In 2015, together with another 192 member states of the United Nations, Germany adopted the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The agreed goals clearly show that the management of the wide range of ecological, social and economic tasks can only be accomplished in a joint effort.

Science plays an essential role in the realisation of these goals. There are many and varied expectations: Science will identify problems and challenges, develop solution proposals, show alternative paths and apply these principles to itself.

The research organisations Helmholtz Association, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft and Leibniz Association took the initiative in self-imposed responsibility and developed a handbook for sustainability management in non-university research organisations (LeNa).

The partners worked out to a full extent the value of sustainability with regard to their activities for and within academic life and how it can be achieved in practice. Five areas have been defined which focus on both, science and administration. Priorities are set according to individual needs.

In our work, we follow the guidelines of this handbook. We identify what is already existing and analyse what is still necessary, we assist the departments in the implementation, thus contributing to the development of a sustainable culture for DESY and its employees.