The key achievements at a glance:
•    The use of recycled aluminium in frame manufacturing
•    Circular design as a guiding principle for product development
•    35% lower CO₂ emissions overall compared to the previous year
•    42% lower CO₂ emissions in the production of the Load 75 compared to the 2019/20 product carbon footprint
•    Pilot projects with reusable packaging for shipping e-bikes and small parts

“One of our biggest projects last year saw us switch part of our frame production to recycled aluminium. Not only is this an important step for us as a company, but it is also a pioneering achievement for the bike industry as a whole”, says Dr Sandra Wolf, CEO of Riese & Müller. “We illustrate our path to this achievement, the obstacles and successes, in our Responsibility Report. We describe how important it is to follow a vision, the role partnerships play and the goals that can be achieved together.”

Circular design as a guiding principle: switching to recycled aluminium

In close cooperation with frame manufacturer Triangle’s and aluminium supplier Hydro, Riese & Müller has managed to convert part of its frame production to ASI-certified recycled aluminium. Riese & Müller uses 46% recycled materials in the Culture model’s frame. This figure is as high as 81% for its follow-on project: the frame of the Carrie cargo bike.

Alongside recycled aluminium, the report focuses on circular design as a guiding principle for product development. This is outlined in detail using the example of the Culture e-bike model. Riese & Müller also shows that circular design can be applied at every operational level: the Best Sustainable Practices in the report use examples to explain how this can play a key role in shaping regional infrastructure, choosing cooperation partners and, not least, in the company’s efforts as a fair employer.

Zero emissions: significant reductions in CO₂ emissions once again

There is good news when it comes to Riese & Müller’s carbon footprint, too: the company has been able to significantly reduce its CO₂ emissions once again – by 34.89% compared to the previous year. The main reasons for this are the reduction in air freight shipments and the shorter supply chains. What is more, by converting to an electrically powered heat pump, some of the heating at the site was able to be replaced with green natural gas.

The sustainable improvements are particularly highlighted through the detailed depiction of the Load 75 cargo bike’s product carbon footprint: thanks to a combination of measures, including recycling, reusable packaging and changes in the supply chain, the footprint was able to be reduced by 41.8% compared to the 2019/20 business year.

Zero waste: reusable packaging to reduce waste

With two pilot projects on waste prevention, Riese & Müller is also working on permanently minimising waste production, while also maintaining its high recycling rate of over 90%. With the reusable BikeBox from circular logistics and the rhinopaq reusable packaging for small parts shipments, the company is aiming to reduce cardboard waste by up to 932.2 tonnes by the end of 2024.

The fourth Responsibility Report provides reasons to look beyond the 2025 milestone: “We are going to work hard on our goals for the next five years. We will also work towards redefining sustainability: regenerative business, biodiversity and increasingly the question of healthy growth are becoming the focal points of our considerations”, says Dr Sandra Wolf. “At the same time, what we have learned over the past few years is and remains important: building up networks, finding allies and bravely daring to take the next step.”

More about responsibility at Riese & Müller