Economic success is essential for a company. For us, economic success is only valuable if it is sustainable. By sustainability, we mean responsible business conduct, product and service responsibility, fair work and business practices, environmental and community consideration. In the following, we will try to describe what CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and sustainability is for us.
Sustainable software is high quality. It consists of a solid foundation and modular, maintainable, reusable, robust and well-documented code. It should be cross-platform and should not promote hardware obsolescence.
Sustainable software involves understanding the entire system. Software only adds value if its development environment is fully understood.
The benefit is in the foreground and is generated together with the customer. This will be integrated into the development in order to achieve the best possible benefit.
Sustainable software creates benefits in society and does not benefit them. It helps preserve our ecosystem rather than destroying it.
We develop our software systems under the greatest possible transparency and in close cooperation with the customer. Important insights sometimes arise from an ingenuous conversation with the aim of understanding its overall situation.
We are constantly learning and training our skills in competitions and coding dojos. We pass on what we know. We host Developer Cafes for sharing technology and methodology and PX Cafes (Project Experience) for sharing experiences from other projects.
We are convinced and enthusiastic supporters of agile working methodologies. Regularly, often together with other companies, we organize training and information events on agile working, new demands on corporate management and structures, sense-making and social responsibility (Scrum-Stammtisch, workshops, Agile Austria, Freiräume, Digital Future Congress, ...)
Potential for improvement: Sustainable software is a complex topic that still offers us a lot of room for improvement. For example, analyzing potential social and environmental risks is not yet a standard component of our SW development process.
Our main goals are to be both best supplier and best employer.
Man is the center of attention! At APUS, this applies equally to the relationship with customers, to employees, to the relationship between employees and to all our stakeholders. In short: a coexistence at eye level in-house and outward.
A transparent salary scheme ensures that performance is fairly remunerated and prevents low-key employees from getting paid less than demanding ones.
Healthcare: Good performance is only possible in good health. For this reason, sports activities are supported. Furthermore, attention is paid to balanced workload and healthy nutrition - the latter is supported by the awarding of food coupons and the in-house salad buffet. Classic back massage or shiatsu are also among our offerings.
We cultivate dialogue with the people who accompany our actions. Only in this way can relationships mature. The result is an eye-level partnership that is profitable for everyone. We are convinced that this way of working is an important part of a sustainable business model and that APUS, its customers and partners are laying the foundation for long-term economic success and genuine satisfaction.
With our technical equipment, we pay attention to longevity and a sensible reuse when it is no longer needed in the company. Computers that are no longer suitable for software development are passed on to the employees as needed.
Old hardware is collected site-wide and handed over to a company for processing and distribution to social institutions.
Clean energy: We source our electricity from WEB Windenergie AG, one of the two "real" green electricity providers recommended by WWF and Global2000.
Mobility: Tobelbad is accessible by public transport for many poor or with a disproportionate amount of time. With our campaign "save car kilometers" we promote environmentally friendly alternatives of the commute (public transport, bicycle, carpooling). For each car kilometer saved, 5 cents go to the SOS Children's Village in Stübing. In 2017, 15,110 km were saved by private car. This could be donated € 760, -.
Every employee actively contributes to environmental protection
Improvements: A comprehensive mobility concept and measurement of our CO2 emissions with the aim of continuously reducing it.
Everyone is responsible for the future of the company and our environment. Everyone has a share of responsibility for the respective end products (deliverable). Deficiencies in software efficiency, quality, and usability are openly noted within the team. Problems and difficulties are addressed in the team. Solutions are proposed and actively involved in their preparation and implementation.
Working together on the success of the company
Active participation in company-wide actions and decisions.
Take care of colleagues and the environment.
Disregard is always actively addressed with us!
Social projects 2017
Smart Management
APUS supports the development of a tool that relates socially and environmentally responsible corporate governance to economic success. In this way, a WIN-WIN situation should arise through fair and appreciative action. The business model is evaluated and improved using the following 7 smart management stations:
Smart management is currently used in 10 pilot companies, by AULA x space Graz startups, in commercial academies and research institutes.
Focus on education
This year we accompany a group of students and teachers of NMS1 Deutschlandsberg. We want to pass on our knowledge and teach two project groups (students and teachers) in the basics of programming.