- Climate neutrality by 2030 through CO2 utilisation and avoidance
- Dialogue with social and political stakeholders actively strengthened
- Demonstrated engagement in 3 areas of action
To further expand its commitment to sustainability, EEW has defined three strategic subject areas – “innovations for the future,” “strengthening the circular economy” and “approach to climate change” – and launched numerous projects.
Bernard M. Kemper, Chief Executive Officer: “EEW is an integral player in the sustainable circular economy. Sustainability is therefore part of our core business and a focus of our corporate strategy. Our responsible APPROACH TO CLIMATE CHANGE is characterised by, among other things, our future plans for CO2 capture. We will thus make a further contribution towards reducing the greenhouse effect. Furthermore, we are reducing our climate impact by reducing our own energy demand and we are aiming for climate-neutral plant operations in the long term. It is therefore incomprehensible that this commitment is currently being counteracted by an additional and ecologically ineffective increase in the cost of thermal waste recovery as part of the planned revision of Germany’s Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG).”
Markus Hauck, Chief Financial Officer, adds: “These days, demonstrably sustainable action is a key economic success factor for our company. We want to present how we are STRENGTHENING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY and how this contributes to reaching the climate targets. In 2021, we successfully issued our first €400 million Green Bond on the capital market and received clear feedback from investors that all of our business areas and the corresponding projects contribute to climate and resource protection and thus actively support UN climate goals.”
Joachim Manns, Chief Operating Officer of EEW Group: “In terms of technology, we – independently and with research and academic partners – are developing pioneering INNOVATIONS FOR THE FUTURE: Environmentally-friendly recovery of municipal sewage sludge makes it possible to recover the vital phosphorus contained in the sludge. The maximum recycling of road construction waste containing tar can return raw materials that are becoming increasingly scarce, such as gravel, to a new use. In addition, we take advantage of the possibilities of digitalisation for our maintenance and process optimisation.”
Birgit Fröhlig, Head of Corporate Sustainability, sees the 2021 report as a continuation of the process started in 2018 to implement comprehensive sustainability management at EEW. “For the fourth time, we are documenting everything our group does to act in an economically, environmentally and socially responsible manner. The guiding theme was once again our dialogue concept ‘Let’s talk about:tomorrow.’ We want to further intensify the dialogue with our social and political stakeholders, as well as discussion within the company. To do so, we have created www.reden-wir-ueber-morgen.com, a central platform accessible to all, where we invite everyone to enter into dialogue with us, so we can face the challenges of the future together.”
EEW Energy from Waste GmbH (EEW) is one of the leading companies in Europe in the field of thermal recovery of household and commercial waste as well as sewage sludge. Already today, EEW Energy from Waste is making an important contribution towards protecting the climate and resources and is a cornerstone for the circular economy. In the 17 modern facilities current operated within our corporate group we are able to process around 5 million tonnes of waste per year. In the process, our 1.250 employees reduce the volume significantly, sanitize the waste, and recycle scrap metals and agglomerates. Moreover, we make efficient use of the energy contained in the waste and generate process steam for industrial plants, district heating for residential areas and environmentally sustainable power for approximately 720,000 households.*
In line with our vision for the future, we have set the goal to be climate neutral by 2030 and climate positive by 2040. Key measure will be carbon capture at our facilities. The captured CO2 will be partly stored underground (Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS) and utilized as a valuable feedstock for chemical products in a carbon neutral economy of the future (Carbon Capture and Utilization, CCU).
You can access the Sustainability Report 2021 here.