Environmental protection – 5 decades of action
As a company with many products, systems, solutions, and services, we have a wide-ranging impact on the environment. Our continued environmental protection and conservation efforts include the reduction of our environmental impact along the entire value chain. They range from climate neutrality and eco efficiency programs to innovative and holistic zero pollution and circular economy initiatives. In managing the environmental impact of our business activities, we go beyond statutory requirements to reach the next level of environmental protection. As a consequence, we reduce our environmental impacts and, with our technologies and solutions, we empower our customers to drive sustainable growth and transform industries towards a more sustainable future.
Green Deals
More and more countries and economic unions are adopting ambitious Green Deals that aim at promoting economically, environmentally and socially sustainable development.
These Green Deals provide valuable support for our business activities and act as an enabler for our ongoing efforts across the areas of responsible product development, efficient operations, and clean supply chain.
Comprising systemic approaches for the creation of sustainable, low-carbon and circular futures, these Green Deals will reshape economies on a global scale and redefine the way business is done. While the various global Green Deals take on different forms or scopes, they share the common goal to drive the green transition via four main fields of action: Climate Neutrality, Zero Pollution, Circular Economy and Biodiversity.
Carbon Neutral operations by 2030
In September 2015, Siemens has been the first global industrial company to commit towards carbon neutrality by 2030. By setting this goal, we wanted to express our firm belief that take leadership actions in the fight against climate change. Meantime, we have more than halved our CO2 footprint with regards to our own operations.
Circular economy is an approach that moves away from a linear economy and society model: Instead of sourcing natural resources for products and components, embedded materials are reduced, reused, recycled and recovered. In addition, the use phase of the products gets extended as far as possible through ecodesign aspects such as serviceability, repairability, upgradeability as well as design for refurbishment and remanufacturing.
Our internal standard for the specifications of environmentally compatible products, services and solutions covers all our products, services and solutions and contains corresponding ecodesign criteria. In addition, we promote the decoupling of economic activity from natural resources use by increasingly purchasing secondary materials.
Pollution harms our health and our environment. It is the largest environmental cause of multiple mental and physical diseases and of premature deaths, especially among children, people with certain medical conditions and the elderly.
Siemens has tackled this issue for many years as a part of its environmental programs reducing and managing its waste, emissions and water related risks, including pollution. A particular focus going forward lies on the management of substances. We constantly substitute substances or substance groups listed among the declarable and regulated substances in our products, whenever this is technically possible and reasonable. Our according ambition to increase the revenue of products without such substances of concern on a year-by-year basis includes all our physical products.
Siemens is committed to preserving biodiversity as part of its environmental management systems. We set up a strategic partnership to scientifically assess our biodiversity footprint and supplement our involvement in sustainability.
Siemens supports biodiversity at its locations with a variety of projects and approaches. All measures have one goal in common, to preserve nature, considering the regional and site specifics to ensure a good fit with the local environment.
Increasing competitiveness with smart and sustainable solutions
Digitalization and sustainability are increasingly influencing corporate agendas. With our digital innovations, we help companies increase their competitiveness, spur their innovation lifecycle, automate processes and increase their energy efficiency. We help drive energy transition and decarbonization across key sectors, such as industry, transport and buildings. By doing so, Siemens helps customers and communities achieve their sustainability goals and lay the foundation for a systematic transformation.
Our Commitments towards Decarbonization
Science Based Targets
In order to prevent the worst effects of climate change, Siemens has committed to a science-based emissions reduction, by setting a 1.5 °C target and to a long-term target to reach net-zero value chain emissions by no later than 2050.
RE100
Siemens is part of the RE100 global corporate renewable energy initiative, committing to 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
EP100
Siemens is committed to only own and occupy buildings that are net zero in operations by 2030 which will lower emissions whilst improving overall competitiveness.
EV100
Siemens commits to 100% electric vehicles by 2030. The goal is to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.
World Economic Forum
Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders
Siemens is member of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders striving to set the bar higher and catalyse action across all sectors and engage policymakers to help deliver the transition to a net-zero economy. This initiative is part of the World Economic Forum’s Climate Action Platform.
Learn more on WEF's Climate Action Platform
Alliance for Clean Air
Siemens is a founding member of the Alliance for Clean Air - launched at COP26 by the World Economic Forum. Air pollution has a large impact on climate and health, which means we're not only playing a role in reducing this impact, but building on our DEGREE commitments announced earlier this year!
