Continuity and business strategies devised to produce long-term success are central to responsible corporate management practices. Working on this principle, Simon H. Steiner, Hopfen, GmbH has become one of the leading hop traders worldwide over the past 175 years, and today represents the ultimate in standards for quality and reliability.

Our most valuable resource is our personnel, whom we trust and whose technical and personal competence is the basis of our success. In dealing with our hop producers, suppliers and customers, we concentrate on long-term retention. The fundamentals of our business practices are summarized in the Code of Conduct, which has been made available to all our employees and suppliers. In all of our facilities, we pay close attention to every step of production to ensure that our products and the processes meet all the requirements of ecological, economic and social sustainability. Beginning with the procurement of raw materials down through processing to the certification of finished products, all are held to the very highest standards of quality. If you like to find out more, the Sustainability Report is available for download.

Clear organization and streamlined decision making processes are essential elements of our day to day operations. Our globally oriented leadership team, some members of whom belong to the family of owners or have been appointed as directors, is developing forward-thinking strategies relevant for all of our economic environmental and social goals. Our experienced management team possesses the competence required to make decisions for any technical, business or administrative task. The position of sustainability manager is directly integrated at this level and she is responsible for addressing concepts relevant for corporate sustainability. She personally reports her findings to the company directors. With the introduction of sustainability reporting and including the collection of all necessary information, every department in the company became involved in the development of content and strategies for our company’s future activities. If you like to find out more, the Sustainability Report is available for download.

Business leaders committed to long-term success and sustainability seek the active inclusion of every partner in the supply chain. As part of an intensive study, we held a roundtable discussion involving department heads and senior management. We conducted an internal review of the primary aspects of our business activities. Additionally, the results of our regular exchanges with individual stakeholder groups were evaluated. This allowed us to incorporate their expectations and interests into the process. A comprehensive list of all GRI aspects as well as industry-specific points served as the basis for this evaluation. These aspects were prioritized on a scale from 1 to 10 and validated by the management. For the sake of thoroughness, nothing was excluded. We reviewed each aspect in great detail with regard to its economic, environmental and social impact. In doing so, we have evaluated the performance of HOPSTEINER within the broader context of sustainable development.

Three quarters of our company’s fiscal outlay is tied to purchasing hops. The majority of the hops we buy come from Germany, with hops also sourced from other hop-cultivating countries, such as the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Poland. HOPSTEINER maintains close contact with the hop growers and consults with them during the growing season. On one hand this is vital for making an early prediction regarding the quality and amount of hops expected at harvest, while on the other it provides us with detailed information regarding the application of pesticides.

These hop growers have entered binding agreements with us in the form of standardized contracts valid over several years. Such partnerships are advantageous for both parties: the hop grower has a guarantee that the hops will be purchased under reliable economic conditions, and HOPSTEINER receives the freshly harvested hops in the best possible quality at a defined price structure.

If you like to find out more, the Sustainability Report is available for download