Annual Report 2012 - Knorr-Bremse AG.
Annual Report 2012 - Knorr-Bremse AG.
Annual Report 2012 - Knorr-Bremse AG.
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<strong>Report</strong> 137<br />
Environmental and climate protection<br />
As a globally operating company <strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong> is aware of its responsibility to protect the climate<br />
and ensure a clean environment. In addition to developing and promoting environment-friendly<br />
technologies, the Group also pursues active environmental management, waste, energy and water<br />
management as well as optimization of its logistics and transport processes. The basis for this is the<br />
mandatory Group-wide health, safety and environmental policy of <strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong>, which goes well<br />
beyond compliance with national laws and regulations. The company systematically manages and<br />
improves its corporate standards of environmental protection by setting targets and performance<br />
indicators that are reviewed by means of internal and external audits and comparisons with best<br />
practice elsewhere.<br />
“We publicly acknowledge<br />
our responsibility<br />
for ensuring a clean<br />
environment and<br />
protecting the<br />
climate”.<br />
<strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong> encourages environmental awareness and action<br />
<strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong> uses communication measures and training to raise awareness of environmental issues<br />
amongst its employees. Training needs are assessed on a site-by-site basis and targeted further training<br />
measures developed. Special campaigns and initiatives – and also incentives to make use of public<br />
transport – encourage appropriate patterns of behavior. <strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong> also presents an annual internal<br />
CR Award for outstanding projects in the categories “Environment” and “Social Commitment“.<br />
During the year under review there were two winners in the “Environment” category: the LEADER<br />
driver assistant system for rail vehicles received the prize for its significant contribution towards reducing<br />
fuel consumption and CO 2<br />
emissions; and the second winner was the <strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong> subsidiary<br />
IFE VICTALL for its optimization projects under the ECCO 2<br />
initiative and its comprehensive environment<br />
awareness-raising program for its employees and their families.<br />
Energy efficiency initiative contributes to protecting climate and environment<br />
First launched in 2009, the ECCO 2<br />
(Efficient Cut of CO 2<br />
) energy efficiency campaign is <strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong>’s<br />
way of contributing towards protecting the climate and the environment. Using 2009 as the base<br />
year, the idea is to increase energy efficiency by 20% by the year 2020 and cut related CO 2<br />
emissions<br />
by 20%. As party of the program, scope for making savings was identified in all parts of the company,<br />
suitable measures were incorporated into processes and successful projects transferred to other sites.<br />
The measures introduced have already enabled energy efficiency to be increased by more than 20% and<br />
CO 2<br />
emissions reduced accordingly. In absolute terms the <strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong> Group achieved savings of almost<br />
10% of its annual energy consumption and related CO 2<br />
emissions during the year under review.<br />
This was achieved with the help of a wide range of projects at the various Group sites, including optimization<br />
of compressed air generation and distribution, renewal of lighting systems, more efficient<br />
regulation of HVAC systems and optimization and renewal of production technologies.<br />
To maintain the momentum of these improvements <strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong> intends to continue these campaigns<br />
and introduce a Group-wide system of energy management.<br />
Social responsibility<br />
For <strong>Knorr</strong>-<strong>Bremse</strong>, corporate responsibility also means participating in the life of the community, actively<br />
helping shape social development and having a positive impact on the social environment. The<br />
company is determined to contribute towards positive development in the regions of the world in<br />
which it operates and improve the lives of the people who live there. The company not only supports