Vaillant wins the German Sustainability Award

Remscheid, 30 November 2015

• Named Germany’s most sustainable large company

• Consistent implementation of the S.E.E.D.S. sustainability strategy praised

• Second German Sustainability Award, with the first received in 2011

Vaillant has received the German Sustainability Award 2015 as Germany’s most sustainable large company. The prestigious judging panel particularly praised the consistent implementation of the exemplary S.E.E.D.S. sustainability strategy. It furthermore announced that Vaillant, as a provider of key technologies for the energy revolution, is exemplary in its adoption of environmental and social responsibility with regards to value creation. The award ceremony was held in Düsseldorf last Friday. Vaillant already received the coveted trophy back in 2011 for the most sustainable product.

“We are extremely proud of this award as it recognises the consistent approach we take to systematically anchoring sustainability in all areas of the company,” commented Dr Carsten Voigtländer, CEO of the Vaillant Group. “In launching the Green iQ product line, we have also integrated this commitment into our core business. For us, green is the new premium.”

Sustainability in four priority fields

Vaillant has combined all of its sustainability activities into one strategic programme. Under the umbrella of S.E.E.D.S., which stands for “Sustainability in Environment, Employees, Development & Products and Society”, binding, measurable goals are set and used to derive concrete projects in the priority fields of the environment, employees, development and products, and society. The results achieved are assessed continuously on the basis of key indicators ascertained throughout the Group. The company aims to gradually increase the proportion of its sales accounted for by high-efficiency technologies and products based on renewable energy sources to 80 per cent by 2020. In the same period, it plans to reduce its product portfolio’s greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent. The objective within the company is to reduce CO2 emissions by 25 per cent and increase energy efficiency by 20 per cent. The company also wants to reduce waste and water consumption by 20 per cent.

About the German Sustainability Award

The German Sustainability Award recognises companies that set examples in the way they combine economic success with social responsibility and environmental protection, thereby particularly promoting the concept of a sustainable society. The focus is on consistent sustainability management and sustainability issues in brand management. The aim of the award is to encourage companies to act sustainably and to help raise public awareness of the principles of sustainable development. The award is an initiative of the Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e.V. foundation in cooperation with the German Federal Government, the Council for Sustainable Development, business federations, civic organisations and research institutions.