Climate protection

To live up to corporate responsibilities for climate protection, CEWE has set itself aspirational goals which are centred on international standards.

Our climate goals

To counter global climate change and following the ambitious objectives formulated in the Paris Agreement for a low-carbon society, CEWE has set itself two long-term goals to be reached by 2025. These goals were recognised by the Science Based Targets Initiative in 2017:

1. Cutting absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO₂e emissions between 2015 and 2025 from 13,401 t/a to less than 6,700 t/a.

2. Reducing absolute Scope 3 CO₂e emissions as shown in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) by a minimum of 25% by 2025 compared to figures of the baseline year 2015.

Scope 1: Direct CO₂ emissions from stationary and mobile sources. This covers combustion methods for heating (predominantly natural gas) and the fuel consumption by the company's own or leased vehicles.
Scope 2: Indirect emissions originate from generating the electricity bought in.
Scope 3: Other indirect emissions connected to the company's activities yet not generated by it. This includes, for example, the supply chain processes for sourcing materials and the delivery of products, waste management logistics as well as employee commutes or business trips.

CO₂ compensation

CEWE offsets these emissions with reforestation activities and the protection of existing forests in Kenya through the Kasigau Wildlife Corridor project. The forest conservation and reforestation project extends to Kenya's south-west, protecting around 200,000 hectares of dry forest at risk of being destroyed by fire and deforestation. This is approximately equivalent to an area twice the size of Berlin. Advantages of the climate project include the protection of regional water and soil resources by maintaining the ecosystem as well as educational projects for the local communities aimed at protecting existing forests in the long run and developing a local infrastructure for around 150,000 people living in the region. The project helps to offset somewhere around 1,000,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually.

Also, CEWE offsets around 210,000 tons in CO₂ emissions by supporting two certified wind farm projects in southern India and China. The region's economic development is at risk due to what is at times a poor supply of energy. In addition, fossil fuels are frequently used to generate electricity. Support for the wind farms is to help secure the energy supply while at the same time creating emission-free power.


Climate action measures

Climate action at CEWE is composed of offsetting and reducing CO₂ emissions. To reduce CO₂ emissions, we have developed a climate policy which comprises different projects and actions. Reducing energy forms a vital approach for this. The actions taken have already shown to be highly effective

Use of regenerative energies
Use of green electricity
Reduction of energy consumption
Use of low-consumption company vehicles
Distribution logistics
Business trips by train
Energy-conscious behaviour
Climate neutral printing
Use of regenerative energies

Use of regenerative energies

In-house photovoltaic systems have been in operation at the locations in Freiburg, Germering and at the new building in Oldenburg since August 2017.

A reduction in CO2 emissions of 112 tons annually

Use of green electricity

Use of green electricity

All German locations (except for LASERLINE and SAXOPRINT) and the location in Prague run 100% on green electricity.

 

Prevention of 3,416 t of Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2

Reduction of energy consumption

Reduction of energy consumption

Efficiency increases (e.g. LED lighting systems, Green IT) lower the consumption of energy at the various locations.

 

A reduction in CO2 emissions by over 400 tons annually

Use of low-consumption company vehicles

Use of low-consumption company vehicles

CEWE encourages the use of electrical and hybrid vehicles by subsidising the installation of private wall boxes and paying for the cost of electricity. Moreover, CEWE's complete vehicle fleet is CO2 neutral.

 

Reduction of Scope 1 emissions by 726 tons in 2019

Distribution logistics

Distribution logistics

Importing from Asia has been optimised. Products are now no longer stored exclusively at a central warehouse but are delivered directly to the individual sites. In Germany, all CEWE products are shipped climate-neutrally using services such as UPS Carbon Neutral Shipment, GOGREEN and Total Zero.

 

Transport channels and CO2 pollution have been reduced

Business trips by train

Business trips by train

The use of BahnCard Business, a service by Deutsche Bahn for discounted rail travel, allows for climate neutral business travel.

Energy-conscious behaviour

Energy-conscious behaviour

Energy-conscious behaviour on the part of employees and the energy-conscious use of production machinery has been improved. Consequently, machine running times have been extended.

Climate neutral printing

Climate neutral printing

All CEWE brand products are produced using climate-neutral printing processes. Commercial Online Printing (SAXOPRINT, viaprinto and LASERLINE) lets customers produce a climate neutral print of their products against a small surcharge.

20,000 t CO2 were offset for CEWE brand products in 2019.