Climate neutral company 2022

As a climate-neutral company 2022, we first had our CO2 footprint calculated, which means that all CO2 emissions of the company and the product range were recorded. Cost-efficient measures were introduced for possible savings and unavoidable CO2 emissions were offset by climate protection projects. In this way, climate neutrality can be achieved through compensation.

The carbon footprint is the measure of the amount of greenhouse gases (measured in CO₂ equivalents) produced directly and indirectly, by an activity of an individual, a company, an organization or a product. It includes the resulting emissions from raw materials, production, transport, trade, use, recycling and disposal. The basic idea of the CO2 footprint or carbon footprint is therefore to create a basis on which influences on the climate can be measured, evaluated and compared. In this way, necessary reduction potentials can be identified, measures can be developed and their effectiveness can be evaluated.

The greenhouse effect is a global phenomenon, since the distribution of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is roughly the same. Therefore, it does not matter where in the world greenhouse gases are saved or stored. The Kyoto Protocol, which is binding under international law, therefore stipulates that so-called climate protection projects that avoid or store greenhouse gas emissions should take place where they are most economical. Accordingly, there are many projects in newly industrializing and developing countries, since the potential for savings through new technologies is still very high here and these can be used much more cost-effectively. In addition, the conditions for renewable energy plants (solar, wind, water and biomass) are often much more favorable there. The initiators of the climate protection projects - mainly renewable energy projects - receive emission credits for their commitment, which can be traded in the form of climate protection certificates. The amount is measured, for example, by comparison with the emissions that would have resulted from the construction of a coal-fired power plant. In this way, emission reductions are realized where the cost of avoiding one ton of CO2 is lowest. Emissions trading also makes a significant contribution to the transfer of clean technologies to newly industrializing and developing countries and to sustainable economic, ecological and social development in the region, as well as to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

1. contribution to the goals of the government, the European Union, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

2. raising awareness among employees, suppliers and customers regarding the use of finite resources. This positively changes the way energy and other resources are used in the company and in people's everyday lives.

3. entry into the growth market of "sustainable companies". The "climate-neutral" status enables us to distinguish ourselves in our market segment.

4. currently, this enables us to play a pioneering role and thus position our company as progressive, innovative, partner-oriented and forward-looking.

5. promotes awareness of the energy transition.

6. the status as a climate-neutral company and the offer makes the company a partner of its customers in the above-mentioned topics.

The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions includes the seven main greenhouse gases defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Kyoto Protocol: carbon dioxide (CO2),methane (CH4),nitrous oxide (N2O),hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),perfluorocarbons (PFCs),nitrogen trifluoride (NF3),and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

Not every one of the seven main greenhouse gases is equally effective. Methane, for example, is 21 times more harmful to the climate than CO2, nitrous oxide 310 times, and sulfur hexafluoride as much as 14,000 times. To compare emissions, all greenhouse gases are therefore converted to CO2. This is then referred to as CO2 equivalents. The conversion of the collected consumption data (such as electricity consumption or fuel consumption) is done by means of emission factors, which indicate the emissions per unit (e.g. per kilowatt hour of electricity or liter of gasoline). The emission factors come mainly from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs),but also from the GEMIS database (Global Emissions Model of Integrated Systems, IINAS) and the Ecoinvent database, and are updated regularly.

A CO2 calculation is performed in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standards (GHG Protocol). It is the most widely used and recognized standard internationally for CO2 accounting by organizations. The following five basic principles are observed for the preparation of the CO2 balance:

• Relevance: Selection of organizational boundaries (company components/locations and subsidiaries) and operational boundaries (emission areas).

• Completeness: coverage of all relevant emission sources within the selected system boundaries.

• Consistency: use of calculation methods and selection of system boundaries that allow comparability across years.

• Transparency: Clear and comprehensible presentation of the data, emission factors, calculations and results used for external third parties.

• Accuracy: biases and uncertainties should be minimized in order to have a solid basis for decision making through the results

Emissions are divided within the GHG Protocol according to Scopes 1, 2 and 3, each comprising different types of greenhouse gas emissions: Scope 1 includes direct emissions from the company's own energy facilities. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions that occur in the provision of energy to the company. Scope 3 emissions are further indirect emissions that occur throughout the value chain.

Scope 1 includes all greenhouse gas emissions that occur directly in the company. This includes, for example, emissions from the combustion of stationary sources (e.g. boilers) or mobile sources (e.g. the company's own vehicle fleet),greenhouse gas emissions from production or chemical processes, and fugitive greenhouse gas emissions.

Scope 2 includes all indirect greenhouse gas emissions that arise for the provision of energy by an energy supply company for the company (electricity or district heating).

Scope 3 includes all other greenhouse gas emissions related to the company's operations (outsourced operations, waste disposal, recycling, business travel, employee commuting, etc.).

This greenhouse gas balance sheet provides a transparent overview of our company's greenhouse gas emissions. The report thus forms an important building block in our climate protection commitment. On the basis of the values determined and through the purchase of a corresponding quantity of climate certificates, our company was made climate neutral 2022.

The acquired number of CO2 certificates were decommissioned. This is significant in that this decommissioning is a prerequisite for the design and marketing of CO2-neutral companies and/or products. Without decommissioning, a CO2 certificate could continue to be traded in the voluntary market if necessary, which would not achieve any additional emission reduction.