DEKRA is becoming more sustainable every day, as the international expert organization has been consistently aligning itself with its vision of being “the global partner for a safe and sustainable world.” The new 2021/22 DEKRA Sustainability Magazine features the latest key figures, progress, and best practices around reducing resource use, playing a positive role in society, protecting our environment, and combating climate change.
- Sustainability is a key component of the DEKRA Vision
- Improvements to services in environmental and social spheres of activity
- Further strategic expansion of service portfolio
“Businesses must do all they can to achieve real environmental and social progress,” says Wolfgang Linsenmaier, who is responsible for sustainability as part of his brief on the DEKRA Management Board. “DEKRA is aware of this responsibility, and we consider every aspect of sustainability to be at the core of our Vision 2025. We are continually improving the impact of our own activities, and we are supporting our customers with innovative, expert services as they endeavor to become more sustainable.”
It was some years ago that DEKRA – the world’s largest unlisted testing and certification organization – set its strategic course, committing itself to the ideals of the UN Global Compact and aligning itself with the universal principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). DEKRA aims to become climate-neutral by 2025 and make an active contribution to compliance with the 1.5° target through the greatest possible reductions. This year, DEKRA again received the top rating of platinum from EcoVadis, making it one of the top one percent of companies in the industry rated on their sustainability.
The 2021/22 DEKRA Sustainability Magazine highlights actions we have taken and successes we have achieved across every area of our business. As a result, sustainability is now an integral part of our management and also forms a key component of our results-driven strategy across all our organizational levels and regions. With this in mind, we introduced a global sustainability training program in 2021, in which almost 25,000 members of staff have now participated.
Our efforts with regard to diversity and inclusion are another example of our commitment, representing a vital part of DEKRA’s agenda for employees and management alike. And by signing the “Charta der Vielfalt” diversity charter, DEKRA has pledged to be actively engaged in promoting diversity within its workforce. In addition, a Diversity Steering Committee was set up as a decision-making and reporting body to define Group-wide goals and drive forward measures.
Climate change mitigation is another pivotal issue. Since November 2021, DEKRA has been part of the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C”, joining the global Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi). This campaign enables businesses to set robust emissions reduction targets in line with climate research. In 2023, this will involve DEKRA submitting measurable emission reduction targets to SBTi for validation. It will then check these targets against the requirements of the Paris Agreement.
Expanding our use of renewable energy is an important aspect of DEKRA’s sustainability goals. We are taking active steps internationally in this regard – for example, incrementally installing photovoltaic systems at our locations. In Chile this year, we installed a total of 178 kWp (kilowatts peak) at three branches. Mexico started the expansion back in 2021 and has since brought around 75 kWp on line across six stations. In Great Britain, we installed our largest standalone system (133 kWp) in Southampton in August 2022. And at DEKRA HQ in Stuttgart, 115 kWp went on stream this March. Further expansion of this worldwide branch-based network is being coordinated and driven forward by the Sustainability Team.
As part of its sustainability strategy, DEKRA also aims to be even more ambitious in providing expert services to assist customers with becoming more sustainable. The DEKRA Sustainability Services Corporate Focus Area (CFA) was launched for this reason. This involves the expansion of our service portfolio in three key areas: the transition to clean energy, ESG (environment, social and governance), and creating a circular economy.
The 2021/22 DEKRA Sustainability Magazine is available online at
DEKRA Nachhaltigkeitsmagazin 2021/22 (dekra-sustainability-magazine-2022.com)
DEKRA’s sustainability reporting is guided by criteria laid out in The Sustainability Code (known in Germany as the Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitskodex). In releasing its Sustainability Code declaration, the DEKRA Group is providing credible and transparent information about its sustainability profile to customers, the general public, and other partners.
www.dekra.com/en/sustainability/
www.dekra.com/en/sustainability-magazine/
