The second part of the blog series is dedicated to the SDG 13 and thus to climate protection. Measures for the climate protect our nature and counteract climate change. PALFINGER supports this goal with three material sustainability topics.
SDG 13: CLIMATE ACTION
copyright by Antti Lipponen
Man-made climate change is one of the most burning global challenges of our time. It affects every continent, every country, every company and every human being, and we are just at the beginning of the feared development. Negative effects such as rising sea levels, increasingly extreme weather phenomena and temperature fluctuations (see graphic attached, copyright by Antti Lipponen) are already noticeable today, which in turn cause droughts and floods. This also creates risks for PALFINGER, a globally operating company, and its employees and business partners that cannot be ignored.
The world community has recognized this and taken a decision to prevent it. At the end of 2015, 194 countries in Paris committed to keeping global warming below 2° C at the UN Climate Change Conference in order to prevent the worst effects. This goal, which was also anchored in the SDG 13, not only requires the effort of individual governments, but also of private persons and especially of companies. PALFINGER has therefore committed itself to taking responsibility for climate protection and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% until 2030. Furthermore, PALFINGER has set itself the goal of improving its energy efficiency by 1.8 percentage points every year, which also has a positive effect on emissions.
You can find out more about the Sustainable Development Goal 13 on the following website: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/climate-change-2/
PALFINGER’S CONTRIBUTION TO SDG 13
The graphic above shows which internal PALFINGER topics have a direct influence on the SDG 13. Three material sustainability topics from the areas of “Eco-efficiency in production” and “Sustainable products” address this objective.
Product research and development
We strongly invest in product research and development and offer the latest technologies. In 2017, approximately 47 million euros were invested in research and development. Innovations are emerging in particular with regard to energy efficiency in product use, alternative drives, reduction of operating resources and consideration of product life cycles. With PALFINGER 21st, an additional corporate segment has been created to accelerate innovative business models, technologies and products.
Innovation in production
PALFINGER accelerates sustainable innovations and technologies in order to increase efficiency (more output with less input). The share of renewable energy in electricity has increased to 30% in recent years. In Europe, various models for the implementation of photovoltaic systems are being tested. A major step was taken with the conversion of coal to natural gas at the Russian site in Velikiye Luki. Even paint shops are constantly being renewed with more eco-efficient models.
Energy efficiency and climate protection
PALFINGER strives to continuously optimize energy consumption and in-house transport, reduce costs and emissions, and thus actively contributes to climate protection. We strive for the highest building efficiency in regional markets. Greenhouse gas emissions were reduced for the first time in 2017 from 78 to 73 thousand tons. In the future, a stronger focus will be placed on emissions in the upstream and downstream value chain (Scope 3). These emissions arise in the production of raw materials and in the customers’ application of the products and exceed the internally generated share many times over.
Find out more about climate protection in our Integrated Annual Report 2017.
LIFTING SUSTAINABILITY. Shaping the future. Living responsibility.
Read the other articles from the SDG series here:
