CR Report 2011: Evonik significantly improves its environmental efficiency

Evonik Industries AG, one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals, has significantly improved its environmental efficiency. This is highlighted in the company’s 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report, which attests that Evonik reduced its specific, i.e. emissions relative to output, energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent in the time from 2004 to 2011. During the same period, specific production waste fell by 18 percent and specific water consumption by 27 percent.

"Responsible conduct and financial success cannot be separated from each other. They need each other. As one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals, we consider accepting economic, ecological and social responsibility a question of attitude,” notes Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik.

Evonik is well on its way to meeting its self-imposed goal for the year 2014 of reducing the key performance indicators for its greenhouse gas emissions, production waste, and water consumption by 20 percent compared to 2004. For this purpose, the company has implemented a large number of efficiency-improving measures. Thus, at its largest site, which is in Marl, Germany, the company reduced the power needs for its own cooling water supply of a power plant, optimized a turbo compressor in refrigeration, and used more efficient pumps in the re-cooling plants. Overall, the Group intensified its commitment to Corporate Responsibility (CR) with a multitude of activities that are tracked in the Evonik CR program and described in this year’s CR Report.

For the second time in a row, the 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report of Evonik has met the requirements for the successful application of level A+ of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in compliance with the new GRI 3.1 reporting guidelines. GRI is the internationally recognized standard for comprehensive sustainability reporting and has confirmed the A+ reporting level for Evonik. An auditing firm subjected large parts of the report to an assurance review.

The Corporate Responsibility Report 2011can be downloaded from the Internet at www.evonik.com/responsibility.