Climate Change Data

EEW Energy from Waste GmbH

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)

Reporting Period: 2018

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:2,416,161 t CO2e (Scope 1 & 2)
Scope 1 Emissions:2,416,161 t CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:12,833 t CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions:Not disclosed
Renewable Energy Share:50% (average biogenic material in waste)
Total Energy Consumption:Not disclosed
Water Consumption:Not disclosed
Waste Generated:4,783,000 tons
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed

ESG Focus Areas

  • Strengthening relationships
  • Taking on challenges
  • Delivering results

Environmental Achievements

  • Minimized heating oil consumption due to fewer unscheduled plant shutdowns
  • Switched to LED lighting, saving around 100,000 kWh of electricity at the Helmstedt plant
  • Installed a heat accumulator at the Rothensee plant to increase energy efficiency
  • Optimized compressed air production at the Stapelfeld site

Social Achievements

  • Zero cases of corruption reported
  • 100% rate of supplier recognition of the supplier code of conduct
  • 15 hours average hours of vocational and further training per employee
  • Employee turnover rate of 4.2%

Governance Achievements

  • Established a company-wide sustainability strategy with goals and a mission statement
  • Implemented and certified in ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), ISO 50001 (energy management) and OHSAS 18001 (occupational safety) management systems

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Optimise overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) at EEW’s plants by 2027
  • Reduce backfilling in mines by three percent by the end of 2023
Medium-term Goals:
  • Reduce accident figures by 30% by the end of 2021
  • Industrial recovery of carbon dioxide (CCU) by 2023
Short-term Goals:
  • Increase customer satisfaction and loyalty by 2020
  • Systematize stakeholder management by 2020
  • Promote women’s participation in the company (increase the share of women by five percent by 2020)
  • Create a sustainable structure to reduce hazards at plant sites by the end of Q1 2020
  • Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash by 2022

Environmental Challenges

  • Constantly shifting underlying conditions such as economic and environmental change, energy and heat transition, limited availability of resources, and digital transformation
  • Need for optimization in customer satisfaction regarding waiting times and digitalization of processes
  • Room for improvement in communication with the broader public regarding the advantages of thermal waste recovery
Mitigation Strategies
  • Implemented a company-wide sustainability strategy with three areas of action and measurable goals
  • Regularly evaluates material topics, pursues goals, and measures progress
  • Engages in continuous stakeholder management and regular reporting processes
  • Plans to create the position of a sustainability expert and introduce process instructions for internal sustainability management

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier code of conduct with social, environmental, and governance standards

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Not disclosed
Transition Risks
  • Not disclosed
Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products and processes

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI Standards (Core option)

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, OHSAS 18001

Third-party Assurance: Ernst & Young (limited assurance)

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goals are aligned with the 17 UN SDGs

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Processes for phosphorus recycling, carbon capture and utilization (CCU)

Awards & Recognition

  • EEW Performance Award (2018 winner: Hanover site)

Reporting Period: 2019

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:2,111,404 t CO2e
Scope 1 Emissions:2,111,404 t CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:4,722 t CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions:6,005 t CO2e
Renewable Energy Share:50%
Total Energy Consumption:131,768 MWh
Waste Generated:4,716,603 tons
Carbon Intensity:0.449 t CO2e per tonne of waste inputs

ESG Focus Areas

  • Strengthening relationships
  • Taking on challenges
  • Delivering results

Environmental Achievements

  • Minimised heating oil consumption in litres and litres per tonne of waste compared to 2018 due to fewer unscheduled plant shutdowns.
  • Reduced auxiliary consumption of electrical energy used to produce pressurised air by around 50 MWh at the Andernach plant.
  • Installed an infrasound acoustic cleaning system at TREA Breisgau, saving around 100,000 cubic meters of compressed air annually.

Social Achievements

  • Conducted an employee survey with positive overall results, revealing areas for improvement in flexible working and cross-divisional dialogue.
  • Implemented an internal idea management program to encourage employee contributions to improvement.
  • Maintained a low employee turnover rate.

