Environmental, Social & GovernanceDemonstrably Sustainable

At Retarus we adopt a holistic approach to sustainability by striving to ensure economic success without losing sight of our ecological and social responsibilities. This synergy of economic, ecological, and social responsibility forms the basis for sustainable corporate success. Social responsibility and commitment are key pillars of our corporate culture and form part of our corporate strategy, allowing us to develop projects that are beneficial to both mankind and the environment.

In Black and White

EcoVadis, the world’s largest and most reliable provider of corporate sustainability ratings, has certified Retarus with a score in the top third of the “computer programming, consulting, and related activities” industry in its universal sustainability ranking.

Retarus’ sustainability profile at Integrity Next provides even more detailed information on this topic. Retarus passed the mandatory energy audit in accordance with DIN EN 16247-1:2012 with an excellent result.

By signing the German Diversity Charter, we underscore that we value all employees equally regardless of their age, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, gender identity, physical and mental abilities, religion, ideology, sexual orientation, or social origin.

Environmental:
Clean Energy and Responsible Production

100% green electricityv in European data centers

95% renewable energies in non-European data centers

60 tons of carbon offset

Sustainable Services

Our services offer companies efficient and next-generation communications solutions. We support them in digitizing their communications and moving them to the cloud. This enables them to consolidate their own data centers and thereby reduce their energy consumption. Overall, the digital exchange of business documents via cloud services helps to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Up to 100% Green Electricity in Data Centers

Retarus’ data centers in Europe are powered 100 percent by green electricity. In Germany, audited in accordance with DIN 16247, in Switzerland certified in accordance with ISO 5001. Our main data center in Munich is equipped with a particularly efficient groundwater cooling system and does not require any chemical refrigerants. Excess cold water is used in the summer to cool meeting rooms. This means that no additional energy is required to provide air conditioning to these rooms.

The data centers in the USA and Singapore are operated with 95 percent renewable energy, tested and verified in accordance with the ISO 14064-3 standard.

Dynamic Energy Management

All Retarus data centers are actively managed in such a way that only the servers needed at that time are operating. This not only saves power required to operate the respective servers, but also ensures that less heat is wasted, thus reducing cooling requirements.

Carbon Offset Via Certificates

We use certificates to offset the consumption of energy over which we have no control (approximately 20 percent of the energy consumed at our headquarters). Retarus currently has purchased certificates for 60 tons of CO₂, around 15 percent more than would be necessary to compensate for fossil fuels.

Climate-Friendly Mobility

Retarus supports climate-friendly mobility. This includes supplementing public transport costs for employees as well as our own charging stations, where customers and employees who do not use public transport can charge their electric vehicles with green electricity.

Environmentally Friendly Processes

From job applications to meetings to payroll, we are relying on digital processes more and more. They save paper, postal mail, travel, flights, and as a result, CO₂ emissions.

Reduction goes before compensation: Retarus strives to minimize the impact of its business on the environment and avoids generating emissions wherever possible. We therefore support and give preference to IT systems and solutions that help to reduce environmental impact. We comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations, and standards and set climate protection targets that we monitor.

Practicing social commitment together for the good of the community: financial and personal support is important, indeed often existential, for people in need and for humanitarian organizations. We are aware of our social responsibility and actively serve the community. On a regional level, we support schools, charitable institutions, and aid organizations. In addition, our climate certificates also help support international projects that improve living conditions for people around the world.

“Retarus Helps“

We combine continuous corporate growth with long-term social commitment under the motto of “Retarus helps”. In doing so, we financially support a number of different social projects in various regions. Employees are also given two days’ leave each year to get personally involved in “their” project on a voluntary basis.

Health and Well-Being

As an employer we aim to provide long-term job security, the best working conditions, and personal development options.

