44 SDG 13 Climate Action – Schaeffler

Group Reflection

This report reflects our exploration of Schaeffler Group’s innovative sustainable development initiatives. As a global leader headquartered in Germany, Schaeffler is renowned for its expertise in rolling bearing technology and driveline solutions, operating across 170 locations worldwide. The company’s commitment to excellence extends beyond its core business, as exemplified by its climate and sustainability program. In this report, we dig into Schaeffler’s approach to reducing their global carbon impact, aligning operations with SDGs, and fostering a culture of corporate social responsibility. Furthermore, we identify connections between our learnings of Schaeffler’s sustainable development innovation and the implications for future business leaders. We highlight the importance of corporate responsibility and the integration of the SDGs into organizational culture. Lastly, we explore the cross-cultural experience of working on the AIM2Flourish assignment, aligning our course learnings on cultural differences, teamwork, and effective communication with the insights gained during this experience.

Schaeffler Group, based in Germany, is a prominent global player in the automotive and industrial sectors, specializing in rolling bearing technology and driveline solutions. Operating in 170 locations globally, the company aims to lead in innovation and excellence in bearing and transmission solutions, driving technological progress in the automotive and industrial sectors. Their mission is to provide top-notch products, innovative solutions, and exceptional services that exceed global customer needs.
Schaeffler’s innovation is their climate and sustainability program, which aligns with 11 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Their initiative is implemented across all company locations to uniformly reduce the global carbon impact of their operations. Schaeffler acknowledges that today’s mobility sector is responsible for a large part of worldwide emissions. Schaeffler is committed to corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship, aiming to go beyond financial goals, inspired by a desire to contribute positively to the changing global landscape. They recognize the transformative power of their innovations in automotive and industrial manufacturing, and by aligning their operations with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, they work toward bringing positive change not only to their company but to the entire industry. Their CSR initiatives are driven by a vision of pioneering motion and making a positive impact on the world. Schaeffler has a goal of using 100% renewable energy by 2024 and have already reached 73.3% in 2021, which demonstrates the impact their innovation can have in a short period of time. Another example of the impact of their innovation is their goal of reducing water withdrawal by 20% by 2030.

Something very interesting that we learned was the impact their SDG initiatives have had on employee engagement. Their sustainability efforts have created a sense of corporate citizenship, positively impacting workplace culture, which was amazing to hear. In the long term, Schaeffler’s collective commitment to SDGs positions the company to contribute even more significantly to environmental and societal improvement. We also learned that Schaeffler’s commitment to their sustainable development innovation has resulted in record sales, which taught us that there is a direct link between standards compliance and business success.

It is very important to note that Schaeffler’s collaboration with suppliers to maximize the use of sustainable energy sources has led to meaningful partnerships that support their goal of positive societal and environmental impacts. We learned the importance of partnering with organizations that share similar values as yours and how this can position your organization for long-term success in your sustainable development goals.

Sustainable development has been defined as “developments that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own goals (Hoong, Yang. “Week 3 – UN SDG’s”).” For sustainable development to be achieved, it is crucial to harmonize three core elements: economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. Another way to look at sustainable development goals are The Five P’s: People, Prosperity, Peace, Partnership, and Planet. The SDGs are universal, integrated, and inclusive. So now, the focus is on the actual implementation of these goals. Through our interview and research with Schaeffler, we had the opportunity to directly learn how the company has successfully implemented 11 of the 17 UN’s SDGs. Using these resources, we decided to focus on the SDGs that we felt Schaeffler highly emphasizes within the workplace. These included climate action, responsible consumption and production, sustainable cities and communities, industry innovation and infrastructure, and affordable and clean energy. We were able to see real applications of Schaeffler’s innovations and connect them to our class learnings of the SDGs. For example, Schaeffler’s strategic climate and sustainability program addresses the goals of climate action and responsible production and consumptions through their use of renewable energy sources and hybridization and electrification of vehicles.

We were pleasantly surprised to learn that even very large companies, such as Schaeffler, are willing and able to take the initiative to practice these SDGs and successfully implement these practices into their business plans. This debunked our previous beliefs and helped us realize that regardless of the size or success of a business, companies should take the opportunity and responsibility to contribute to sustainable development goals. We were happy to learn from Schaeffler that not all large successful companies are just money eager machines and can demonstrate how they care for the environment and the concerns of society.

