Sustainability and Responsibility

At OpenEDC, we not only want to make a contribution with our software, but also with our behavior to create a healthier world for future generations - both socially and ecologically.

Our idea of sustainable research data

Reusability Data is often collected to answer just one question and is then longer useful for answering other hypotheses. This is due to the fact that proprietary (i.e. manufacturer-specific) formats are used in many places, which are incompatible with other systems and make subsequent interpretation more difficult.

Context The decisive factor here is that not only the actual values are relevant for the correct interpretation of data, but also the overall context in which the data was collected. An Excel or CSV export often no longer provides sufficient conclusions about the data. For example, little is usually known about the range of values, the unit of measurement or the reason for the absence of a value (e.g. whether the respective value was only collected under certain conditions or whether a patient simply did not know it).

Metadata To solve this problem, we rely on standardized metadata. This is information that enables complete traceability of collected data. The data type, value range, unit of measurement, conditions and translations can be displayed for each data point. It is also possible to see when a data point was entered, by whom, why it was changed and also why it was perhaps not answered.

Standardization also means that questionnaires do not always have to be created from scratch - which is often tedious and time-consuming. Previous work can be used for new research projects. This saves resources and leads to higher research quality through constant, incremental improvements.

Ecological responsibility

We understand the urgent need to take action against the climate crisis and its tangible effects. Our goal is therefore to keep our ecological footprint as small as possible and to act climate neutrally from the beginning.

As a provider of software and digital services, we rely on the regional Open Telekom Cloud for our infrastructure, which is powered 100% by renewable energy. In addition, we avoid preventable, longer business trips and prioritize digital communication and work channels instead.

In accordance with the bicycle city of Münster, our entire team comes to the office either by Leeze (that’s what they say to a bicycle here) or by foot. We also optimize our work processes to avoid unnecessary consumption of resources. For example, we work completely print- and paper-free.

Responsibility towards people and employees

In addition to our ecological responsibility, we also take our social responsibility seriously. We believe that, in addition to politics, it is also the obligation of companies to improve people’s lives. By promoting education and research, we give academic institutions access to sustainable software solutions. In this way, we not only support academic research and teaching, but also encourage progress in various scientific fields.

Of course, our responsibility also extends to our employees. It is our greatest wish to offer them an attractive environment that includes modern workplaces, fair compensation and diverse development opportunities. We pleace great importance to creating a pleasant and challenging working atmosphere that encourages individual ideas and offers opportunities for further education.