About the report

The Schaeffler Group publishes an annual sustainability report. The last sustainability report was published in March 2021. The current reporting period corresponds to the business year that runs from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021. The editorial deadline for this report was February 22, 2022. The sustainability report including the combined separate non-financial report is publicly available on the company’s website. The sustainability report was written up by order of the Executive Board of the Schaeffler Group. The Board reviewed and released the report content.

Combined separate non-financial report

In this report, the Schaeffler Group discloses the required non-financial information for the 2021 fiscal year in accordance with Sections 289, 315 of the German Commercial Code (HGB) (in accordance with the ). The company exercises the option, in accordance with Section 315b (3) HGB, to produce a combined separate non-financial report () apart from the Group management report. The separate non-financial report was thereby combined with the separate non-financial report of the parent company in accordance with Section 315b (1) (2) HGB and integrated into the sustainability report. The corresponding passages are marked with Part of GNFK StartPart of GNFK End. References to information outside of this icon are to be understood as additional information; these are not mandatory components of the GNFK.

The combined separate non-financial report for the 2021 fiscal year for the Schaeffler Group and Schaeffler AG was reviewed by the Supervisory Board of Schaeffler AG and by the accounting firm KPMG AG on behalf of the Supervisory Board with respect to the legally required information in accordance with Sections 315b, 315c in conjunction with 289b to 289e HGB for the purpose of obtaining limited assurance engagement. This follows the International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 (Revised): “Assurance Engagements other than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information” issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB).

Guidelines for data collection and presentation

The following guidelines on the key figures and data points are valid for the entire report unless otherwise stated: This report includes all major domestic and foreign subsidiaries that are directly or indirectly controlled by Schaeffler AG. The companies are included from the date on which the Schaeffler Group gains control until the date control is lost. If the details and representations of concepts pertain to other entities, this is pointed out accordingly. The survey period is from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021.

When preparing the report, it is necessary in some instances to make appropriate estimates/projections, which are documented internally, to present the complete survey period. Actual values may differ from these estimates and will be corrected in the following year’s reporting. Methodical and structural changes are corrected in principle. Additional comments are provided for deviations greater than five percent. Differences may occur due to commercial rounding of amounts and percentages. Contrary to the abovementioned principles, the cutoff deadline for key figures and employee relationships is generally December 31, 2021. The persons referred to as employees in this report are members of the internally defined “workforce” category. Temporary staff, apprentices, trainees, and contract workers as well as inactive employees are not included.

The scope of key figure consolidation for greenhouse gas emissions, total energy consumption, freshwater withdrawal, waste generation, and recycling rates in the field of environment refers to the production sites defined as essential in the management manual. The majority of these production sites already have , , ISO 45001, and site registrations; the reporting date was December 31, 2021.

Forward-looking statements

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.

Editorial notes

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

The company accepts questions and comments about responsible corporate management in the Schaeffler Group via the e-mail address sustainability@schaeffler.com.

CSR Directive Implementation Act
German: "Richtlinie-Umsetzungsgesetz": law on strengthening companies’ nonfinancial reporting in management reports and group management reports.
GNFK
Abbreviation of "Separate non-financial group report" (German: "Gesonderter nichtfinanzieller Konzernbericht"): The Schaeffler Group thus makes use of the option pursuant to section 315b (3) HGB to prepare the GNFK outside the group management report.
EnEHS
Abbreviation of “energy, environment, health and safety”.
ISO 14001
Globally recognized standard for environmental management systems.
ISO 50001
Globally valid norm for energy management systems.
EMAS
Abbreviation of “Eco-Management and Audit Scheme”: community eco-management and audit scheme setting out requirements under which Schaeffler Group locations are validated.

GRI