTINS-Arena. The starting lineup of Zukunftsschmiede 04 includes ZINQ, E.ON, Gelsenwasser, the Hagedorn corporate group, the Hegmanns Group, the opta data group, the RAG Foundation, Rose Bikes & Punta Velo, Sievert, Stölting and Vivawest. Bryck, the innovation and start-up centre of the RAG Foundation, has also been involved from the very beginning.

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