Sustainability

For us, sustainability in logistics is more than just a trend; it is a mindset. We at the KION Group take our societal responsibilities very seriously. Sustainable and responsible business is a fundamental principle by which we work. We therefore endeavor to act in the best environmental, social, and economic interest. Examples of this include our safe and eco-friendly products, our environmentally sound production processes, and our safe and discrimination-free work environment. KION also helps its customers to implement their own sustainability programs, thus providing an important contribution to their success.

Through innovation, ideas, and consistent action, the KION Group is helping to promote sustainability in the logistics industry – with ambitious goals, a clear sustainability strategy, and targeted interventions. We see sustainability as a key responsibility of company management and this belief is reflected in the salaries of our executive staff. 20% of their variable remuneration is based purely on sustainability criteria.

Sustainabilityis firmly anchored in our corporate strategy and consists of three different dimensions: products, processes, and people. The products, solutions, and services offered by the KION Group are effective and efficient, and help to protect the climate as well as our customers’ safety. We reduce our impact on the climate through carefully thought-out and sustainable logistics processes. What’s more, we expect our suppliers to comply with environmental and social standards, and we make sure they do. The health and safety of our employees is especially important to us, as we want the KION Group to be an employer that people enjoy working for.

The KION Group’s commitment to sustainability is recognized by investors, financial institutions, and rating agencies. We have an “B” rating from the global non-profit environmental organization CDP , and a Prime Status (B-) rating from ISS ESG within our industry. These ratings help to qualify the KION Group as a sustainable investment for investors focused on this. We aim to be appropriately represented in the relevant sustainability ratings and rankings, and communicate the respective results transparently via our website.
In the ratings relevant to strategic objectives, KION closed 2021 with a score of 57 points (out of 100) in the S&P Global CSA . Within the scope of its “KION 2027” strategy, the KION Group is now aiming for the 70-points mark. For EcoVadis , we are aiming for a “Gold” rating for both the KION Group and all operating units by 2027.
Furthermore, we are partners of the sustainability initiative Blue Competence Blue Competence is an initiative of the VDMA (German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association), which seeks to promote sustainability in the mechanical and plant engineering industry, and also showcase the sustainable solutions being developed in the sector. Under this partnership, we have committed to upholding the initiative’s twelve sustainability principles.
Finally, there are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations – a set of guidelines introduced in 2016 to promote greater sustainability at an economic, social, and ecological level. The KION Group is working toward many of these goals, particularly on eight key fronts, all of which are embedded in our sustainability strategy and help shape our future actions:

• Health and safety at work
• Tackling climate change
• Climate-neutral and environmentally friendly products and logistics solutions
• Sustainability management and stakeholder engagement
• Safe and user-friendly products and solutions
• Socially and environmentally responsible supply chains
• Diversity and equality of opportunity.