Carbon footprint and environmental reporting in the automotive industry
Customer: Dräxlmaier Automotive
Category: Automotive
Date: April 2016
The Dräxlmaier Group is a globally operating, family-owned company, with its headquarters in Vilsbiburg, Germany. Since its foundation in 1958, the company has developed and manufactured modern wiring harness systems, exclusive interiors and central electrical and electronic components with a clear focus on the premium automotive segment.
The Dräxlmaier Group employs about 55.000 employees and is among the global top 100 automotive suppliers.
„Cooperation with the experts from DFGE was from the initial start characterized by high professionalism, trustworthiness and – very important – passion for topic and project.”
Solution
CO2 management and sustainability communications at the highest level
For Dräxlmaier, dealing with CO2 emissions and other ecological indicators was no news: Sustainability always had a high value within the family-owned company. For several years, company experts had been conducting product-based analyses. In 2013, following stakeholder requests and strategic interests of Dräxlmaier, a company-wide Carbon Footprint was calculated by DFGE for the first time. The goals were to:
- identify potentials for reducing energy and resource consumption,
- provide valid and comprehensive input for individual stakeholder requests and
- form a basis for participation in the CDP Climate Change reporting program
Since 2013, the Carbon Footprint is calculated annually based on the methodology of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and fulfills also the requirements of ISO 14067 and PAS 2050:2008. It includes emissions from energy and fuel consumption, but also other indirect (Scope 3) emissions of the up- and downstream value chain.
DFGE uses its TopDown Approach for reducing time and efforts for data collection: Emission hot spots with a large contribution and big leverage are identified, which are assessed more closely in an iterative and recursive process. Thus, valid results with a low uncertainty bandwidth can be gathered within just a few weeks, including the relevant up- and downstream emissions.
.
This high reliability and quality of results in accordance with international standards was a key criterion for Dräxlmaier – as well as the inclusion of value chain emissions, which is a major focus point in the automotive sector. DFGE with almost 20 years of experience with eco-balances and the automotive industry therefore is the ideal partner to meet the requirements of Dräxlmaier and the expectations of its stakeholders.
For preparing the CDP questionnaire, DFGE could draw from a large basis of data and information that is gathered via Dräxlmaier’s company-wide sustainability management. Together with the detailed emission data determined by the Carbon Footprint, comprehensive answers could be given to the CDP climate change program
As an outcome, the CDP score attained by Dräxlmaier in 2013 was exceptionally high for a first-time responder, and could be increased even further with the 2014 CDP response.
Also continously from 2015 on, DFGE continues to calculate the Corporate Carbon Footprint of Dräxlmaier and will facilitate a successful CDP participation.
