Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG banks on sustainability
24/06/21
Würth has set itself ambitious goals: In the future, the company aims at harmonizing its ecological, economic and social targets. Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG (AW KG) plans to be carbon-neutral* at all company sites across Germany by the year 2024. Sustainability is part of the core strategy to prepare the company for the future. Würth deliveries to customers are already carbon-neutral today.
“Sustainable operations are becoming more important among our customers, too. Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG will act as a role model for the entire Würth Group,” explained Robert Friedmann, Chairman of the Central Managing Board of the Würth Group. “We want to attach the same degree of importance to environmental protection that people have come to appreciate about our social and cultural commitment.”
Robert Friedmann, Chairman of the Central Managing Board of the Würth Group
AW KG has initiated extensive measures to achieve carbon-neutral operations at its company headquarters in Künzelsau-Gaisbach and all shops and offices across Germany: changing over to electromobility, improving energy efficiency by implementing an energy management system (DIN EN ISO 50001), expansion of in-house power generation, sourcing green energy, compensating for unavoidable CO² emissions.
“We are working on a holistic energy concept for heating, electricity and mobility to reduce our emissions.”
Norbert Heckmann, Chairman of the Management of Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG
AW KG plans to change over 50 percent of its packaging to recyclable solutions by 2025 and save an additional 20 percent of overall packaging material compared to 2020. The first projects have already been initiated: Together with a manufacturer of packaging materials, Würth has developed packaging solutions for machining tools that are made to 100 percent from post-consumer recycled plastics (PCR), i.e. from plastic waste recycled in Germany’s dual system for the recycling of packaging.
Electromobility: sustainable alternatives
The entire vehicle fleet will be changed over to battery electric drive before 2024. In the current transition phase, sales and inside staff can order electric vehicles on a voluntary basis. To facilitate this changeover, AW KG is greatly expanding the existing infrastructure: 200 charging points will be installed at the head office alone, with another 200 spread across Würth shops all over Germany. To gain more experience in the field of alternative drive systems, hydrogen vehicles are currently being tested as well.
Energy efficiency
In order to use electricity and heating as efficiently as possible, Würth is optimizing its energy management, integrating it into existing management systems. Certification is planned for 2022. Through more measuring points, the system will achieve greater transparency in energy consumption.
In-house power generation
Photovoltaic will help tap into the potentials offered by in-house power generation. The first plant is planned to open before the end of the year. Additional plants will follow, e.g. on the new innovation center (to be completed at the end of 2022). In the final project stage, AW KG is planning to reach a total surface area of 28,000 square meters. The remaining power needs will be covered through renewable energy sources. The head office has already been switched over completely to green energy. Remaining emissions could be reduced to zero. The remaining emissions from other sites that cannot be avoided or reduced in advance are compensated for by investments in environmental protection projects. Climate-friendly operations are the long-term goal.
Strong commitment to cultural and social projects
Social responsibility and commitment have always played a major role at Würth. More than 18,500 works of art from the Würth Collection are on display for the general public at five museums and ten associated galleries around Europe. Admission is free. In June 2020, Museum Würth 2 opened in the annex to the Carmen Würth Forum Cultural and Convention Center at the company’s head office in Künzelsau-Gaisbach. The Würth Foundation promotes projects in the fields arts and culture, science and research as well as training and education. The integration of people with disabilities is an initiative launched by Carmen Würth.
*Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG measures and identifies the direct and indirect generation of greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol classifies a company’s direct and indirect emissions into three scopes:
Scope 1: This scope includes all emissions from sources owned or controlled by a company, e.g. from its own establishments or vehicle fleet.
Scope 2: This scope covers all indirect emissions from the generation and provision of purchased or acquired energy services from third parties. These energy services include, electricity, heating and air conditioning technology consumed by the reporting company.
Scope 3: This scope comprises those indirect emissions that occur through a company’s operations, but cannot be controlled directly by this company. Scope 3 includes emissions that occur in both upstream and downstream operations such as transport and distribution, commuting and business trips.
The carbon-neutral objectives of AW KG are based on direct emissions (Scope 1) and indirect emissions (Scope 2). While upstream and downstream emissions (Scope 3) will be analyzed and identified within the scope of the company’s carbon footprint analysis, they cannot be fully included in the company’s climate targets, as they cannot be influenced directly yet. Würth is working on achieving greater transparency, in order to make a positive contribution to the Paris Agreement through its holistic climate strategy at the parent company, but also in the Würth Group as a whole.
About Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG
Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG is the leading specialist for assembly and fastening materials for professional use. It is the largest individual company of the globally operating Würth Group. Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG employs more than 7,400 people nationwide, generating sales of EUR 2.21 billion in fiscal year 2020.