Becoming sustainability leader in the energy industry

Our company is new but drawing on a long and rich tradition. It is not only our goal but our clear obligation to build on this heritage and prolong it into a successful future for the generations to come. We want to make our world a better and more sustainable place. That’s why sustainability is an integral part of our “Energy of Tomorrow” transformation program that will enable us to make our vision reality: to create the most valued energy technology company in the world and thus be the sustainability leader in our industry. The United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) guide us in our plans and actions.

To underscore our commitment, I have recently taken over responsibility as Chief Sustainability Officer, because I believe that sustainability is a top priority. In this role I drive and supervise the sustainability activities of Siemens Energy and ensure that not only the Executive Board addresses sustainability issues regularly. It is my responsibility to ensure that our business decisions are made responsibly. Siemens Energy is committed to the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact and we will provide annual information on our progress as part of our sustainability reporting. Today we have published our first independent Sustainability Report, which summarizes all our activities. Please let me share below some of our achievements with you.

Combating climate change with R&D investments 

Already today, sustainable solutions generate more than 50% of our revenue. We believe that innovative technologies are the key to combating climate change – now and in the future. That’s why we invest around €1 billion every year in R&D and are increasing our focus on sustainable technologies and services. Always keeping in mind that innovations also require thinking and working in ecosystems with customers and partners.

We walk the talk 

All these efforts naturally begin right at home, as we make our own operations more sustainable. We plan to switch our own power consumption to 100% green electricity by 2023 and are aiming at making our company operations climate-neutral by 2030. But protecting the environment is only one part of our ESG efforts. In all our activities, the people who work for our company are especially important. Ensuring their health and safety is our top priority. Likewise, we pay fair wages and support fair working conditions, equal opportunities for advancement, and attractive career prospects. Above all, Siemens Energy stands for inclusion and diversity in all its facets, and we firmly believe that this not only benefits our own company, but society as a whole. Nevertheless, there is some way to go. One example is that we have too few women in executive positions. That’s why we want to increase the number of women in top leadership functions on first and second level to 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030.

Zero tolerance for non-compliant behavior

One other topic is particularly close to my heart: Making a positive difference in the world would be impossible without high standards of integrity and compliance. We therefore pursue a zero-tolerance approach regarding violations of applicable laws and internal regulations. Only clean business is Siemens Energy business. Our ultimate goal is to create fair market conditions and establish a “level playing field” for all market participants and promote integrity in business transactions.

For more interesting facts & figures about our Sustainability activities, I recommend our 2020 Sustainability Report. Enjoy reading!