Retarus places great importance on balancing work and family: flexible working hours, honor system-based working hours, part-time work, unbureaucratic time off to care for children and relatives. Ensuring a healthy life and promoting well-being at all ages are essential for sustainable development. In addition to state-of-the-art ergonomic office equipment, Retarus offers corporate fitness activities and even individual training sessions with its own, in-house fitness and health trainer. Employees can schedule an exam with a company physician, who also offers regular vaccinations.

Diversity

Retarus employs people from all over the world, regardless of their gender or age, belonging to different cultures, religions, and ethnic or social groups, and embraces the diverse skills and experiences they bring along. Retarus thrives on this diversity as an invaluable source of talent, creativity, and experience. We are sure that our employee diversity helps us to better understand our markets, which in turn ensures the long-term success of our business.

Education

High-quality education is the basis for sustainable development. In Germany, Retarus is one of the avant-garde companies when it comes to training: Ever since the job profiles “IT Specialist for System Integration”, “IT Specialist for Application Development”, and “IT Systems Management Assistant” came to be, Retarus has been providing training in these professions and, in many cases, hires graduates from these areas for permanent positions. In cooperation with private universities, Retarus offers the option to complete a dual bachelor’s or master’s degree in several courses of study. Retarus pays all tuition fees for students and offers further career opportunities after successful completion and graduation.

Training and educating our staff is a fundamental part of our corporate success. Retarus employees can take advantage of a wide range of internal and external training options, such as language courses, sales training programs, certifications, and communication or presentation courses. Retarus supports its employees when it comes to external training courses by offering flexible working hours and vacations as well as funding for extra-occupational studies.

Retarus’ commitment is not limited to its own employees. The company regularly donates computers to schools in the poorest regions of the world. In 2022, for example, Retarus donated to two elementary schools, École élémentaire Popenguine II and École élémentaire Amandaye Popenguine, in Senegal. This is one way Retarus pursues the goal of ensuring greater educational equity worldwide. Employees of the Retarus-sponsored wind project in Gurajat, India, are offered annual training courses. In addition, 405 school children have been given access to education there to date.

Governance:
Sustainable Corporate Governance and Corporate Responsibility

Responsible Corporate Governance

In its Code of Conduct, Retarus has committed to conducting business in an ethical, legally compliant, and socially responsible manner. Retarus pledges to provide a safe and ethical working environment for all employees and ensure that they are treated with respect and dignity.

Sustainable Supply Chains

Retarus has also established a binding policy for the ethical, social, and legal conduct of suppliers, consultants, manufacturers, contractors, partners, and other third parties as well as their employees, agents, and other representatives (“Suppliers”) in a Supplier Code of Conduct (“SCOC”). This SCOC defines — as a supplement to applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, and policies — the minimum standards expected of all suppliers. Suppliers must apply these minimum standards to their supply chains, particularly to subcontractors and sub-suppliers, in clear terms. In addition, we also encourage suppliers to strive to comply with international and industry best practices.

Certifications

Retarus is audited for compliance with ISAE 3402 / SSAE 18 / SOC 1 and reviewed for compliance with ISAE 3000 / SSAE 18 / SOC 2. These standards certify the reliability, availability, and process integrity of the company’s solutions as well as the reliability and effectiveness of its internal control system. Furthermore, Retarus has successfully completed the DIN EN ISO/IEC 27001:2017 certification process covering the development and operation of the Retarus services in Munich and the data center at the same site. A corresponding information security management system protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information by applying a risk management process. It also provides interested parties with the assurance that risks are being managed appropriately.

Resilient Communications Infrastructure

With the continuous development of its Enterprise Cloud, Retarus contributes to the expansion of a global, resilient communications infrastructure that promotes sustainable industrialization, is innovative, and supports companies in implementing innovative processes.

Retarus’ Business Model Is Focused on Sustainability Founded in 1992 by Martin Hager and owner-managed ever since, the company is growing organically, without venture capital or third-party investments. We strive for trust-based and long-term customer and partner relationships, some of which have existed for as many as 30 years.