The Changing Understanding of Sustainability at Hof Leutenecker
Sustainability is a value-driven concept – but how it’s understood evolves from generation to generation. At Hof Leutenecker, a family-run event location and farm in southern Germany, this evolution became especially relevant as leadership began transitioning to a younger generation.
From my personal perspective, each generation brings its own perspective:
The post-war generation focused on creating prosperity for their children.
Generation X worked to elevate the middle class’s access to that prosperity.
Millennials questioned global supply chains and began advocating for transparency and democratized knowledge.
Gen Z demands accountability, systemic change, and sustainable action.
At Hof Leutenecker, this generational shift sparked a fundamental question: What does sustainability mean to us – as a family and as a business?
To navigate this, I partnered with hospitality expert Anne Van Wetteren to design and facilitate a process that would help the entire team – from trainees to management – develop a shared, actionable vision of sustainability for the future of the business.
Project Overview
Client: Hof Leutenecker – Jürgen & Christa Leutenecker GbR
On behalf of: NEW STANDARD.S
My role: Project Lead, Workshop Facilitator & Consultant
Timeline: April – December 2021
My Role
Designed and facilitated an in-depth team workshop to define a common sustainability vision
Provided strategic consultation to translate that vision into concrete goals and actions
Delivered a final report including tailored recommendations and next steps
Continued ongoing check-ins to support implementation and progress tracking
Our approach
Our workshops were built around inclusion and dialogue. We created space for every voice within the company – regardless of role or seniority – to contribute ideas, ask questions, and challenge assumptions. Through guided exercises, the team:
Developed a shared definition of sustainability
Identified key leverage points within their operations
Aligned on a future direction rooted in both values and feasibility
This wasn’t just about environmental change – it was about cultural alignment and value-based decision-making.
Impact
Hof Leutenecker has since implemented several of the workshop’s core recommendations:
Committed to generating their own renewable energy
Elevated sustainability standards in supplier and procurement practices
Integrated plant-based catering and carbon-conscious product sourcing into their event offerings (e.g., beverages, sanitary products)
Positioned themselves as a leader in green events and sustainable weddings
Their impact is magnified by the scale and frequency of events hosted on-site – every decision made now ripples outward into hundreds of guest experiences each season.
Sustainability Context
At Hof Leutenecker, we turned a generational shift into an opportunity for climate-conscious transformation. By engaging the entire team in shaping a shared sustainability vision, the project laid the foundation for more responsible sourcing and guest experiences [(SDG12). As an event venue with a sizable carbon footprint, the farm also began rethinking its role in driving climate action at a local level (SDG13).
What We Learned
Sustainability means: “Enough for everyone. Forever.”
But how we interpret that idea is constantly evolving. At its core, sustainability is not an end state – it’s a process. It requires curiosity, experimentation, and dialogue. Especially in family businesses, where multiple generations are invested in the same goal, a shared vision must be co-created, not assumed.
This project reinforced the value of making space for those conversations – and proved how transformative they can be when everyone’s voice is heard.