A major factor in terms of reducing CO2 emissions is electricity from renewable energy sources, which – especially when used at production sites – enables an annual CO2 saving of up to 18,000 tonnes. Our plants and branches in Germany have been running completely on "green" power since 2017, with the plants in the French city of Nantes and the British town of Belper following suit in 2018. Other sites will also make the switch insofar as "green" electricity is available in the country concerned.

A second key factor is reduced energy consumption within the production processes and buildings of the Vaillant Group. Efficiency measures in production and within buildings are designed to help lower gas consumption at the Vaillant Group and thus significantly reduce the associated CO2 emissions.

A third factor is the vehicle fleet. It is intended that its emissions will fall considerably by 2030 – thanks to a gradual switch to more economical vehicles and, wherever possible, electric vehicles. The plan is for electric cars to account for at least 25 to 30 per cent of the Vaillant Group vehicle fleet by 2030.

How it works: the less climate-damaging CO2 generated by the Vaillant Group, the less offsetting is required. The more CO2 captured by means of afforestation projects, the fewer certificates the Vaillant Group needs to buy. By 2030 at the latest, it is intended that the remaining emissions will be completely offset by the company’s own afforestation projects.

With its mission of gradually reducing its own CO2 emissions by 50 per cent, the Vaillant Group is supporting the target of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius. The company is guided in this regard by the requirements of the Science Based Targets initiative. These scientifically sound requirements define the extent to which a company needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions – and the time frame in which it needs to do so – in order to contribute to achieving the 1.5-degree target.

In order to gain a valid data set and understand how many greenhouse gas emissions are caused by specific activities, the Sustainability Management department calculates the carbon footprint of the Vaillant Group on an annual basis. As it does so, it observes the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, an internationally recognised emissions accounting standard.

Alongside the emissions for which the Vaillant Group is directly responsible, there are also emissions that are generated in the upstream or downstream sections of the value chain. We share responsibility for these emissions with suppliers, employees and customers. These include emissions connected with purchased goods and services, as well as those that are caused by transport, business trips and our employees’ commutes to work. In particular, they also include emissions that are caused by the use of Vaillant Group products. The extent of the emissions generated during the operation of a heating system depends on the energy source, the energy standard of the building concerned and personal heating habits. With highly efficient products and state-of-the-art control technology, the Vaillant Group enables its customers to save energy and CO2 emissions.