Sustainability Report 2022 as an important milestone

Pfleiderer published its Sustainability Report for the reporting year 2022 in June. The report follows on from the ESG Framework Report 2021 and, in doing so, follows the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard for the first time. “With the Sustainability Report 2022, we are presenting an important milestone in Pfleiderer’s development,” explains Dr. Frank Herrmann, CEO of the Pfleiderer Group. “In line with our commitment “Naturally Sustainable”, we look back on many years of successful transformation. Concrete successes in securing our wood supply chain, increasing the share of renewable energy and the recycling rate, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions underpin our efforts. We are equally successful in increasing occupational safety in the company, fighting corruption and compliance integration. We are consistently pursuing this path and present results and objectives in this sustainability report.”

With the ESG Framework Report published in 2021, Pfleiderer is already clearly committed to the Paris climate targets and aims to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Pfleiderer is also committed to the goals of the UN Global Compact and promotes the ten principles in the areas of human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and zero tolerance of corruption. The Sustainability Report 2022, which is based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard, is divided into three focus areas – materials, climate and people – with a total of thirteen individual quantitative and qualitative targets.

The materials field of action is based on principles relating to the circular economy, renewable resources, responsible procurement and the protection of biodiversity. Dr. Stefanie Eichiner, Head of Sustainability at Pfleiderer, explains: “We are ensuring that our material wood lives up to its reputation as a particularly sustainable material. To this end, we are increasing the proportion of recycled wood in our products to 50 percent by 2025. We are also increasing the yield of the wood used in production to 90 percent by 2025. And we are also thinking sustainably when it comes to binders: by 2025, we will manufacture at least 10 percent of our wood-based materials with a proportion of bio-resin.”

In the field of action Climate, everything revolves around environmentally compatible production, renewable energy and net zero CO2 emissions. “Our goal is to gradually reduce our net CO2 footprint to zero by 2050,” Dr. Eichiner elaborates. “To this end, we at Pfleiderer are already continuously analyzing and optimizing all processes in our corporate activities. As a result, we have reduced our emissions from electricity purchases and process heat generation by 31 percent compared to 2020. By 2025, we are working to also reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions related to purchased chemical products by 21 percent.”

Fair and motivating working conditions, doing what is right, and loyal and committed stakeholders are the principles in the people field of action. “Our employees are of central importance when it comes to sustainable transformation,” explains Dr. Eichiner.