Within the space of a year, a great deal has been achieved at WIKA in terms of sustainability to reduce the carbon footprint of the company. Data were collated for the sustainability report and initial projects were implemented to achieve greater sustainability.
A sustainability report is a way for a company to show the public what it stands for and it sets out its position in relation to social, ecological and economic values. An EU Directive obliges the WIKA Group to produce such a publication in 2025 for the first time. The sustainability report has equal status with the annual report and it is also checked by an external auditor.
It details the carbon footprint right across the value-added chain
The team in the new Sustainability and Environmental Compliance department is driving forward the topic of sustainability at WIKA.
Part of the sustainability report deals with the carbon footprint. This metric provides a measure of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the company and also right across the value-added chain of the WIKA Group. For this, for the first time, WIKA surveyed all companies within the group to obtain a set of baseline values. These included details about employee numbers, consumption of power and water, volumes of waste, the vehicle fleet and business travel.
However, the sustainability report also includes other information about WIKA. A materiality analysis identified relevant topics, including development of sustainable products, healthcare and workplace safety as well as employer attractiveness and personnel development.
WIKA’s first sustainability report is based on what is known as the GRI standard (Global Reporting Initiative). The aim is to increase the volume of data and to reduce WIKA’s carbon footprint. It will be published in 2024.
WIKA is also backing up its sustainability aspirations with additional staff. Since early 2023, all associated tasks are being handled by the new Sustainability and Environmental Compliance department which reports to Corporate Quality. Previously, this matrix of topics was handled by an interdisciplinary team.
Sustainable business travel, promotional items and office material
From bags to umbrellas: sustainability guides WIKA in the search for promotional items.
Parallel to collating data for this first sustainability report, WIKA is implementing individual projects all of which contribute towards the reduction of its carbon footprint. For example, there is now a guide on the intranet for making business travel more sustainable.
Since promotional items also convey the values of a company, WIKA is progressively updating its range with sustainable alternatives. By way of example, dextrose is now only available in paper wrapping. The Advent calendar is climate neutral. It is made of FSC wood and its plastic interior is made of fully recycled material. The WIKA bag is now made of recycled PET material and is white instead of coloured. Only the logo and the internet address are printed in blue.
Office materials are also to become more sustainable. An essential role is played by three factors: recycled material, recognised certification and refillable pens. WIKA also ensures that all items are either “Made in Germany” or that they were produced in a low-carbon manner.
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You can also find out more about WIKA’s sustainability strategy at WIKA website.
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