Governance Achievements

  • Established a steering committee to coordinate sustainability activities across departments.
  • Created the position of sustainability expert (filled in 2020).
  • Implemented compliance management system (CMS) at all administration and plant sites.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Industrial recovery of carbon dioxide (carbon capture and utilisation [CCU]) (2024)
  • Reduce backfilling in mines by three per cent (baseline: relative filter dust share in 2019) (End of 2023)
Medium-term Goals:
  • Optimise overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) at EEW’s plants towards a target value of 94% (2027)
  • Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash (2022)
  • Nearly paperless execution of company-wide business processes (2022)
Short-term Goals:
  • Early changeover from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 (End of Q1 2020)
  • Create a sustainable structure to reduce hazards at plant sites (End of Q1 2020)
  • Increase the number of women in leadership positions (from five women in 2019 to ten women by end of 2023)

Environmental Challenges

  • Digitalisation and demographic change impacting human resources.
  • Need for alternative recovery options for boiler ash and filter dust as mine backfilling reaches economic limits.
  • Need to increase public communication about the advantages of thermal waste recovery.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Intensive exploration of digitalisation and demographic change challenges, incorporated into human resources strategy.
  • Commissioned a study to get an in-depth outlook for the waste management of dust via backfilling over the next 20 years and searching for suitable cooperation partners for research.
  • Planning to intensify public communication about the advantages of thermal waste recovery.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: 1,800 qualified supplier evaluations carried out in 2019.

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier code of conduct incorporating social, environmental, and governance standards.
  • Online test on safe working behaviour for contractors accessing plants.
  • Regular audits to investigate compliance with standards.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products and processes; expansion into new markets with high landfill rates; carbon capture and utilization (CCU).

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI Standards (Core option)

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, OHSAS 18001

Third-party Assurance: Ernst & Young GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (limited assurance)

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • All 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The report mentions alignment with the 17 SDGs but does not provide specific details on how initiatives contribute to each goal.

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Patented process for co-combustion of landfill leachate; refined flue gas cleaning process based on sodium hydrogen carbonate; process to detect impurities in the waste bunker using sensor technology.

Awards & Recognition

  • EEW Performance Award (Hanover site in 2019); Safety Award (TREA Breisgau site in 2019)

Reporting Period: 2020

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:2,113,842 t CO2e (Scope 1)
Scope 1 Emissions:2,113,842 t CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:5,896 t CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions:6,256 t CO2e
Renewable Energy Share:Approximately 50% (biogenic material in waste)
Total Energy Consumption:238,846 MWh (Total)
Water Consumption:Not disclosed
Waste Generated:4,811,000 tons (Total)
Carbon Intensity:0.446 t CO2e per tonne of waste input in 2020

ESG Focus Areas

  • Innovations for the future
  • Strengthening the recycling economy
  • Dealing with climate change

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced heating oil consumption by 9.8%, natural gas by 0.4%, and captive electricity use by 5% in 2020.
  • Increased OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) exceeding the planning value in 2020.
  • Reduced total dust emissions to 0.44 mg/Nm3 in 2020.

Social Achievements

  • More than 93% of employees attended training on various topics in 2020.
  • Successfully transitioned from OHSAS 18001 to ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management standard in 2020.
  • Reduced high-consequence work-related injuries from 4 to 1 in 2020.

Governance Achievements

  • Established a compliance management system (CMS) applied across the company.
  • Addressed corrupt behavior at one site, resulting in the termination of three employees.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Climate-neutral plant network operations by 2030.
  • Climate-positive plant network operations by 2040.
  • Optimise overall equipment efficiency (OEE) at EEW’s plants towards a target value of 94 per cent by 2027.
Medium-term Goals:
  • Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash by 2022.
  • Industrial recovery of CO2: CCU and CCS by 2024.
  • Nearly paperless execution of company-wide business processes by 2022.
Short-term Goals:
  • Reduce accident figures by 30% by the end of 2021.
  • Create a sustainable structure to reduce hazards at plant sites by the end of Q1 2020.
  • Systematize stakeholder management by 2021.

Environmental Challenges

  • Digital transformation, increasing pace of technologization, and demographic change.
  • COVID-19 pandemic impacting supplier evaluations and stakeholder engagement.
  • Stricter emission thresholds in the revised 17th Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (17. BImSchV).
Mitigation Strategies
  • Implementing digitalization projects and preparing employees for the digital work environment.
  • Adjusting timeframes for achieving operational goals.
  • Preparing for the revision of the 17. BImSchV by completing a technical inspection in 2020.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Around 2,350 qualified supplier evaluations carried out in 2020.

