Good luck flies on swallow’s wings! OeTTINGER Brewery awarded as a "Swallow-Friendly House"
As the saying goes “Good luck flies on swallow’s wings.” These charming migratory birds are said to bring us luck and they are certainly welcome lodgers when they return to our brewery in Oettinger every year. This happy coexistence is now officially recognised with the “Swallow-Friendly House” plaque awarded to us by the LBV, the Landesbund für Vogelschutz e.V. – State Association for Bird Protection.
This award testifies that our OeTTINGER brewery is setting an example for the protection of the species. Since there are fewer and fewer insects, the swallow population has been steadily declining. In addition, the growing trend to sealing over the soil means the disappearance of the muddy puddles and loam swallows need to build their nests.
That’s why it‘s particularly important to provide suitable nesting opportunities for the little flying artistes. At Oettingen, we have also invested in a construction project for this reason. After the first swallows chose a storage room in our brewery to build their nests, a partition wall was erected there so as not to disturb them. To ensure that the birds can get to their nests and back outside unhindered at all times, our staff all remember that windows must not be closed. Members of our HR department even consider themselves the godparents of the swallow families!
However, the birds are not guests at our brewery for too long: they fly in from their winter quarters in Africa in April, spend the summer with us and migrate back to warmer climes in September at the latest.
“In terms of sustainability, we believe it is important to give something back to nature,” says our brewery manager Pia Kollmar. Protecting the climate and the environment has always been close to her heart: “That’s why we are very pleased to be able to contribute to the protection of an endangered species such as the swallows and are very proud of the award.”
Sustainability at OeTTINGER
Species protection is part of OeTTINGER Brewery’s comprehensive sustainability strategy. This strategy is based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and includes such aspects as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the use of renewable energies, e-mobility, sustainability in the workforce and the targeted promotion of women on an ecological, economic and social level. OeTTINGER Brewery has been participating in the Bavarian Environmental and Climate Pact for more than 15 years.
