Report profile

With the sustainability report 2018, the Schaeffler Group is informing it stakeholders, including employees, customers, and business, finance, and research partners, about goals, measures, and progress toward responsible corporate governance for the third time in a row.

The underlying data management has been optimized to transparently present the performance in the fields of action “sustainable management”, “customers and products”, “environment and energy”, and “employees and society”. For the first time, the performance indicators are shown for three years. In the magazine section, two concrete examples per field of action also show how Schaeffler advances its projects.

The report was formulated in keeping with the standards for reporting of the Global Reporting Initiative () according to the “core” option. The information relates to the entire Schaeffler Group with its business fields. Where it seems useful, a reference is made to supplementary information in the annual report or to further sources. The reporting period corresponds to the business year that runs from January 1 to December 31, 2018. The editorial deadline for this report was March 15, 2019.

The report was written up by order of the Executive Board of the Schaeffler Group. The Board reviewed and released the report content. The information on economic matters in the sustainability report 2018 is based on the Schaeffler Group information from the annual report 2018. The report additionally contains non-financial information that was reviewed in a business audit in the context of preparing the separate non-financial report 2018.

This document contains forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current views with respect to future events. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are beyond the Schaeffler Group’s ability to control or estimate precisely, such as future market and economic conditions, the behavior of other market participants, the ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and achieve anticipated synergies, and the actions of government regulators. If any of these cases or other risks and uncertainties occur, or if the assumptions underlying any of these statements prove incorrect, then actual results may be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. The Schaeffler Group does not intend or assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report.

The Schaeffler Group’s report is available in German and English. In case of discrepancies, the German version is binding.

As in previous years, the sustainability report is published in PDF and online versions. In the course of digitalization and in order to conserve resources, a printed version has been deliberately omitted for the first time.

The company accepts questions and comments about responsible corporate management at the Schaeffler Group via the email address sustainability@schaeffler.com.

Editorial note: For better readability, this report generally uses only the masculine form when referring to groups of persons. Unless indicated otherwise, these statements should not be construed to refer to a specific gender. In addition to “Schaeffler Group”, the term “the company” or the short form “Schaeffler” are also used. Deviations of individual pieces of information from this report framework are cited accordingly.

Additional information on the Schaeffler Group’s contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals () can be found under Understanding of sustainability. An expanded key figure set is available under Key figures on sustainability.

Sustainability
Sustainability means utilizing natural resources in a way that observes the particular economic, environmental and social conditions without neglecting the interests of future generations.
Sustainability
Sustainability means utilizing natural resources in a way that observes the particular economic, environmental and social conditions without neglecting the interests of future generations.
GRI
Global Reporting Initiative; an organization founded in 1997 that uses a participatory procedure to develop criteria for the preparation of sustainability reports.
Sustainability
Sustainability means utilizing natural resources in a way that observes the particular economic, environmental and social conditions without neglecting the interests of future generations.
GRI
Global Reporting Initiative; an organization founded in 1997 that uses a participatory procedure to develop criteria for the preparation of sustainability reports.
Sustainability
Sustainability means utilizing natural resources in a way that observes the particular economic, environmental and social conditions without neglecting the interests of future generations.
SDGs
Sustainable Development Goals; 17 goals for sustainable development of the United Nations that are intended to help secure sustainable development on the economic, social, and ecological level.