Ringana: VSME-Reporting
RINGANA is an Austrian life science company headquartered in Styria that specialises in the production of fresh cosmetics and plant-based nutritional supplements. The products are freshly manufactured several times a month, based on demand, and shipped directly to customers. Thanks to this innovative fresh-production approach, RINGANA can use highly effective, sensitive plant-based active ingredients that could not be used in conventional cosmetics due to long shelf-life requirements – and all of this without synthetic preservatives, solvents or mineral oils.
Sustainability has been firmly anchored in the company’s philosophy since its founding and shapes all processes – from raw material sourcing and production through to shipping. With its in-house sustainability strategy FRESH IMPACT, RINGANA brings together all activities within a clear framework and makes progress transparent and measurable.
This commitment is reflected in numerous measures: the use of renewable energy, a fully electric company fleet, the use of organic raw materials, an innovative reuse system for glass flacons, as well as projects such as the expansion of the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal wilderness area. At RINGANA, sustainability is not a trend but a lived responsibility – combining innovation, effectiveness and responsible action for the benefit of people, the environment and society.
Building on comprehensive CSRD preparation, RINGANA took a consistent step towards greater transparency: following system and context analysis, value chain mapping and a double materiality analysis (in line with ESRS 2 IRO-1), the company – as part of the Omnibus initiative – voluntarily published a VSME report (“Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs”). The result is a clear and reliable overview of the key environmental, social and governance aspects – a solid foundation for strategy, dialogue and future requirements.
Key Facts ab0ut Ringana
Type of project: support for VSME reporting in line with the CSRD
Terra client since 2024
Headquarters in Austria
Number of employees:
628 full-time equivalents (31.12.2024)
Website: https://www.ringana.com/
Challenges during the project
The main challenges in the project lay in the systematic and consistent collection and classification of all sustainability data, as well as in the structured documentation of the sustainability processes already in place. In particular, developing the double materiality analysis in iterative workshops was an intensive but extremely valuable process. This involved critically questioning existing assumptions and realistically assessing risks and opportunities in order to create a sound and holistic understanding of the company’s sustainability performance. The results clearly showed in which areas RINGANA is already strong and where there is potential for improvement.
In addition, the data basis had to be extended beyond the previously considered entities in order to expand the system boundaries from the subsidiary to the entire group. This required extensive coordination and new calculations to ensure a consistent and robust data basis.
Overall, the project made a significant contribution to better understanding internal structures and impact interdependencies and to laying the foundation for the future-oriented further development of sustainability management.
What has been achieved
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Comprehensive system and context analysis
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Analysis and mapping of the value chain
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Double materiality analysis: identification of material impacts, risks and opportunities
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A comprehensive, voluntary sustainability report in accordance with Option B of the VSME standard. Disclosure is provided through the combination of the Basic Module and the Comprehensive Module.
Materiality profile
As a result of the double materiality assessment, the materiality profile emerged. It shows whether sustainability topics are material from the perspective of impacts and/or from the perspective of opportunities and risks.
The following topics were assessed as not material:
Environmental pollution
Due to the nature-based raw material strategy and the high standards in production (e.g. no use of problematic chemicals or fossil fuels), no relevant air, soil or water pollution occurs. In upstream agriculture, these impacts are also greatly reduced thanks to the high proportion of organically grown raw materials.
Affected communities
Despite the high importance attached to this topic in the corporate philosophy, it was not classified as material, as no direct or systematic influence by the company’s activities was identified (e.g. no large-scale operations in sensitive regions, no infrastructural interventions in local communities).
Making innovation and impact visible – Andreas Wilfinger, CEO of Ringana, on the project
“Preparing our first sustainability report in line with the new EU standards was an important step in taking our previous reports to a new level: more transparency, better comparability and a critical analysis of our processes. This project has shown how valuable cross-functional collaboration is. At the same time, it lays the foundation for further developing our sustainability strategy and making innovation and impact visible – not just as an obligation, but as an opportunity for the future.”
Terra Institute consultant and project lead Anabel Gschmeißner
Anabel Gschmeißner holds a Master’s degree in International Economics with a focus on environmental economics. She has many years of experience in supporting and advising companies in sustainable transformation processes, as well as in project coordination and management. Her main focus areas are sustainability reporting (ESRS, VSME), materiality analyses, sustainability strategy and circular economy.
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