Responsible Procurement
  • Principles of responsible procurement based on social, environmental, and governance standards.
  • Supplier code of conduct.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Not disclosed
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory changes, market shifts
Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products
  • Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) and storage (CCS)

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI Standards (Core option), UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Certifications: ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), ISO 50001 (energy management), ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety management)

Third-party Assurance: Ernst & Young GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • 7 (Affordable and clean energy)
  • 9 (Industry, innovation, and infrastructure)
  • 11 (Sustainable cities and communities)
  • 12 (Responsible consumption and production)
  • 13 (Climate action)

EEW's activities contribute to these goals through renewable energy generation, resource recovery, sustainable waste management, and climate change mitigation.

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • High-temperature heat storage systems
  • Carbon capture plants
  • Sewage sludge mono-incineration plants

Awards & Recognition

  • EEW Performance Award

Reporting Period: 2021

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:2,130,144 t CO2e/year
Scope 1 Emissions:1,959,970 t CO2e/year
Scope 2 Emissions:5,646 t CO2e/year
Scope 3 Emissions:100,956 t CO2e/year
Renewable Energy Share:50% (average biogenic material in waste)
Total Energy Consumption:Not disclosed
Water Consumption:1,563,306 m3/year
Waste Generated:1,541,534 tons/year
Carbon Intensity:0.438 t CO2e per tonne of waste input

ESG Focus Areas

  • Strengthening relationships
  • Taking on challenges
  • Delivering results

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced captive electricity used to operate plants to 89.5 kilowatt-hours per tonne of waste (outperforming KPI of 98.3 kilowatt-hours/tonne)
  • Reduced energy use in Knapsack by altering flue gas duct geometry, saving 480 megawatt-hours per annum
  • Increased energy output at Premnitz site by installing turbine 5, adding approximately 4,233 megawatt-hours of electricity

Social Achievements

  • Successfully completed ISO 45001 certification for occupational health and safety management
  • Launched EEW2GO employee app for improved communication
  • Implemented a competency model for staff skills evaluation and tailored training

Governance Achievements

  • Established a Sustainable Development Committee in 2021
  • Incorporated new content into the Code of Conduct, including corporate social responsibility and lobbying
  • Successfully placed a green bond of over €400 million on the capital market

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Achieve climate-positive plant operations by 2040
Medium-term Goals:
  • Optimise overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) at EEW’s plants towards a target value of 94% by 2027
  • Achieve climate-neutral fleet operations by 2030
  • Increase OEE based on consistently high time availability (>90%)
Short-term Goals:
  • Increase the absolute number of women in managerial positions from five in 2019 to ten by the end of 2023
  • Reduce backfilling by 3% by the end of 2023
  • Reduce accident figures by 30% by the end of 2021 (baseline year 2018: 12)

Environmental Challenges

  • Reduced work availability caused by unplanned operational interruptions affecting OEE
  • Shortage of waste and the avoidance of emissions impacting energy consumption
  • Need to attract more women to join EEW and into leadership positions
Mitigation Strategies
  • Working towards increasing time availability to 93% by 2026 to improve OEE
  • Implementing preventive maintenance to reduce fossil fuel consumption during plant malfunctions
  • Repositioning in employer branding, active in social networks frequented by women, and offering flexible working models and remote working

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Around 2,850 qualified supplier evaluations carried out in 2021

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier code of conduct based on UNGC principles
  • Consideration of social and environmental criteria in supplier selection
  • Prioritization of local suppliers

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Extreme weather events (impacting waste characteristics and plant operations)
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory changes, market shifts (e.g., carbon pricing)
Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products and services
  • Carbon capture and utilization/storage (CCU/S)

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI Standards (Core option), UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001

Third-party Assurance: EY (limited assurance)

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 4
  • SDG 5
  • SDG 7
  • SDG 9
  • SDG 11
  • SDG 12
  • SDG 13

EEW's business activities contribute to these SDGs through various initiatives described in the report

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Phosphorus recycling
  • Sodium hydrogen carbonate recovery
  • Chemical recycling of plastics
  • Pyrolysis of road tar

Awards & Recognition

  • Commendation for “special services for vocational training in the final examination” from the Braunschweig Chamber of Commerce