Environment

Management approach
We have set ourselves the goal of reducing the CO₂ emissions generated by our own activities in proportion to value creation.

Precautionary actions and measures
We are taking action at various levels: by optimising buildings, by making efficiency gains in production, and by generating energy from renewable sources.

Information on the financial year 2024
In the reporting period, we planned, developed and in some cases also implemented a wide variety of measures to reduce CO₂ intensity in relation to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. These were complemented by measures from the prior year, which took full effect in the reporting period.

The reasons for the reduced energy consumption were mainly the economic slowdown and, to a lesser extent, the switch to more energy-efficient production.

The volume of self-generated solar power was higher than in the prior year due to new or expanded photovoltaic installations, particularly in Europe. The installed solar capacity totalled 9’042 kWp (2023: 5’708 kWp).

Services and, therefore, fuel consumption remained almost unchanged.

Compared with the prior year, CO₂ emissions fell by 14.5% in the reporting period. This is attributable mainly to the economic slowdown and the improved purchased electricity mix and, to a lesser extent, to the expansion of self-generated solar power and more energy-efficient production facilities. Overall, the reduction in CO₂ intensity, measured as CO₂ emissions in proportion to value creation, was equivalent to between 20 and 30% of the emissions seen in the 2021 base year.

As the target value of a 10% reduction in CO₂ intensity by 2026 compared with 2021 was exceeded in 2024, this target will be replaced by the following new target for the coming reporting years: Reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO₂ emissions by 25% by 2028 compared with 2021. Further medium-term measures are planned to achieve this emission reduction by 2028. These include improving the energy efficiency of buildings and production facilities, expanding solar installations, and the ongoing conversion to renewable electricity.

No cases of non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations at the production sites were reported in 2024.

Management approach
A major lever for reducing our ecological footprint lies in our products and solutions. We therefore strive to develop machinery and systems that enable our customers to improve their environmental impact without having to compromise on customer benefits. Ecological considerations relating to our products are an integral part of the research and development phase and take account of the entire life cycle of the products, from their manufacture to their daily use and right through to their disposal.

Precautionary actions and measures
Protection of the environment and natural resources is embedded in our Code of Conduct and in the Human Rights Statement. Our Group-wide Environmental Policy is the basis for our environmental management activities and specifies our shared values, principles and standards in this area. We are a signatory of the UN Global Compact and fully endorse the environmental principles enacted therein. We support efforts to mitigate climate change through our measures to reduce CO₂ emissions. We continuously develop and optimise our offering in line with our customers’ needs and prevailing regulatory requirements. We strive to make our products and solutions more efficient and precise through electrification or efficiency gains in order to reduce our consumption of energy and resources and through electronic control systems for fertilisers, crop protection products and road salt. These efforts are helping to reduce CO₂ emissions and the use of natural resources and chemicals.

Information on the financial year 2024
In the reporting year, the divisions once again developed new products and solutions that will enable their customers to reduce their environmental impact without compromising on user friendliness, functionality and cost effectiveness. These can be summarised in the following four strategic initiatives: solutions for conservation and precision farming, electrified mobile equipment, electrohydraulic components and systems, and automation and artificial intelligence in glass container manufacturing. Key products launched during the reporting period are presented in the divisional reports.