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What if There Was a Better Way?

Turning operational insights into ideas for environmental improvements

October 16, 2026

Operational improvements often begin with simple observations. Across Fresenius Kabi sites, employees identified opportunities related to water management, energy recovery and waste reduction. Several of these ideas are now undergoing further evaluation to determine their potential application in practice.

Every day, employees across Fresenius work closely with production processes, utilities, and infrastructure. Their first-hand experience gives them a unique perspective on where resources can be used more efficiently and where improvements can be made.

The Championship Day, an internal innovation sprint at Fresenius Kabi, part of Fresenius Group, provides a platform to develop these ideas further, contributing to #FutureFresenius. 

Since 2019, our Global Competence Cluster for Energy, Waste and Water Management has organized the initiative, bringing together teams from around the world to develop solutions in the areas of energy, water, and waste. The most promising concepts are presented to a global jury consisting of Fresenius Kabi Management Board members and ESG experts from across the company.

The winning ideas of 2026 came from teams in Brazil, Austria, and Germany.

Water – Giving water a second life through reuse

The winning idea in the category “Water” comes from a team in Aquiraz, Brazil. As a healthcare company, clean water is and remains essential for many of our products and manufacturing processes. We use it in our cleaning, cooling, and sterilization processes, but also as a component of our medical products. Several liters of fresh water are needed to produce our Water for Injection. However, water scarcity is increasing in many regions – which makes efficient water use key.

Looking at the site's autoclave operations, the team in Aquiraz identified an opportunity to make better use of water already present in the process. Rather than being discharged after use, the water, which still has a great quality, could be reused elsewhere on site. Based on the team's assessment, this could potentially reduce the site’s freshwater demand by about 3% and wastewater generation by about 6%.

For the team, the project demonstrates how ideas identified in day-to-day operations can translate into measurable improvements. They also emphasize that collecting reliable data was a key step in turning an observation into a well-founded proposal.

Four people wearing hard hats stand in front of large green industrial equipment with yellow safety ladders and railings.
From left to right: Idea owner Tiago Gomes, Project Analyst, alongside his team Rany Rocha, Maintenance Supervisor, Evandro Penha, Utilities Supervisor, and Lucas Loiola, Project Designer.
The team shared their experience through Tiago Gomes, who spoke on behalf of the group:

How did the idea come about?

Tiago Gomes: "The idea originated during the Employee Engagement Meeting organized by the Environmental Team at PU Aquiraz, a forum dedicated to sharing initiatives focused on sustainability and continuous improvement. Inspired by the company's sustainability framework, we identified an opportunity to reuse the drainage water generated by the autoclaves, which until then had been discharged as wastewater."

Looking back on your Championship Day win, what beliefs shaped your approach?

Tiago Gomes: "Our team focused on understanding the operational process in detail and evaluating opportunities using reliable data. The project reinforced the importance of collaboration, continuous improvement, and evidence-based decision-making. These principles continue to guide how we approach new ideas and improvement opportunities today."

What do you think convinced the jury of your idea?

Tiago Gomes: "We believe the key differentiator of our proposal was its ability to clearly demonstrate how the initiative could generate both environmental and operational benefits. The project highlighted potential reductions in water consumption, wastewater generation, and costs while demonstrating technical feasibility and replication potential."

Energy - Turning waste heat into opportunity

In Graz, Austria, not one, but two projects were recognized in the category “Energy” for ideas that rethink how energy is generated, recovered, and reused across the site. While the projects approach the challenge from different angles, both focus on a common objective: making better use of energy that is already there. 

The first project, led by Manuel Zettl, explored how waste heat can be used more effectively to support site operations. By replacing fossil fuel-based energy sources with innovative heat recovery solutions, it has the potential to significantly reduce the site's carbon footprint while maintaining reliable production processes. The project team estimates that implementing the project could save around 8,760 MWh of energy and reduce emissions by approximately 1,730 tons of CO₂ per year at the site – this is equivalent to the approximate CO₂ emissions from 1,022 home’s energy use* over one year (calculated using the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator).

