Never before have sustainability and resource conservation had the global scope they have today. A sense of responsibility towards nature, people, society, and the economy, as well as long-term sustainability with a view to future generations – these are the values by which companies must be measured on a global scale.
DEKRA has been thinking and operating sustainably for almost 100 years. Safe use of technology and protecting people and the environment are part of our DNA. Years ago, we already embedded the sustainable use of resources and responsible management as goals. Since 2017, our sustainability management has been aligned with the criteria of Germany’s Sustainability Code (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitskodex – DNK).
Thanks to the commitment of our almost 48,000 employees worldwide, we are improving step by step. In this connection, we have defined four focus areas:
DEKRA has set clear and ambitious goals: We aim to be the leader in sustainability by 2025. In summer 2020, we took the strategic step to commit ourselves to the principles of the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With our Sustainability Strategy 2025, we are striving to further improve sustainability performance within our company and our value-added chains, as well as through our business relationships with our customers. We have set ourselves the goal of making major progress in key areas by 2025.
These are:
Since 2020, we have been covering 100% of our electricity requirements in Germany from renewable energy sources. By 2025, we aim to switch entirely to electricity from renewable energy sources Group-wide as well. In 2021, 32 further countries were able to transition to electricity from 100% renewable sources. Thus, in 2021, green electricity provisionally accounted for around 55% of DEKRA’S requirements (based on 2020 data).
We are using in-house programs and targets to work on optimizing the energy efficiency of our buildings, switch all our company cars to alternative drive technologies, and increase the generation of renewable energy at our sites.
Responsibility to employees and society
We are aware of our responsibility to our employees and society. We respect and value the cultural, social, political, and national diversity of our workforce and of the countries and societies in which our company operates.
DEKRA sees diversity as the natural framework for mutual and sustainable success. We are convinced that diversity, inclusion, and equal treatment are strategic success factors. Our employees’ different perspectives strengthen customer orientation and innovative strength, and increase our attractiveness as an employer.
Our open and respectful approach to diversity, personal differences, and similarities increases the commitment and performance of both individuals and teams.
We are pursuing the goal of fostering diversity in our workforce and especially increasing the proportion of women in management positions through equality of opportunity. By formulating a guideline for diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity, we are seeking to institutionalize our principles and anchor our goal in an inclusive organization. We aim to enable each employee to develop their full potential, experience acceptance in an open and tolerant environment, and be respected.
The guideline should serve as a framework for expanding the diversity and heterogeneity of our workforce, preventing discrimination, and eliminating stereotypes.
Signatory to the Diversity Charter
As a signatory to the Diversity Charter, we are aligned primarily but not exclusively with seven dimensions of diversity:
DEKRA champions international workers’ rights, such as the standards and practices of the International Labour Organization (ILO), both within the company and in its supply chain. Through the DEKRA Social Standards, we are committed to principles aligned with ILO standards in the following areas: discrimination and unfairness, equal opportunity, occupational safety, working time and salary, freedom of association and codetermination, freedom of opinion, and privacy, as well as the exclusion of child labor, forced labor, slavery and human trafficking.
Incorporation of supply and value-added chains
Sustainability plays an important role in all activities from procurement through internal processes to customer relations. In our procurement practice, we consider social, ecological, and ethical criteria when selecting suppliers and the products and services we require. In developing and enhancing services provided through our Service Divisions, we also take care to contribute positively to sustainable development, and create added value for our customers.
Group-wide commitment
Our sustainability strategy is being integrated systematically into all our standards and processes. DEKRA embeds sustainability in everything it does, so consequently we ensure that processes and guidelines are implemented consistently in all departments, Group-wide, and across all hierarchy levels. For us, sustainability also implies values such as compliance, integrity, and ethical conduct. All of this ensures our credibility and trustworthiness, and makes us a sought-after point of contact for international decision-makers, organizations, and institutions.
