Wortmann Schuh-Holding has been awarded the TOP 100 certificate winning the title of Top Innovator among 100 German companies
TOP 100, the only independent award for innovation management in Germany, identifies transparently the most innovative companies in the SME sector, based on scientific research. The key to success in the TOP 100 is not individual inventions, but a company’s innovation management and innovation success. Of particular importance is whether a company’s innovations are merely a product of chance or are systematically planned and thus repeatable in the future.
The Wortmann Group from Detmold sees it as a future task to bring more sustainability into the industry. “The use of recycled materials, renewable energy and alternative raw materials – these are essential factors for a more sustainable future,” explains Jens Beining, Managing Partner of the Wortmann Group. This focus is paying off: with the brand Tamaris, the company has managed to become the market leader for vegan fashionable women’s shoes. Last but not least, Wortmann went one step further with biobased materials. For example, the team developed an outsole made of algae. “With products like this, we want to show that it is possible to use sustainable materials industrially for shoe production as well,” reports the managing director, proud of the pioneering work that his company keeps doing.
www.top100-germany.com
The Wortmann Group, Detmold, known primarily for its Tamaris brand, is one of the largest shoe production and distribution companies in Europe and is considered the market leader for fashionable women’s shoes. The collections are sold in over 70 countries and more than 15,000 shoe shops worldwide. Apart out from the top brand Tamaris, the group of companies includes the brands Marco Tozzi, Caprice, Jana and s.Oliver shoes. In addition, there is Novi Footwear International Co. Ltd. in Hong Kong, which counts numerous global retail chains among its customers. Internationally, the group has over 1,100 employees. Worldwide, about 30,000 workers produce for the Detmold-based company.
From left to right: Sarah Schröder (Assistance to CEO & Projectteam Wortmann), Ranga Yogeshwar (Mentor TOP 100-competition), Andreas Burmeister (Head of CSR Wortmann Group & Projectteam Wortmann)
Photo credits: KD Busch / compamedia