Throughout the creation of our AIM2Flourish story on Schaeffler’s sustainable development innovations, we gathered insights and knowledge that will have drastic impacts on the way we all think and act in the future. We learned the unique importance of all the different sustainable development goals and how the positive impacts adhering to even just a few of them can have on the environment, society, and business operations. As businesspeople in the future, the lessons learned regarding corporate responsibility and sustainable development will greatly impact the way we think, operate, and lead our organizations. We have come to recognize the importance of implementing sustainable development goals not only for regulatory compliance purposes but for the purpose of positively contributing to society and the environment. This acknowledgment of the SDG’s is all thanks to our interview with Jennifer from Schaeffler. We learned that no matter the size of the organization or the impact that can be provided, the importance of corporate responsibility stays the same.

As future businesspeople, the creation of our story has inspired us to prioritize sustainability in our future business operations. The success of Schaeffler in integrating sustainability into its core strategy showcases that a balance between economic, ecological, and social aspects can lead to positive outcomes. Our story has influenced our future approach to goal setting and performance measurement. Setting clear, measurable targets aligned with broader sustainability objectives can drive positive change in our businesses. We have also been inspired to foster a culture of social responsibility within our future organizations. Engaged employees who feel connected to a larger purpose may contribute not only to the success of our businesses, but also to positive societal impacts. We learned that Schaeffler’s sustainability approach has led to meaningful partnerships with like-minded organizations. This has influenced our future approaches to forming partnerships, emphasizing collaboration with organizations that share similar values to ours. These future alliances can contribute to shared goals and positive impacts on society and the environment.

During our cross-cultural experience, we learned firsthand about the differences between cultures and the impact these differences have on group dynamics. From our course learnings, the power distance index helped us and allowed us to learn throughout this experience (Hoong, Yang. “Week 3 – Understanding Intercultural Management”). We got to learn first-hand, the differences in the decision-making processes, leadership dynamics, feedback and criticism responses, and task allocation between high and low PDI cultures. Being aware of the Power Distance Index taught us how to navigate cultural differences, adapt our communication styles, and foster a collaborative team environment during our cross-cultural group assignment.

We also got to experience the differences between individualism and collectivism within our group, which is another concept we were taught in our courses (Hoong, Yang. “Week 3 – Understanding Intercultural Management”). The members of our team from individualistic cultures were more inclined to express their opinions openly and preferred direct communication. In contrast, members from a collectivistic culture avoided direct confrontation, and emphasized non-verbal communication. They were more reserved in expressing their opinions to maintain group cohesion. We also learned first-hand through this experience, the importance of a strategy. Throughout our courses, we have learned about the different aspects of a strategy and its importance (Hoong, Yang. “Week 4 – Strategy + CSR”). However, you can only learn so much before you need to experience it on your own. During this cross-cultural experience, we were able to learn the importance of the analysis, formulation, and implementation of strategies and how detrimental group work can be without it.

Experiencing the diversity of cultures firsthand was truly eye opening for all of us. It provided an opportunity to implement our course learnings and improve our cross-cultural communication and teamwork skills.

Engaging in this cross-cultural experience for our AIM2Flourish assignment has been a rich learning opportunity for our team, offering valuable insights aligned with the teachings from our courses. Our course learning provided a theoretical foundation that became practical and applicable during the course of this assignment.

Our course learnings not only equipped us with knowledge but also emphasized the importance of cultural sensitivity and awareness. A dedicated lecture on cultural differences among team members prepared us for effective collaboration in a diverse environment. This understanding became particularly relevant as we navigated through the intricacies of working with people from different backgrounds. Additionally, the emphasis on teamwork and effective communication in our courses played a significant role in shaping our approach to this cross-cultural experience. The insights provided by our teachers on managing diverse teams and addressing potential challenges were directly applicable as we collaborated on the AIM2Flourish assignment. Our courses also instilled a proactive mindset, encouraging us to seek assistance when needed. The open communication channels with our teachers facilitated a supportive environment where challenges could be addressed, and guidance was readily available.
In summary, the cross-cultural experience of the aim2flourish assignment served as a practical application of the theoretical knowledge gained in our courses. The emphasis on cultural awareness, and effective teamwork provided a solid foundation for navigating the complexities within our group as we worked on our AIM2Flourish assignment.