Three employees stand in front of stainless-steel industrial equipment, with one person holding a transparent Champion Supply 2026 award.
From left to right: Axel Gürlich, Manager Process Technology & Utilities, Manuel Zettl, Project Manager Process Technology & Utilities and Christoph Taucher, Project Manager Infrastructure.

While that idea focuses on transforming how heat is generated and used, the second project, led by Christoph Taucher, looked at opportunities within the site's cooling infrastructure. This concept aims to recover and reuse heat that is currently lost during cooling processes, turning it into a valuable resource for other site operations. If implemented, the project could generate annual energy savings of approximately 4,008 MWh and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 730 tons of CO₂ at the site.

What stands out about both projects is their systemic approach. Rather than focusing on a single process step, the team in Graz looked at how energy flows through an entire site and where unused resources could potentially be recovered and reused.

The team shared their experience through Manuel Zettl, who spoke on behalf of the group:

How did the idea come about?

Manuel Zettl: “With the imminent need to reduce CO₂ emissions and replace existing cooling solutions according to new regulations, we wanted to find an optimal solution that combines efficiency, sustainability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. At the same time, Water for Injection (WFI) and Purified Water (PW) need to be heated and maintained above 80°C to avoid microbial contamination. This made us look at how we could better use the residual heat generated by our cooling units. By upgrading this heat with highly efficient heat pumps and reusing it in heating processes, we could connect two energy-intensive systems. For us, this was the perfect symbiosis. It allows us to use energy more efficiently and reduce emissions where they typically occur.”

Were there any surprises during the development of the idea? Did you face any particular challenges?

Manuel Zettl: “Most surprising was the sheer amount of energy and gas that could potentially be saved by establishing a smart distribution to the main heat consumers. The main challenge is the limited space available and thus ensuring a smooth transition towards the novel concept while maintaining operability.”

What are you most proud of?

Manuel Zettl: “Being part of a team which seeks the best and not the fastest solutions, working towards a common goal and shaping concepts which can be used as blueprint to be implemented at other plants as well.”

Waste – Turning Everyday Observations into Innovation

The winning idea in the waste category comes from Friedberg, Germany. While we cannot talk about in detail just yet, the reason is an exciting one. 

The team identified an opportunity with such strong potential that it is currently undergoing review for possible intellectual property protection. Until that process is complete, the concept itself must remain confidential.

Even without revealing details, the project is a great example of what Championship Day is all about: creating space for employees to turn practical observations from everyday operations into new ideas with long-term potential.

Two employees hold a circular award and give thumbs-up gestures in front of colorful industrial-themed wall art.
Idea owner Sascha Dörr, Line Engineer, on the left together with teammate Marco Coschignano, Line Engineer, on the right.
The team shared their experience through Sascha Dörr, who spoke on behalf of the group:

Without giving too much away – How did the idea come about?

Sascha Dörr: “The idea emerged from our day-to-day work in production. Our goal was to reduce the existing waste generated by the production line and make the process more efficient.”

Your idea is currently being reviewed for possible intellectual property protection. How does that feel?

Sascha Dörr: “We are pleased to know that an idea originating from everyday work has the potential to be further developed and possibly protected. It shows that practical experience can make a valuable contribution to innovation.”

Looking back on your Championship Day win, what beliefs or perspectives do you think shaped your team's approach? And how do you see these guided you beyond the competition?

Sascha Dörr: “Our team strongly believed that continuous improvement can also be achieved through small optimizations. Openness to new ideas, close collaboration, and a focus on practical solutions will continue to guide us well beyond the competition.”

The competition may be over, but the journey for these ideas continues. Over the coming months, the winning teams will further develop their concepts and explore implementation opportunities at site level. At the same time, many of the other projects presented during Championship Day demonstrated strong potential and may inspire future improvements across sites.

Beyond the individual projects, Championship Day also creates a platform for employees to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and gain inspiration for future improvements. The discussions sparked by this year's submissions may well influence the next generation of ideas, and we look forward to seeing which opportunities emerge in future competitions. Together, the projects highlight how employee expertise and collaboration can turn everyday observations into ideas worth exploring further.

*Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator - Calculations and References | US EPA