Energy and emissions

  • The Schaeffler Group is committed to the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2°C or 1.5°C
  • The Schaeffler climate program bundles a variety of measures throughout the value chain

Schaeffler climate program adopted

Part of GNFK StartThe Schaeffler Group pursues an integrated approach to fighting climate change across all divisions, functions, and regions. The Schaeffler climate program addresses the company’s entire value chain and is based on three pillars: supply chain, production, and product. The supply chain pillar includes all of the climate-relevant measures of sustainable procurement, including dialogues with strategically relevant steel suppliers about their climate performance. It also encompasses the topics of sustainable logistics and packaging.

The primary focus of the production pillar is the new Sustainable Sites program and all of the measures dedicated to reducing and . The aim is to achieve carbon-neutral production worldwide by 2030. The product pillar addresses topics such as life cycle assessments and product innovations for an improved carbon footprint.Part of GNFK End

Measures

Sustainable Raw Materials

  • Analysis and reduction of of purchased materials
  • Transparency in the supply chain under economic, ecological and social aspects

Sustainable Packaging

  • Determination of CO2 values for the packaging materials portfolio by the end of 2021 for targeted identification of optimization potential and subsequent implementation
  • Developing a reusable packaging system for large-diameter bearings, especially for wind power OEM customers

Sustainable Logistics

  • Monitoring transport CO2 emissions
  • Involvement of transport CO2 emissions in the strategic planning and optimization of the own supply chain

Energy Efficiency

  • Implementation of measures for optimized heating and compress air systems
  • Implementation of measures for optimized machines and machine cool

Renewable Energy

  • Increasing the share of purchased green electricity to 100%
  • Increasing the share of self-generated renewable energy

Life Cycle Assessment

  • Standardized analysis of the carbon footprint of Schaeffler products
  • Conducting scenario analyses and deriving CO2 optimization potentials

Product Innovation

  • Active support of the Schaeffler Group’s customers in designing environmentally and climate-friendly products and technologies
  • Product solutions in five focus areas: CO2-efficient Drives, Chassis Applications, Machinery & Equipment, Renewable Energy, and Aftermarket Solutions & Services

Carbon-neutral production

CO2 reduction by 2030 compared to base year 2019

SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production SDG 13 Climate Action
CO2-neutral production goal (pie chart)

The growing importance of life cycle assessments

To reduce the environmental impact of its products, the Schaeffler Group is increasingly dedicated to circular economy and is conducting life cycle assessments (LCAs). These can reveal a product’s environmental impact throughout its entire life cycle and be used to develop measures for improvement.

Increasing energy efficiency

Part of GNFK StartThe fundamental aim is to increase energy efficiency in relation to business development. The Schaeffler Group’s energy management defines minimum targets for all plants. The plants also set their own targets, with internal audits conducted to verify implementation.

The Schaeffler Group determines energy consumption throughout the company as a foundation for improving energy efficiency over the long term. In 2013, the company began rolling out an energy management system in accordance with , ultimately achieving a coverage rate1) of 99.3 % in 2020 (prior year: 98.0 %).

Internal specialists and auditors monitor the development of energy consumption using a standardized, global energy data management system.

100

measures achieved improvements of energy efficiency equivalent to more than 27 GWh

In 2020, the Schaeffler Group started bundling all relevant resources in a single energy efficiency program through an interdisciplinary team of specialists on a plant, regional, and central level with the aim of increasing cumulative annual energy efficiency of 100 from 2020 to 2024. The sub-target for 2020 was to implement energy efficiency measures that would lead to annual savings of at least 25 from 2021 onwards. During the reporting year 100 measures achieved improvements of 27.4 worldwide. Measures included intelligent LED lighting concepts as well as optimizing heating and compressed-air systems and production facilities.

Energy Efficiency

100 GWh cumulated annual efficiency gains through implementation of energy efficiency measures by 2024

SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production SDG 13 Climate Action
Energyefficacy goal (pie chart)

As a result of ongoing improvements in energy efficiency and the initial results of the switch to renewable energies, the Schaeffler Group’s absolute direct and indirect CO2 emissions2) fell by around 27 % compared to the prior year, from 1,026,057 to 754,656 tons of CO2. All German production sites have exclusively used green electricity since 2020. However, the significant drop can be also explained due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Own greenhouse gas emissions in t CO2, including Scope 1 and Scope 2 (market-based)1)2)

Greenhouse gas emissions scope 1 and 2 (bar chart)

1) The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions is based on the emission factors of the VDA (2017) and the Probas database of the German Federal Environmental Agency. Emission sources covered: (natural gas, fuel oil, propane) and Scope 2 (electricity, district heating). Supplier-specific emission factors were used to determine Scope 2 “marketbased”.
2) The reduction is primarily due to the purchase of 100 % green electricity in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Renewable Energy

