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Environmental protection and climate neutrality

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Setting new priorities:
Climate neutrality decides our future.

As a company that is part of a globally active group of companies, we stand by our social responsibility and want to protect the environment and effectively counter climate change by voluntarily reducing emissions and offsetting unavoidable emissions.

Our current contribution to this goal is – in addition to the continuous reduction of our CO2 emissions – a neutralisation of our C02 footprint, i.e. the amount of greenhouse gases (measured in CO2 equivalents) that are generated directly and indirectly by our company. This takes into account the emissions generated by raw materials, production, transport and trade, use, recycling and disposal.

The result can be used to evaluate and compare influences on the climate. Necessary reduction potentials can be identified, measures developed and their effectiveness evaluated.

The ecological footprint: calculated by a neutral authority

We have commissioned the sustainability consultancy Fokus Zukunft GmbH & Co. KG. The emissions balance was calculated using the official guideline of the GHG Protocol (Greenhouse Gas Protocol).

The calculation included the seven main greenhouse gases defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Kyoto Protocol: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH), nitrous oxide (Np), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), nitrogen trifluoride (NF) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Not every one of these seven main greenhouse gases is equally effective. Methane, for example, is 21 times more damaging to the climate than CO2, nitrous oxide 310 times and sulphur hexafluoride as much as 14,000 times. In order to compare the emissions with each other, all greenhouse gases were therefore converted to CO2. This is then referred to as CO2 equivalents. The conversion of the consumption data collected by CONSTAB was done using emission factors, which indicate the emissions per unit (e.g. per kilowatt hour of electricity or litre of petrol).

For the years 2022-2023, we will be able to significantly reduce our ecological footprint compared to previous years through the voluntary use of 100% green electricity, as this will reduce SCOPE 2 emissions completely to zero.

Factors influencing the ecological footprint

  • Heat consumption
  • Fuel consumption in the company
  • Electricity consumption
  • District heating / cooling
  • Upstream energy-related emissions
  • Business travel and hotel accommodation
  • Travel to work by employees
  • Waste generation / waste water in the company
  • Consumables production and office
Environmental protection and climate neutrality

The fundamental goal is to reduce emissions

After 2020-2021, we have now also achieved climate neutrality* for the years 2022 and 2023, so that in the long term we will voluntarily offset our remaining, unavoidable company-related emissions through compensation and thus continue to be a climate-neutral* company. In addition, we can significantly reduce our emissions by switching to 100% green electricity. In the future, we want to use these capacities for the climate neutrality certification* of individual products.

certificate green electricity
environmental protection

Reduction of the ecological footprint

2020 - 2021 (7.462 t. CO₂e)80%
2022 – 2023 (4.144 t. CO₂e)45%

Projects supported with certificates

We attach great importance to seriously researched and validated projects when purchasing climate certificates. In recent years, we have also supported projects to offset our CO₂ footprint. In this overview you can see which undertakings we support and which UN goals they promote.

Karcham-Wangtoo Project

India. The Karcham-Wangtoo project on the Sutlej River

The Government of India and the Government of Himachal Pradesh (GOHP) have identified the Sutlej River as an important source of hydropower and have initiated hydropower projects along the river and its tributaries. The Karcham-Wangtoo hydropower project is part of an overall development plan proposed by the GOHP for the potential of the Sutlej catchment. The project is being implemented by Jaypee Karcham Hydro Corporation Limited developed to alleviate acute power shortage.

The project activity will provide 4463.88 GWh of energy annually and a peak power of 1000 MW throughout the year. This will delay the need to build a coal, gas or oil fired thermal power plant of similar capacity to supply the mainly fossil fuel based regional power grid, resulting in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.

