OUR MISSION TO BECOME CLIMATE-NEUTRAL

Vaillant Group — компанія, що прагне мінімізувати вплив на кліматичні зміни

Щоб досягти цієї мети, компанія Vaillant Group розробила амбітну довгострокову стратегію щодо мінімізації впливу на клімат. Для отримання детальнішої інформації перегляньте відео.

Завдяки даній Програмі ми прагнемо мінімізувати вплив на кліматичні зміни. Для цього планується скорочення обсягу викидів власних парникових газів на 50% до 2030 року — від приблизно 60 000 тонн на рік у 2018 році до менш ніж 20 000 до 2030 року. Фактично, компанія сприятиме досягненню цілей Паризької угоди від 2015 року, згідно з якою показник глобального потепління не повинен перевищувати +1,5 °C.

Другою метою нашої кліматичної стратегії є компенсування шкідливих викидів, яких неможливо уникнути. Досягти цього можна за допомогою проєктів з лісонасадження, запущених у 2020 році

A major factor in terms of reducing CO2 emissions is electricity from renewable energy sources, which – especially when used at production sites – enables an annual CO2 saving of up to 18,000 tonnes. Our plants and branches in Germany have been running completely on "green" power since 2017, with the plants in the French city of Nantes and the British town of Belper following suit in 2018. Other sites will also make the switch insofar as "green" electricity is available in the country concerned.

A second key factor is reduced energy consumption within the production processes and buildings of the Vaillant Group. Efficiency measures in production and within buildings are designed to help lower gas consumption at the Vaillant Group and thus significantly reduce the associated CO2 emissions.

A third factor is the vehicle fleet. It is intended that its emissions will fall considerably by 2030 – thanks to a gradual switch to more economical vehicles and, wherever possible, electric vehicles. The plan is for electric cars to account for at least 25 to 30 per cent of the Vaillant Group vehicle fleet by 2030.

Offsetting through afforestation

In the long term, the Vaillant Group will offset the remaining CO2 emissions by means of its own afforestation projects. Forests are able to capture the climate-damaging greenhouse gas CO2. As part of long-term projects, the Vaillant Group will plant new areas of forest in emerging countries. In particular, the focus is on natural forest and agroforestry – an agricultural production system that combines elements of arable farming with elements of forestry. Until these planned new areas of forest capture all the company’s emissions remaining after the reduction measures, the Vaillant Group will purchase CO2 certificates from existing and certified afforestation projects. As such, the Vaillant Group will become climate-neutral.

How it works: the less climate-damaging CO2 generated by the Vaillant Group, the less offsetting is required. The more CO2 captured by means of afforestation projects, the fewer certificates the Vaillant Group needs to buy. By 2030 at the latest, it is intended that the remaining emissions will be completely offset by the company’s own afforestation projects.

The basis: emissions accounting in accordance with international standards

With its mission of gradually reducing its own CO2 emissions by 50 per cent, the Vaillant Group is supporting the target of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius. The company is guided in this regard by the requirements of the Science Based Targets initiative. These scientifically sound requirements define the extent to which a company needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions – and the time frame in which it needs to do so – in order to contribute to achieving the 1.5-degree target.

In order to gain a valid data set and understand how many greenhouse gas emissions are caused by specific activities, the Sustainability Management department calculates the carbon footprint of the Vaillant Group on an annual basis. As it does so, it observes the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, an internationally recognised emissions accounting standard.

Shared responsibility for emissions

Alongside the emissions for which the Vaillant Group is directly responsible, there are also emissions that are generated in the upstream or downstream sections of the value chain. We share responsibility for these emissions with suppliers, employees and customers. These include emissions connected with purchased goods and services, as well as those that are caused by transport, business trips and our employees’ commutes to work. In particular, they also include emissions that are caused by the use of Vaillant Group products. The extent of the emissions generated during the operation of a heating system depends on the energy source, the energy standard of the building concerned and personal heating habits. With highly efficient products and state-of-the-art control technology, the Vaillant Group enables its customers to save energy and CO2 emissions.

The climate strategy in detail

Frequently asked questions

What measures will be taken to reach the goal of climate-neutrality?

Reduction and offsetting: the Vaillant Group will reduce its own CO2 emissions by 50 per cent by 2030. This will be accomplished through the increased use of electricity sourced from renewable energies, lower energy consumption within production processes and buildings, and a greener vehicle fleet.

The company will offset its remaining emissions by means of its own afforestation projects. As part of long-term projects, the Vaillant Group will plant new areas of forest in emerging countries. Until these planned new areas of forest capture all the emissions remaining after the reduction measures, the Vaillant Group will purchase CO2 certificates from existing and certified afforestation projects – thus becoming climate-neutral retroactively from 2020 onwards.

What are the costs associated with implementing the climate strategy?

Will the figures only include CO2 emissions or will they also cover other greenhouse gases?

What is the Science Based Targets initiative?

When it comes to setting targets, the company is guided by the requirements of the Science Based Targets initiative of the UN Global Compact, World Resources Institute, Carbon Disclosure Project and World Wide Fund for Nature. These scientifically sound requirements define the extent to which a company needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions – and the time frame in which it needs to do so – in order to contribute to achieving the 1.5-degree target.

We apply the Science Based Targets methodology to the emissions within our sphere of responsibility, i.e. Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, but not to emissions attributable to upstream and downstream stages of the value chain (Scope 3). We share responsibility for these emissions with suppliers and customers, for example, and do not have sole influence over them.