100 % purchased power from renewable sources by 2024

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy SDG 13 Climate Action
Renewable energy goal (pie chart)

Projects were carried out to identify, classify, and potentially reduce . Emissions were calculated for the entire purchasing volume on the basis of macroeconomic input-output models. Material emission sources were then identified through hot spot analysis.Part of GNFK End

Total greenhouse gas emissions, including Scope 1, Scope 2 (market-based), and Scope 31)

Greenhouse gas emissions scope 1, 2 and 3 (pie chart)

1) The calculation of Scope 3 currently includes four upstsream categories.
2) The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions is based on the emission factors of the VDA (2017) and the Probas database of the German Federal Environmental Agency. Emission sources covered: (natural gas, fuel oil, propane) and Scope 2 (electricity, district heating). Supplier-specific emission factors were used to determine Scope 2 “market-based”.
3) Scope 3.1, Scope 3.4, and Scope 3.5 greenhouse gas emissions are calculated on the basis of a recognized input-output model that uses the method of multiregional input-output calculation and quality-assured data from international environmental, resource, and social statistics (, BEA, World Bank indicators, and EXIOBASE). Calculation is based on Schaeffler’s purchasing volume in 2020 and takes additional steel-specific factors into account.
4) Not contained in Scope 1 or 2. Scope 3.3 greenhouse gas emissions are calculated on the basis of the emission factors of Defra (2020) and the emission factors of the German Federal Environmental Agency (2018, emission values of renewable energy sources). Upstream chain emissions and T&D losses are calculated on the basis of the emission sources considered for (natural gas, fuel oil, propane) and Scope 2 (electricity, district heating).

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Energy consumption

 

 

2020

 

2019

 

2018

Energy consumption, total in GWh1) 2)

 

3,005

 

3,290

 

3,367

Electricity consumption in GWh2) 3)

 

2,083

 

2,316

 

2,365

Natural gas consumption in GWh2)

 

825

 

872

 

877

Fuel oil consumption in GWh2)

 

5

 

7

 

9

District heating consumption in GWh

 

48

 

48

 

63

Propane/LPG consumption in GWh2)

 

44

 

47

 

53

1)

Energy sources included: electricity, natural gas, district heating, propane, fuel oil, without the amount of electricity produced by the gas-powered CHP. Including photovoltaic electricity generated internally as of 2020.

2)

Drop primarily due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting reduction in production capacity.

3)

Only external electricity purchases since CHP electricity is recorded via gas consumption. Including photovoltaic electricity generated internally as of 2020.

Bestandteil des GNFK Ende

Shorter routes – better capacity

Part of GNFK StartDuring the reporting period, supply and traffic flows were further optimized in order to improve their energy and carbon footprint. Additional sea transports were also reallocated to selected intercontinental rail routes. Meaningful key figures are important for the targeted reduction of CO2 emissions in logistics. Therefore, the Schaeffler Group is working on collecting data on across the group in the future.Part of GNFK End

More information on logistics emissions can be found in the chapter Global spare parts business.

1) Relating to employees on the production sites

2) The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions is based on the emission factors of the VDA (2017) and the Probas database of the German Federal Environmental Agency. Emission sources covered: Scope 1 (natural gas, fuel oil, propane) and Scope 2 (electricity, district heating). Total of Scope 1 and Scope 2 (market-based).

Scope 1 emissions
Emissions that come from emissions sources within the considered organization (e.g., from power plants or vehicle fleets belonging to the company).
Scope 2 emissions
Emissions that arise from energy production outside of the organization (e.g., from district heating).
Scope 3 emissions
All other emissions caused by the company’s activities but not under a company’s control (e.g., by suppliers).
Industrial
Division of the Schaeffler Group that includes the business with customers in the mobility, production machinery, energy and raw materials, and aerospace sectors.
EnEHS
Abbreviation of “energy, environment, health and safety”.
ISO 50001
Globally valid norm for energy management systems.
EnEHS
Abbreviation of “energy, environment, health and safety”.
GWh
Abbreviation of “Gigawatt-hour”.
GWh
Abbreviation of “Gigawatt-hour”.
GWh
Abbreviation of “Gigawatt-hour”.
Scope 1 emissions
Emissions that come from emissions sources within the considered organization (e.g., from power plants or vehicle fleets belonging to the company).
Scope 3 emissions
All other emissions caused by the company’s activities but not under a company’s control (e.g., by suppliers).
Scope 1 emissions
Emissions that come from emissions sources within the considered organization (e.g., from power plants or vehicle fleets belonging to the company).
OECD
Abbreviation of “Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development”: international organization with 35 member states committed to democracy and a market economy.
Scope 1 emissions
Emissions that come from emissions sources within the considered organization (e.g., from power plants or vehicle fleets belonging to the company).
Scope 3 emissions
All other emissions caused by the company’s activities but not under a company’s control (e.g., by suppliers).

GRI

UNGC