Sustainable Development Goals
At GEA, we are contributing substantially to creating a more sustainable society in two respects. First, our state-of-the-art products and process solutions assist our customers in working more eco-efficiently and in reaching their own sustainable development goals. In addition, we have designed our in-house value creation processes such that they directly help reach the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“If we as a society want to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, we have got our work cut out for us. This challenge has made us all the more resolute in our pursuit of sustainability at GEA. I am proud of the contributions GEA is making as we create value for both ourselves and our customers. Plus, I’m optimistic about the future: Our goals are ambitious, but achievable.” Stefan Klebert, CEO, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft
The United Nations has issued a total of 17 Sustainable Development Goals as part of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The goals were formulated in response to global challenges such as poverty, inequality, hunger and climate change and serve as a blueprint for a better, more sustainable future for all. GEA supports the UN’s comprehensive approach and aims to leverage its position as a globally operating corporation to help reach these goals.
Scope
This is why we at GEA have based our own sustainability strategy on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the process, GEA has defined clear goals and a binding timetable for their attainment.
GEA has developed comprehensive initiatives aimed at safeguarding the health and safety of its employees.
GEA's occupational health and safety policy focuses on prevention and the expansion of health services at its locations. This includes the promotion of a healthy lifestyle through lectures on relevant health topics and the evaluation of near accidents.
| Sustainable Development Goal |
Target |
Timeline |
| Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages |
Advance and expand the GEACare health management program with a focus on ensuring the health and safety of our employees in their day-to-day working lives. |
2025 |
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Lost Day Frequency Rate ≤ 5,0* |
2025 |
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Lost Day Severity Rate ≤ 110** |
2025 |
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Pro-Active Initiate Rate ≥ 200 |
2025 |
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Lost Day Frequency Rate ≤ 5,6* |
2020 |
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Lost Day Severity Rate ≤ 120** |
2020 |
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Pro-Active Initiate Rate ≥ 100 |
2020 |
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*Accident frequency: Lost time injuries per million hours worked |
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**Accident severity: Days lost after accidents per million hours worked |
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GEA has been gradually reducing its own global water consumption at all locations each year, especially in regions where water is scarce.
| Sustainable Development Goal |
Objective |
Timeline |
| Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all |
Reduce water consumption by 50% for each EUR 1 million in revenue (base year: 2018) |
2050 |
|
Reduce water consumption by 14.1% for each EUR 1 million in revenue (base year: 2018) |
2025 |
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Reduce water consumption by 2.1% for each EUR 1 million in revenue (base year: 2018) |
2020 |
GEA works closely with its suppliers and checks their compliance with joint working standards and values in order to protect human rights worldwide and ensure fair working conditions.
| Sustainable Development Goal |
Target |
Timeline |
| Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable econonic growth, full and productive employement and decent work for all |
Continue integrating social and ethical standards into our supply chain program |
2025 |
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Implement GEA’s objectives in the supply chain and help contribute to achieving those objectives |
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Constantly monitor those companies that have signed GEA’s Code of Conduct for Suppliers and Sub-Contractors for compliance and conduct tests of supply chain efficiency |
2020 |
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Continuously improve and expand our human rights documentation and define campaigns designed to meet the requirements set forth in the German government’s National Action Plan (NAP) |
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GEA offers a broad spectrum of sustainable, energy-efficient products and works with its customers to use raw materials efficiently and to reduce and/or effectively recycle waste.
| Sustainable Development Goal |
Objective |
Timeline |
| Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns |
Continuously develop highly efficient, more sustainable equipment and technologies in response to the decline in natural resources |
ongoing |
|
Reduce waste by 50% for each EUR 1 million in revenue (base year: 2018) |
2050 |
|
Promote continuous development and improvement of our management systems by having all GEA production sites certified to DIN ISO 9001, DIN ISO 14001 and DIN ISO 45001 |
2025 |
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Reduce waste by 14.1% for each EUR 1 million in revenue (base year: 2018) |
|
|
Expand our life cycle analysis and end-of-life concepts to better depict greenhouse gas emissions during the product use phase (reported under Scope 3) |
2020 |
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Reduce waste by 2.1% for each EUR 1 million in revenue (base year: 2018) |
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GEA is committed to upholding the Paris climate change targets and the German government’s climate protection plan. By 2050, we plan to have reduced our own greenhouse gas emissions by half.
| Sustainable Development Goal |
Objective |
Timeline |
| Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts |
Reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 52.4% versus the 2015 base year (Scope 1 and Scope 2) |
2050 |
|
Reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 19.1% versus the 2015 base year (Scope 1 and Scope 2) |
2025 |
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Continuously reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.1% (ongoing) versus the prior year and based on revenue (Scope 1 and Scope 2) |
2020 |
GEA works closely with customers, NGOs and other partners to jointly support sustainable development.
| Sustainable Development Goal |
Objective |
Timeline |
| Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sutainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels |
Solidify ethical corporate leadership by issuing a statement on human rights in line with the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and support the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact |
2020 |
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Implement the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas |
2020 |