ADVA Optical Networking SE
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
Reporting Period: 2018
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Circular Economy
- Employee Development
- Supply Chain Responsibility
- Human Rights
Environmental Achievements
- Improved various areas of holistic sustainability approach
- Implemented formal environmental design requirements for all new products
- Increased share of renewable energy to 27% globally
- Reduced commuting-related emissions by almost 3 tCO2e in Germany through bike-to-work campaign
- Saved almost 10% commuting for the complete group through home-office arrangement
Social Achievements
- Launched a global in-house management training program (MTP) with 16 active modules
- Participated in Girls’ Day in Germany, providing insight into the world of electronics to girls
- Achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +52%
- Maintained a voluntary employee turnover rate of 6.5%
- Conducted 60 interviews and received almost 800 ratings in nine categories in customer satisfaction survey
Governance Achievements
- Implemented a robust compliance management system (CMS)
- Conducted in-person compliance trainings in 5 main sites and several webinars
- No confirmed incident of corruption or anti-competitive behavior
Climate Goals & Targets
- Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) goals: 20% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions per unit of value added by 2032; 30% reduction in Scope 3 GHG emissions per product unit by 2032
- Reduce electricity consumption in relevant sites by 2.1% per year by 2020
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Loss of key customers due to failure in demonstrating sustainability leadership
- Uncompetitive product cost due to sustainability-related requirements
- Product design quality and regulatory compliance challenges due to constantly changing legislation
- Circular economy risks due to potentially stringent legal requirements
- Supply shortages due to environment-related developments and dependencies
- Global warming's potential impact on national, regional, and global economies
Mitigation Strategies
- Continuous innovation to create better, smaller, and more efficient products
- Continuous screening of upcoming legal requirements and related due diligence
- Proactive actions including participation in related research projects and industry fora
- Diverse supplier base and business-continuity activities in line with ISO 22301
- Clear focus on global warming as the number-1 priority
- Robust strategies and processes for risk mitigation for all major risk areas
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 5 suppliers re-assessed in 2018
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct (based on EICC CoC)
- Supplier assessment process (survey, risk assessment, on-site audits)
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Supply chain disruptions due to extreme weather
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
- Market shifts
Opportunities
- Green-by-ICT effects (carbon emissions abatement enabled by products)
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards 2016 (Comprehensive option), HGB (German Commercial Code)
Certifications: ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 9001, ISO 22301, TL 9000
Third-party Assurance: PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (limited assurance)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
- Goal 4 (Quality Education)
- Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
- Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
- Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
- Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
ADVA's products and initiatives contribute to these goals through various aspects such as energy efficiency, infrastructure development, employee training, and community engagement.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- More energy-efficient products
Awards & Recognition
- MuT award (Employees are the future)
- British Telecom Game-Changing Challenge (2018)
Reporting Period: 2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Emissions and circular economy
- Employees: Discrimination and harassment
- Human rights: ADVA’s position on slavery and human trafficking and sustainability in the supply chain
- Anti-corruption and bribery
- Product Strategy, Design & Innovation, and Circular Economy
Environmental Achievements
- Reductions in emissions from car fleet and purchased electricity compared to 2018.
- Achieved third consecutive EcoVadis Gold rating.
- Achieved B rating (2018: B minus) in the 2019 CDP assessment.
- 90% of the commercially relevant product portfolio covered by LCA.
Social Achievements
- Improved rating for training aspect in the 2019 Employee Satisfaction Survey (ESS).
- 86% employee response rate in the 2019 ESS.
- Voluntary turnover rate at 4.6%.
Governance Achievements
- No confirmed incidents of bribery and corruption.
- >98% of all employees committed to ADVA’s Group Policies in written form.
- Risk-based review of >30 new or already existing sales and service partners per year.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Three SBTi targets (Scope 1, 2, and 3) aiming at reductions of 20% over the target runtime in absolute terms (Scope 1 and 2) and 3% reduction in sold-products use-phase emissions (Scope 3).
- No targets set for circular economy until completion of C-SERVEES project in 2022.
- Significant increase in material-declarations coverage of purchased components.
- -1.5% per year in electricity consumption in relevant sites by 2020, from a 2015 base year
Environmental Challenges
- Wrong product strategy leading to higher emissions and less resource efficiency.
- Potential non-compliance with tightened product regulations.
- Insufficient support of circular economy requirements of products.
- Risk of forced labor in the international supply chain.
- Risk of (alleged) bribery in international markets.
- Compliance violations by intermediaries.
