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Toward Greater Resource Conservation
Together, we are securing the future of your business. As an independent organization, we—the Efficiency Agency NRW (efa)—support the business community in developing and implementing resource-efficient and circular products, processes, and business models. In doing so, we are making a decisive contribution to the ecological transition.
Conserving resources. Circular economy.
Our goal is to position companies for the future and make them competitive by helping them reduce resource consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and set the course for a circular economy. We support the business community in North Rhine-Westphalia with our wide range of consulting services and our technical expertise, from the initial stages through to the implementation of innovative and sustainable solutions.
In addition to our role as consultants, we act as an “enabler,” connecting business, science, and multipliers in NRW and promoting the transition to resource- and climate-friendly economic practices through targeted support.
In line with our motto “Conserve resources. Practice circular economy,” we have been working on behalf of the NRW Ministry of the Environment for over 25 years to develop sustainable solutions that protect the environment, climate, and resources while strengthening NRW as a business location in the long term.
efa by the Numbers
“The ecological transformation is crucial to ensuring that North Rhine-Westphalia remains a future-proof and competitive business location. At efa, we actively support companies in developing resource-efficient and circular solutions. This not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also protects the environment and the climate. At the same time, this creates sustainable business models that promote innovation and growth. Our goal is clear: We want to make North Rhine-Westphalia a pioneering region for resource conservation and the circular economy.”
Our Contribution to Sustainable Development
In September 2020, the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia adopted an updated sustainability strategy. This strategy is closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and outlines North Rhine-Westphalia’s contributions to the implementation of the federal government’s “Agenda 2030.” Through its work, efa actively supports the goals of the sustainability strategy and thus contributes to the climate-friendly development of the economy and society.
© United Nations
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A high level of economic development goes hand in hand with social progress and higher expectations regarding environmental quality. At the same time, we face the challenge of further reducing environmental and climate impacts as well as resource consumption. That is why the efficient use of resources is a key component of sustainable economic growth. There is still great potential in the approach of resource efficiency and conservation—that is, optimizing products and processes so that less energy and fewer resources are required per unit of production. The core mission of the efa is to improve resource conservation and efficiency in industry and the skilled trades.
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The goal is to build resilient infrastructure, promote broad-based and sustainable industrialization, and support innovation. This involves the transition to resource-efficient, low-emission, and climate-friendly production, as well as the development of innovative, sustainable products and processes. The efa supports these goals through, among other things, its financing advisory services—which assist innovative investment projects aimed at reducing energy and raw material consumption—and its consulting services on circular design and digitalization with Resource Efficiency 4.0.
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It is necessary to decouple economic growth from the use of primary resources, accompanied by a shift toward a sustainable, resource-efficient circular mindset in production and consumption—in line with the principles of the circular economy—as well as by increasing public acceptance of a societal transformation toward sustainable consumption. Sustainable production goes hand in hand with sustainable, circular, and resource-efficient trade routes, as well as consumption and usage habits. The efa supports this development through its activities in the field of the circular economy and with offerings such as the CIRCO workshop series at Germany’s first CIRCO Hub.
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Global demand for innovative products and services aimed at climate protection is on the rise. Companies from North Rhine-Westphalia should be able to play a key role in the markets of the future, thereby creating long-term prospects for attractive jobs. Climate protection measures should therefore not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also strengthen the competitiveness of companies. The efa supports the identification of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of measures to reduce emissions, particularly in Scope 3—the material-related CO2 component—through the ecocockpit accounting tool and resource efficiency consulting as part of its resource conservation advisory services.
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The goal is to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. Shared responsibility means that all countries, their civil societies, businesses, and the scientific community are accountable for the global common good in accordance with their respective capacities. Transparency and the mutual exchange of experiences play a key role in this regard. The efa supports this goal through its offerings in events and training programs, as well as through development and cooperation initiatives and close collaboration with other stakeholders and institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond.