Climate Change Data

SWARCO AG

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2022, 2023)

Reporting Period: 2022

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:135,010 t CO2eq (location-based); 128,890 t CO2eq (market-based)
Scope 1 Emissions:119,920 t CO2eq
Scope 2 Emissions:15,090 t CO2eq (location-based); 8,970 t CO2eq (market-based)
Total Energy Consumption:470,057,195 kWh
Carbon Intensity:0.12 t CO2eq/KEUR (2022, location-based); 0.11 t CO2eq/KEUR (2022, market-based)

ESG Focus Areas

  • Energy & emissions
  • Employee satisfaction
  • Eco & circular product design
  • Product safety & quality
  • Traffic safety
  • Optimised traffic flow

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced CO2 emissions by 29.6% compared to 2019 in the Netherlands.
  • Installed a 468 kWp photovoltaic system at the Neufurth plant.
  • Achieved 39.4% CO2 reduction in Traffic Light Controller coating process in the Netherlands.
  • 57% of UK depots now source electricity from renewable energy tariffs.
  • Implemented new coating method reducing CO2 emissions by 39.4% in the Netherlands.

Social Achievements

  • Installed new working tables and exchanged platforms in SWARCO Futurit GmbH's production hall to improve safety and ergonomics.
  • 100% electric Customer Service Engineer fleet in SWARCO Smart Charging Ltd.
  • Sponsored Trees for Life Scotland with £11,616.68 in donations.
  • Sponsored youth activities in Sweden with SEK 50,000.
  • Implemented a Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTI) to increase manager identification with the company.

Governance Achievements

  • Established a dedicated Head of Corporate Social Responsibility in 2022.
  • Conducted a comprehensive materiality analysis.
  • Published its first Sustainability Report.
  • Implemented a Code of Conduct and compliance training.
  • No violations reported via the Whistleblower Hotline.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Achieve CO2 neutrality (except shaft furnaces & low index smelters) by 2030 in RMS division.
Medium-term Goals:
  • Achieve further efficiency improvements in products and processes.
  • Add sustainable products to the product portfolio.
  • Further advance upcycling/waste avoidance in production.
Short-term Goals:
  • Develop decarbonisation strategy and targets for the entire Group.
  • Harmonise energy monitoring across sites.
  • Define Group-wide targets for attractive working conditions.

Environmental Challenges

  • High energy consumption leading to high costs.
  • Lack of harmonised energy monitoring across production sites.
  • Trade-off between road marking application needs and degradability of materials.
  • Price-driven public tenders hindering the adoption of sustainable products.
  • Shortage of skilled workers and risk of knowledge drain.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Implementing ISO 50001 certifications and energy reduction targets.
  • Developing a concept for area-wide deployment of smart meters.
  • Developing sustainable road marking materials with low environmental footprint.
  • Developing a GoGreen icon to identify sustainable products.
  • Implementing employee surveys and addressing feedback.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier audits
  • Framework agreements with strategic suppliers
  • Diversification of supplier base

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI, ESRS

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

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Smart Green
  • Smartprio
  • Smart Intersection
  • Smart Corridor
  • Water-based paints
  • SWARCO ECO-LINE product line

Awards & Recognition

  • Top 100 Climate Project Award (Lower Austria)

Reporting Period: 2023

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:124,564 t CO2e (location-based); 121,675 t CO2e (market-based)
Scope 1 Emissions:112,247 t CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:21,743 t CO2e (location-based + market-based)
Renewable Energy Share:5%
Total Energy Consumption:536,538 MWh
Carbon Intensity:102.35 t CO2e / MEUR (location-based); 99.98 t CO2e / MEUR (market-based)

ESG Focus Areas

  • Climate Change
  • Circular Economy
  • Own workforce
  • Energy & emissions
  • Employee satisfaction
  • Eco & circular product design
  • Product safety & quality
  • Traffic safety
  • Optimised traffic flow

Environmental Achievements

  • Installed a 1 MWp photovoltaic system in Neutal, Austria, producing enough electricity to almost self-sufficiently run its facilities under ideal weather conditions.
  • Implemented a heat pump using waste heat from injection molding machines to heat buildings in Neutal.
  • Used intelligently controlled LED lighting in Neutal to improve energy efficiency.
  • Used eco-electricity generated from the PV system for production.
  • Converted films and stretch tubes to more sustainable products with 30% recycled content, saving around 9 tons of virgin plastic annually.
  • Installed a 100 kWp photovoltaic system at headquarters in Wattens, Austria.
  • SWARCO VICAS in Targoviste, Romania, transitioned to a 100% paperless production process, saving resources.
  • SWARCO NEDERLAND uses electricity cables with 100% recycled copper core and recycled plastic jacket.
  • SWARCO NEDERLAND purchased 100% CO2 neutral electric aerial platforms.
  • SWARCO Italia in Turin received printreleaf certification for offsetting paper consumption by reforesting.
  • SWARCO LIMBURGER LACKFABRIK GmbH and SWARCO VESTGLAS GmbH reuse tin buckets and kraft paper bags.
  • Re-use of caged IBC totes saved 58.7 tons of steel and 34.4 tons of plastic, reducing emissions by almost 116 tons of CO2.
  • SWARCO Dambach reuses aluminium traffic signs, reducing the CO2 footprint by 88% compared to new signs.

Social Achievements

  • SWARCO Traffic Romania conducted interactive road safety lessons in a Bucharest kindergarten.
  • SWARCO NEDERLAND gives guest lectures on Corporate Social Responsibility for primary school teachers.
  • SWARCO LIMBURGER LACKFABRIK GmbH contributed to the ‘Initiative against violence’ brochure.
  • SWARCO Dambach employees raised almost €3,000 for dolphin therapy for an employee's daughter.
  • M. SWAROVSKI GmbH employs five disabled persons supported by Lebenshilfe.

Governance Achievements

  • Endorsed the “SWARCO Code of Conduct” promoting equal opportunities and denouncing harassment and discrimination.
  • Established a compliance and risk management department reporting to the CAO.
  • Implemented an internal and external whistleblower hotline.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Leaving the smallest environmental footprint in our industry and setting a new standard by 2035.
Medium-term Goals:
  • Making SWARCO one of the most attractive employers at its locations by 2030.
  • Reducing the carbon footprint across the entire value chain to net-zero emissions by 2050.
Short-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed

Environmental Challenges

  • Data collection for sustainability reporting across diverse subsidiaries.
  • Ensuring audit-proof documentation.
  • Timely data submission from subsidiaries.
  • Lack of comprehensive prior-year data for all subsidiaries.
  • Quantifying the positive impacts of technologies on traffic safety and traffic flow for sustainability reporting.
  • Tracking all resource inflows regarding products with diverse production sites.
  • Limited data on how customers handle end-of-life processes for ITS products.
  • Assessing adequate wage benchmarks for all job descriptions and all SWARCO sites.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Appointment of Data Stewards with training and resources.
  • Development of methodologies to calculate the reduction in accidents, traffic jams, and related environmental benefits.
  • Iterative target-setting process involving the Executive Board, Vice Presidents, and CSR team.
  • Ongoing investigations and consultations with environmental experts and service providers for circular economy initiatives.
  • Global employee surveys to assess employee sentiment and identify areas for improvement.
  • Whistleblowing portal for reporting incidents or risks.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier Code of Conduct (not yet mandatory for all suppliers)

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: ESRS

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 (various subsidiaries)

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Water-based paints
  • LED traffic lights and variable message signs