Mitigation Strategies
- Strict emission targets via SBTi and stringent product guidelines (ecodesign).
- Product compliance incorporated at the design and development stages.
- Participation in EU Horizon-2020 research project C-SERVEES.
- Robust, risk-based due diligence and continuous monitoring of key suppliers.
- Dedicated anti-corruption program, compliance department, and regional compliance officers.
- Robust risk-based due diligence procedures, contractual commitments, and periodic partner reviews.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Two suppliers re-audited on-site against sustainability aspects in 2019. Sustainability aspects included in all new and re-audits.
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct, modeled on the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) framework.
- Risk assessment process including supplier survey, risk assessment, and on-site audits.
- Screening, qualification, and contracting processes for strategic suppliers.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Opportunities
- Green-by-ICT effect (GHG abatement enabled by products).
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards: Comprehensive, HGB (German Commercial Code)
Certifications: TL 9000:R6.1/R5.6, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 22301:2012, ISO 50001:2011
Third-party Assurance: PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (PwC)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Products enable global communication and contribute to sustainable infrastructure. Commitment to sustainable cities and communities through smart grids/cities/buildings.
Awards & Recognition
- Five out of five stars from BRIGITTE magazine for best employers for women in Germany.
Reporting Period: 2021
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental
- Social
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Platinum rating from EcoVadis
- Gold rating from TIA / QuEST Forum
- Bronze rating from TIA AVG 04/21 Eco Design
- ISO 50001 and ISO 14001 certifications
- Circular-economy processes
Social Achievements
- Not disclosed
Governance Achievements
- Not disclosed
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Not disclosed
Mitigation Strategies
- Not disclosed
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Not disclosed
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Not disclosed
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Null
Certifications: ISO 50001, ISO 14001
Third-party Assurance: EcoVadis, TIA / QuEST Forum
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Not disclosed
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Circular Economy
- Employee Satisfaction
- Information Security
- Supply Chain Management
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced energy consumption by ~7% compared to 2021.
- Achieved 96% portfolio coverage by LCA.
- Reduced air freight and replaced some with rail transport.
- Developed plastic-free packaging for certain products.
Social Achievements
- Achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 41% (above 30% is considered good).
- Implemented a New Work Program offering flexible work arrangements.
- Conducted 20 CSR events globally.
- Maintained a voluntary turnover rate of 5.7%.
Governance Achievements
- Achieved a Gold rating in the TIA sustainability assessment for the sixth consecutive year.
- Achieved EcoVadis Gold rating.
- Achieved a CDP climate-change assessment rating of A-.
- Zero severe security breaches in 2022.
- Carve-out of Adva Network Security GmbH to maintain compliance with German security requirements.
Climate Goals & Targets
- Net Zero emissions before 2050.
- Increase supplier response rate in IntegrityNext to >80%
- Increase fill rate of material declarations to >80%
- Achieve NPS of 50%.
- Achieve SBTi Net Zero targets (jointly with Adtran).
Environmental Challenges
- Supply chain disruptions due to semiconductor shortage and geopolitical events.
- Increasing energy consumption in laboratories due to increasing internet bitrates.
- Turnover rate above the 5% target.
- Incomplete supplier data in IntegrityNext.
Mitigation Strategies
- Relocation of parts of the supply chain to Europe (TeraFactory in Meiningen).
- Implementation of ISO 50001 energy management system and focus on renewable energy.
- Pay adjustments, LTI program, and lump-sum payment to improve employee satisfaction.
- Improving automation in IntegrityNext and continued requests for material declarations from suppliers.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: 5 on-site audits in 2022
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct modeled on the RBA framework.
- Regular supplier self-assessments via IntegrityNext.
- Screening, qualification and contracting processes for strategic suppliers.
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme precipitation events
- More consecutive hot days, soil-moisture decrease, higher risk of droughts
Transition Risks
- Higher ecodesign effort and cost
- Higher ISO 50001 effort and cost
- Higher carbon taxes
Opportunities
- Greening-by-ICT effects
- Carbon-tax savings
- Revenue through very efficient products
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI Standards 2021, TCFD, EU Taxonomy Regulation
Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22301, ISO 50001, TL 9000
Third-party Assurance: PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (PwC)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy
- Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
- Goal 13: Climate action
ADVA's products enable communication and contribute to emission savings in other sectors.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Energy-efficient WDM transponders and pluggables
- Plastic-free packaging
Awards & Recognition
- TIA Gold rating (6 consecutive years)
- EcoVadis Gold rating
- Layer123 Sustainability Award