OUR climate protection vision
PEOPLE, PLANET, ECONOMY - IT CAN ONLY WORK TOGETHER.
Extreme weather conditions, rising sea levels, acidifying oceans and reduced biodiversity are the dramatic consequences of rapidly changing climatic conditions. Climate change affects the entire world. And thus each and every one of us. Therefore, it is essential to do everything in our power to significantly reduce emissions by the middle of the 21st century and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This threshold was deemed safe by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and adopted as a binding target by 195 countries in the Paris Climate Agreement.
The roadmap for emissions reduction is clear: "Reduce & Offset." And so, we actively take on our responsibility as part of the system.
1. WE REDUCE THE CO2 EMISSIONS OF OUR ENTIRE COMPANY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.
In addition to all the construction and infrastructure measures already implemented to reduce the CO2 footprint of the main site in Gersthofen, we are working in the long term to reduce the CO2 footprint of our products in particular. In addition to the increased use of recycled and bluesign® certified materials as well as sustainable technologies with a lower CO2 footprint, according to ECOS, the extension of product life cycles in particular contributes 10% to improving the footprint and not only saves 8% CO2, 10% water and 9% waste, but also reduces the cost of resource consumption by 9%.
However, even with the greatest efforts, we cannot make a product completely emissions-free. That's why we offset selected products and our company site in cooperation with ClimatePartner.
2. We offset CO2 emissions that we can no longer reduce.
In the process of capturing and calculating the remaining CO2 emissions – the so-called CO2 footprint – emissions from energy consumption, as well as energy and fuel usage, are taken into account. Additionally, emissions from supply chains are recorded to make entire product lines and production facilities carbon-neutral. To achieve this, we collaborate with the experts at ClimatePartner. They identify and develop offset projects worldwide. For our ClimatePartner-certified products, we have chosen, among others, the social and climate protection projects listed below.
Climate protection projects we support
As a ClimatePartner-certified company, we take responsibility and support climate protection projects worldwide that actively contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions. These projects range from reforestation efforts and the promotion of renewable energy to the protection of valuable ecosystems. In doing so, we contribute to global climate protection while also promoting sustainable development in the respective regions.
🌍 Learn more about the projects we support and their positive impact:
🔗 Project 1 – Clean energy for a sustainable future
🔗 Project 2 – Protection of natural habitats
Race to Zero: to protect what we love
Climate science findings show that the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C can only be achieved if carbon dioxide emissions are stopped and ‘zeroed’, since reduction alone is not enough. ‘Zero’ in this context means that all emissions released into the atmosphere by human activities need to be offset by removing or sequestering an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. This needs to happen globally and as soon as possible, but at the latest by the middle of the century.
Businesses, countries, regions and cities are being called upon to set ambitious net-zero targets and make faster progress than planned. Net zero means reaching a point where activities throughout the value chain do not have a net effect on the climate resulting from greenhouse gases. It’s a huge challenge, yet one that cannot - and must not - be tackled alone.
The ‘Race to Zero’ global campaign, backed by the United Nations, is the largest coalition of non-state actors to date, including companies, cities, regions and financial and educational institutions. Over 14,000 members are committed to take rigorous and immediate action to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050 at the latest.
We too have committed ourselves to this important initiative and have set ambitious targets in our climate strategy based on the Science Based Target Initiative: By 2030, directly attributable emissions, such as those from the company fleet and company infrastructure, as well as any indirect CO2 emissions, such as those from purchased goods and services, upstream and downstream logistics, fuel and energy or waste disposal, are to be reduced by 42% compared to the base year of 2022. By 2050 we are also aiming to cut CO2 emissions by at least 90 % compared to the base year of 2022 and achieve net-zero emissions status.
This involves company-wide commitment, dedicated teams, ambitious plans, proper implementation of measures as well as regular checks and flexible adjustments to achieve our targets. Joining the SME ClimateHub is further evidence of how seriously we are committed. As part of this, we have publicly announced our participation in the Race to Zero campaign and are publishing reports on our targets.
By taking action and implementing targeted measures to protect the climate, we can help to create a more sustainable and fairer future for everyone. Because we want to protect what we love – both for us and for future generations to enjoy.
