The United Nations has set 17 global sustainability goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable development. KAESER follows this future-oriented roadmap at our main site in Germany, focusing on the following eight SDGs:
Our sustainability goals: Shaping the future together!
Comprehensive occupational health and safety are of utmost importance to KAESER. Our goal is to prevent workplace accidents, occupational illnesses, and hazards through proactive measures. As part of our corporate health management, we offer a wide range of sports and preventative services. Every year, several events and occupational health check-ups take place, which are well-received by employees.
As a family-run business with a rich tradition, KAESER stands for sustainable economic growth and fair working conditions. We are convinced that safe workplaces and productive employment are crucial for creating prosperity and achieving the best quality of life for everyone. Our work in regional economic development also contributes to this goal.
High-quality education and further training are central to our efforts to build a just and inclusive society. KAESER is already thinking about the future with its comprehensive training for young talents. All employees have access to extensive further training opportunities. Our goal is to nurture talents and develop people's skills and competencies.
KAESER supports and promotes sustainable industrialization and develops forward-looking infrastructure. Through our initiatives, we strive to foster sustainable industries that are efficient and resource-conserving, and to build infrastructures that meet societal needs.
Gender equality is a key objective, aiming to promote equality and eliminate gender-based discrimination. As a company bound by collective bargaining, KAESER ensures equal pay and career opportunities for all genders.
One of KAESER's core goals is to reduce resource consumption, focusing on the intelligent use of resources, environmentally friendly production processes, and efficient management. We also develop strategies for an effective circular economy.
KAESER is committed to clean and CO2-neutral energy now and in the future. We are also working to electrify our vehicle fleet to actively protect the environment and reduce CO2 emissions in all areas.
KAESER operates comprehensive energy management to increase energy efficiency and sustainably reduce emissions. The circular economy is a focal point within the context of environmental management. In addition, our efficient products help reduce greenhouse gases.
Our CO2 balance – today and tomorrow:
The Paris Climate Agreement is a crucial step towards limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius and ideally to 1.5 degrees. To achieve this, no more climate-damaging gases should be emitted in the second half of this century than can be absorbed by carbon sinks such as forests. This "greenhouse gas neutrality" can only be achieved if the world economy quickly and consistently emits significantly fewer greenhouse gases. The goal of this decarbonisation is net greenhouse gas neutrality, which means an almost complete reduction of all greenhouse gas emissions compared to today, especially carbon dioxide.
Our goals:
KAESER has set itself ambitious goals. We aim to reduce direct emissions (Scope 1) and indirect emissions (Scope 2) by 80% by 2030 (compared to the base year 2019). Additionally, our indirect emissions from the upstream and downstream value chain (Scope 3) should decrease by 15% over the same period.
We calculate emissions according to the GHG Protocol, which categorizes greenhouse gas emissions into different areas known as ‘Scopes’.
Where do we stand currently?
To sustainably reduce energy consumption in our production processes, we have initiated a transformation process. This includes transforming KAESER into a CO2-neutral company.
All buildings are being successively renovated for energy efficiency, new buildings are constructed to the highest energy standards, and designed to integrate renewable energy sources. We already cover a significant portion of our energy needs through our own photovoltaic systems and heat pumps. Our explicit goal is to continually increase the degree of autonomy in production. We already source 100% green electricity and CO2-neutral heat.
Our main site is supplied with CO2-neutral district heating, providing a number of advantages: as it originates from a central heat source and is distributed via a network, it enables highly efficient energy use. This eliminates the need for individual heating systems using heating oil or natural gas, thereby saving resources and reducing emissions. Another benefit is flexibility; the heating supply can be adjusted according to demand. We also produce cooling from excess heat for our buildings and production processes, making our processes more efficient and environmentally friendly.
What KAESER has accomplished on its journey to net-zero at its production sites:
- CO2 reduction
CO2 reduction of over 50% compared to the base year 2019
- District heating
Efficient use of CO2-neutral district heating
- Electromobility
Targeted advancement of electromobility
- Green electricity
Use of 100% green electricity
Net-zero means that all greenhouse gas emissions produced are offset by measures that remove them from the atmosphere.
As a provider of compressed air systems, we efficiently utilize the exhaust heat from our compressors in both our compressed air stations and test rooms. Our KAESER heat recovery systems enable the use of thermal energy to heat production halls. Additionally, the compressed air generated during our product testing processes is fed into our compressed air network, further increasing our energy efficiency. Another advantage: environmental friendliness. By utilizing recovered heat energy and compressed air, the need for external energy is significantly reduced, thereby also lowering CO2 emissions.
The road to CO2-neutrality begins with the details. Recognizing this, we have implemented numerous measures that may seem minor at first glance but have a significant impact. For example, we have upgraded the lighting at all production sites to energy-saving LEDs. Moreover, we are making substantial progress in promoting electromobility on multiple fronts.