During this collaborative experience, we scheduled regular weekly meetings to build a team connection. These meetings served as opportunities not only to get to know each other, but also to outline the requirements for each project segment. We then discussed how we would distribute the work amongst our group. We typically divided the workload into sections that each group member was expected to complete. In the following meetings, we would then combine our individual contributions to construct a unified and comprehensive project.

We found that the scheduling of meetings over Microsoft Teams was the most successful platform to conduct, record and screen shot our meetings. We also created a group chat over WhatsApp to communicate over text message as it was much easier than email. This was helpful in relaying weekly meeting information to members who could not join the meetings. Over the six weeks, we found meeting in the very early mornings of the Canadian time zone to work best for all members of the group based on the drastic difference in time zones amongst our team.

Unfortunately, we ran into a lot of challenges amongst the group. The lack of attendance at every weekly meeting made it extremely difficult to communicate and thus divide and share tasks. During these instances, we relied on communication over text to contact members who were not present at the meetings. However, we found that even though communication on both platforms, the work was not contributed too evenly. This created group dynamic issues and resulted in some members of the team taking on much of the workload.

Through our research and interview with Schaeffler, we had the opportunity to broaden our understanding of the UN’s SDGs through a successful and large company application. Through Schaeffler’s climate and sustainability program, we learned how new innovations, such as the use of renewable energy in the hybridization and electrification of vehicles, can successfully implement SDGs, while also generating profits and fostering a collaborative and responsible work environment.

Our cross-cultural experience in working on the AIM2Flourish assignment with Schaeffler highlighted the significance of cultural awareness, effective communication, and teamwork. Drawing upon our course learnings on cultural differences and strategies, we were able to successfully complete our assignment. This experience emphasized the application of theoretical knowledge, reinforcing the importance of cultural sensitivity and collaboration.

As future business professionals, our AIM2Flourish story on Schaeffler has inspired us to focus on sustainability in our future endeavours. Schaeffler’s success in implementing sustainability into their core strategy serves as an example of setting measurable goals aligned with larger sustainability objectives. Overall, our journey with Schaeffler and AIM2Flourish has left a lasting impact, shaping our perspectives on corporate responsibility, sustainable development, and cross-cultural collaboration.

Individual Reflections

Jackson: As a member of group 35, I found this experiential activity to be and extremely challenging test of my teamwork abilities. Throughout the process, I feel that I have gained valuable insights into international communication and dealing with unfavourable situations.
The differing time zones is an issue that first comes to mind when I think about the challenges we have faced as a group. With Spain being 6 hours ahead of Toronto and Indonesia a 12-hour time difference, regular communication was an extremely difficult challenge. Unfortunately, finding suitable meeting times that accommodated everyone never ended up working. We were often missing more than half our group each meeting, even after all members confirmed their availability which was frustrating. In response, we used our WhatsApp group chat to provide meeting summaries and information to our missing team members who did not attend. This was the most practical workaround we could think of, though not ideal.
Dealing with cross-cultural dynamics and the different ways of working our team members had proved to be another challenge I faced. My teammate Raven and I, both from the University of Guelph, approach work in very similar ways. We emphasized collaboration during team meeting to clearly outline our objectives for assignment tasks in order to split up the work evenly. I learned that this is not always the same working style across different cultures.
Raven and I addressed this challenge by deciding to take the lead on all assignments, hosting meetings to clarify the assignment tasks, and identifying the best approach to complete them. Despite encountering a lack of participation and awareness of course deliverables from some members in our group, we dealt with the situation we were given and allowed the entirety of the workload to fall on Raven and I. Myself and Raven together completed the entire AIM2Flourish story, the company interview, and the poster with little help from the other members of our team. Although very frustrating, I now see it as a benefit as I was able to deepen my understanding of corporate social responsibility throughout this assignment.
Reflecting on this activity, I am extremely proud of the way I handled the challenges that were faced and the work I was able to accomplish. Aside from the knowledge I gained about cross-cultural collaboration, I learned a lot about my own academic abilities by pushing my limits in order to succeed. This experience has changed the way I operate, my work ethic, and boosted my confidence, which will all strongly benefit me in my future endeavors.

