Management approach to the environment

GRI-Indicators

Environmental responsibility comprises two aspects for the KION Group and its operating units. On the one hand, it intends to help its customers save energy, reduce emissions as well as improve efficiency and performance (see the section Products and solutions). On the other hand, within the Company the KION Group aims to reduce its environmental impact, and create environmental and economic benefits through the responsible use of resources. Furthermore, it is the Company’s intention to have safe working processes across the entire KION Group that do not have a negative impact on its employees’ health. In this regard, its activities focus on its plants around the world as well as its sales and service companies. Also when installing supply chain solutions at customers’ locations, it places great emphasis on ensuring on-site occupational health and safety (for further information on occupational health and safety see the section Employees).

The KION Group Code of Compliance (KGCC) and the HSE policy derived from it provide the frameworks for its activities, particularly in terms of complying with national regulations and standards. Furthermore, it pledges to:

  • use energy and raw materials efficiently,
  • utilise materials, products and procedures which meet the best environmental practices in each case,
  • minimise the amount of waste it produces by improving raw material use and utilising recyclable materials,
  • establish safe working conditions and ensure they remain so, as well as train its employees accordingly (see the sections Employees/Occupational Safety).

The underlying approach and cornerstone of its health, safety and environment (HSE) activities have been embedded since as long ago as 2013 in the KION Group HSE policy. It was updated in 2017 alongside the implementation of the KION sustainability strategy. Now, its next milestone is to introduce a Group-wide minimum HSE standard by the end of 2017.

It has also set out HSE regulations at an operating unit level as well as at a sales and service company level. While these are based on the Group standard, they set specific strategic priorities based on local considerations.

Within the framework of its sustainability strategy, the KION Group is increasingly incorporating environmental aspects in a range of action fields from environmental and climate protection, resource efficiency, social and environmental standards in the supply chain, through to energy- and resource-efficient products (see the section Products and solutions). The KION Group sets specific objectives in the individual action fields, and defines measures to improve its environmental performance, which it will further expand upon and set out in more detail in its first steering committee meeting in autumn 2017.

> Figure 15 provides an overview of the key elements of HSE management at the KION Group. Internal regulations form the basis of the Group’s activities in this area with certification processes and audits, extensive reporting with ongoing performance checks and also internal competition within the Company helping to ensure that it meets the objectives it sets itself. This creates a stronger awareness of environmental protection in the individual entities, supported by powerful instruments and processes. The goal is to achieve a proactive corporate structure geared towards environmental protection, as has already been established – particularly in the area of occupational safety.

Figure 15 Key elements of HSE management

House of HSE (Grafik)

Instruments and processes

Internal communication and corporate culture as critical success factors

From Measurement to Control – KPI Management Established

Group-wide certification is the objective

Focus areas and challenges