Elected in October 2020
REMONDIS managing director Herwart Wilms was elected the new chair of the committee for raw material policies at the BDI [Federation of German Industries] in October. Marie-Christine von Hahn, Vice President of Corporate External Affairs at Aurubis AG, was appointed deputy chair of the committee.
The important topic of raw materials supply
“I’m delighted to have been elected chair of this important BDI institution. This is the first time that a representative of the recycling industry has held this position. The whole subject of raw materials supply and security is one that is often taken far too much for granted. During the first Covid-related lockdown, it became painfully clear just how dependent some industrial sectors are on getting their supplies of raw materials from abroad,” Herwart Wilms explained. “Which is why I feel it is important for me, in my new role, not just to continue to emphasise how the environment can be protected and climate change curbed when local industry uses recycled raw materials. I also need to underline how this can help the economy to become less dependent on other countries – for example in times of crises,” he continued.
“Recycling can’t replace all the virgin raw materials that are needed. There is still a lot of potential here, though. Our approach to the circular economy, for example, can be further optimised to ensure products and raw materials can be used for as long as possible.”
Herwart Wilms, REMONDIS Managing Director and Chair of the BDI Raw Materials Committee
Optimising the circular economy
The focus of the committee’s work shall continue to be on securing supplies of raw materials for German industrial businesses. “Recycling can’t replace all the virgin raw materials that are needed. There is still a lot of potential here, though. Our approach to the circular economy, for example, can be further optimised to ensure products and raw materials can be used for as long as possible. What’s more, we – the committee – wish to strengthen our call for trade restrictions to be scrapped and for the approval processes for extracting raw materials from local sources to continue to be sped up,” Wilms concluded. Herwart Wilms has taken over the board chair from Hans-Joachim Welsch, who led the committee for raw material policies at the BDI for many years.
(from left to right) Sarah Hillmann, BDI consultant, Herwart Wilms, REMONDIS Managing Director and Chair of the BDI Raw Materials Committee, Matthias Wachter, Head of the BDI’s Department of Security and Raw Materials, Hans-Joachim Welsch, former Chair of the BDI Raw Materials Committee, Wolfgang Niedermark, Member of the BDI’s management team, Marie-Christine von Hahn, Vice President Corporate External Affairs at Aurubis and Deputy Chair of the BDI Raw Materials Committee
Image credits: image 1–2: © REMONDIS