Raven: I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in this experiential activity and to work with other students eager to expand their education. This experience was so unique and unlike any other assignment I have been given. Not only did I get to learn directly from a large successful company, but I also got to collaborate with students across the world! I especially enjoyed the interview component of this assignment. It was a fantastic way to apply what we have learned in class regarding the United Nations SDGs to real life companies who have successfully implemented these goals. This experience allowed me to work hands-on and take initiative to expand my own learning. There were also very challenging aspects involved when managing cross-cultural dynamics, communicating with teammates, and dealing with the various time zones. I found it difficult to divide work evenly, as it seemed next to impossible to schedule weekly meetings where all team members agreed to attend. The time zones were a big factor affecting these meetings. We had a six and twelve hour difference between all countries participating in our group, making it extremely difficult to schedule meetings. That said, even when meetings were scheduled to try to accommodate everyone, members would still not attend. I understand that sometimes things come up and it may be difficult to attend every weekly meeting, however we had members attend only a single meeting or none over the span of six weeks. I found it difficult to motivate members to simply attend weekly meetings. Due to poor attendance, the workload was never distributed fairly, and I found myself having to explain things multiple times to members who did not even know what was required for this assignment. This resulted in a lot of time wasted trying to catch everyone up and make sure we were on the same page. An area of self-improvement I’ve learned through this experience would be to remain patient and although it may be difficult, try to maintain a positive team environment that considers the various cross-cultural dynamics. Overall, this was one of the most interesting and hands-on experiences I have had, while also one of the most challenging. Thank you to all the professors who organized this activity, it was a great learning experience!

Jorge: I’ve learned a wide variety of things on this job with my teammates from Canada (University of Guelph) and Indonesia (University of IPMI). I was lucky with my team, I think we did a great job all together in this assignment. We chose the Schaeffler company as the firm we were going to analyze in this project. This company was the company of one of the Canada members. This activity helped me to extend my view of how to carry out a project within a group. Moreover, the company selected was a really innovative company where I learned a lot about it. Our Canada teammates conducted the interview and then we started working on the story and the poster. We divided the assignment into the story and the poster. Therefore, one part was doing the story while the other was working on the poster. During the work, we helped each other if there was somebody with doubts. In fact, working as a group allows us to ask doubts about the activity if there was something that we weren’t understanding at all. Finally, we did our best in this activity and we learned that working in groups has much more advantages than disadvantages, especially with international students.
The most difficult part of this activity was to match the time of the meeting with our group. The huge difference in time between Spain, Canada and Indonesia was a handicap to select a proper time to have the meeting. In Spain is 6 hours ahead of Canada and in Indonesia 6 hours ahead from Spain, meaning that the difference between Canada and Indonesia is 12 hours. Hence, our usual time to have the meeting was 16 pm in Spain (10 am Canada and 22pm Indonesia). This was a glaring drawback especially at the beginning when we didn’t know each other and it was difficult to communicate with each other. On the other hand, there were some misunderstandings in the group of who to communicate (which app to use for having the call). We were using google meets at the beginning and then we started using teams. Apart from these obstacles, we didn’t have anything else which could interrupt our job.

Pablo: For me, this project has been an incredible opportunity to get to know other magnificent people from other countries and cultures. If I had to stand out an aspect from the project, it would definitely be the ability to prove ourselves in a real job situation. This opportunity enabled us to face some daily problems such as internet/connection problems or the time problems with our peers from Canada and Indonesia.
Another point to take into account is how our English-speaking abilities have improved, because we had to choose ideas, debate and make decisions in this language. We already knew how to use it, but I feel more comfortable with it now.
Another benefit I have seen is that if we keep in touch with our teammates, we will have a lot of important connections that in the future will enable us to make business together. I think that this international activity from this project is a gift that in the near future would be very valuable. In conclusion, I am very grateful to be part of this amazing activity and I would recommend it for all the future students that are interested in working with different people and learn from different cultures.
When talking about negative aspects, I would say that one of the main ones would be the short period of time that we had to do the interview. In our case, the interviewee didn´t answer us for some weeks and this slowed our project. Also, I would say that the story and the poster should maybe be presented clearly at the beginning of the project because when we realized that we had to do it, we were a bit unclear about what it was about. Another negative part is the huge hour differences and how they affected us in the project. We had a lot of trouble in order to meet every single one of the group at the same time and most of the time we had to do the work individually instead of everyone at the same time during the meeting. In conclusion, I would say that the main problem of the activity is the short amount of time we have to do it because the rest of the problems are derivative of it. However, as I said in the previous paragraph, I would still recommend this activity.