Validator: TÜV Nord
Certificate standard: UN CER

The following UN SDGs are supported here:

  • Goal No. 7: Affordable and clean energy
  • Goal No. 8: Decent work and economic growth
  • Goal No. 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  • Goal No. 13: Climate action

Foz do Chapecó Project

Brazil. Use of hydropower in the Foz do Chapecó Project

The Foz do Chapecó Hydroelectric Project, developed by Foz do Chapecó Energia S/A, consists of the installation of a hydroelectric power plant with a reservoir located on the outskirts of the municipality of Águas de Chapecó in the State of Santa Catarina and the municipality of Alpestre in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The total installed capacity of the project is 855 MW, consisting of four sets of hydroelectric Francis turbines with a rated capacity of 217.14 MW and a rated power generator capacity of 213.75 MW with a projected power output to the grid of 3,784,320 MWh per year.

The project aims to use the hydrological resources of the Uruguay River to generate low-emission electricity for the Brazilian interconnected grid, replacing relatively carbon-intensive electricity and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The project participants recognise that this project activity will help Brazil achieve its objectives to promote sustainable development for the following reasons.

Validator: Bureau Veritas
Certificate Standard: Verified Carbon Standard (a Verra Standard)

The following UN SDGs are supported here:

  • Goal No. 7: Affordable and clean energy
  • Goal No. 8: Decent work and economic growth
  • Goal No. 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  • Goal No. 13: Climate action

Bujagali Project

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Uganda. Hydropower for the development of the region.

The Bujagali Hydropower Project: With the Bujagali Hydropower Project, a modern energy generation plant is being built at the outflow of the Nile from Lake Victoria in south-eastern Uganda. The project sponsor is Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL).

The installed capacity of the project consists of five 52.7 MW turbines. Their output contributes to the 90% share of renewable energy in Uganda’s power grid. This makes the country one of the cleanest electricity producers in the world.

Uganda’s inhabitants and economy have long suffered from a lack of electricity; over the years, the problem has become increasingly serious. While an emergency government programme with thermal power generation helps out in the short term, projects like these are expected to benefit the region and the entire country in the long term.

The developer BEL is spending an additional US$ 2.8 million on projects ranging from environmental protection, health, hygiene and education to agriculture and vocational training, as well as other community development programmes.

The following UN SDGs are supported here:

  • Goal No. 1: No poverty
  • Goal No. 2: No hunger
  • Goal No. 3: Health and well-being
  • Goal No. 4: Quality education
  • Goal No. 6: Clean water and sanitation
  • Goal No. 7: Affordable and clean energy
  • Goal No. 8: Decent work and economic growth
  • Goal No. 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  • Goal No. 11: Sustainable cities and communities
  • Goal No. 13: Climate action

Karcham-Wangtoo 2022 Project

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India. Clean electricity instead of fossil energy

The Karcham Wangtoo Project: The Sutlej River in northern India offers great potential for hydropower generation. Therefore, the Government of India and the Government of the State of Himachal Pradesh (GOHP) have initiated hydropower projects along the river and its tributaries. The Karcham-Wangtoo project, with an annual capacity of 4,463.88 GWh and a peak capacity of 1,000 MW, will reduce the acute power shortage in the region.

The project reduces the need to build a fossil fuel thermal power plant of similar capacity, leading to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the region.

The following UN SDGs are supported here:

  • Goal No. 7: Affordable and clean energy
  • Goal No. 8: Decent work and economic growth
  • Goal No. 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  • Goal No. 13: Climate action
Environmental protection

We are happy to support reforestation – also in South America.

Together with our partner Treedom, CONSTAB has founded a “company forest” in Colombia and had 200 trees planted there by local small farmers at the beginning. This is not only intended to actively counteract climate change through CO2 storage, but also to consciously support the local small farmers in their livelihoods in the long term. Both objectives are in line with some of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and thus fit perfectly with CONSTAB’s sustainability programme. CONSTAB would also like to continuously expand the “corporate forest” in the future and raise awareness of this important issue among employees and other stakeholders alike by giving away tree sponsorships.

More infos

*by offsetting with climate protection certificates

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