Press Release
ZF receives German Sustainability Award
- Award confirms wide-ranging activities to significantly reduce ecological footprint
- Remanufacturing of components as a prime example of functioning recycling management
- Europe's largest sustainability award presented in Düsseldorf/Germany at the end of November
Düsseldorf/Friedrichshafen - Germany. ZF will receive the German Sustainability Award in the automotive industry category at the end of November. This was announced by the Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e.V. (German Sustainability Award Foundation), which, in cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, the DIHK (German Chambers of Industry and Commerce) and other partners, has selected the award winners for individual sectors. The jury of experts primarily honored ZF's far-reaching commitment to sustainable recycling management. The Remanufacturing site in Bielefeld, which specializes in the remanufacturing of powertrain modules for vehicle manufacturers and the global aftermarket, is leading the way.
"Promoting an efficient circular economy system is a key lever in achieving the goal we have set ourselves: complete climate neutrality by 2040," said Dr. Michael Karrer, who is responsible for sustainability, environmental management and occupational safety at ZF. Other key starting points for the technology company include reducing CO2 emissions along the entire value chain and increasing the share of renewable sources for power consumption. ZF also offers innovative products that reduce emissions in road traffic - for example, solutions for electromobility - while ZF wind power transmissions contribute to sustainable energy generation.
ZF is already making a significant contribution to resource conservation by increasing the proportion of recycled materials in products. For example, most ZF transmission housings are made of recycled aluminum. A longer utilization phase through recycling is also an important lever for saving primary materials. In 25 remanufacturing plants worldwide, the technology group prepares used parts for a "second life" on an industrial scale - in fact, ZF’s Bielefeld location has been leading this effort since 1963. Around 200 employees process between 40 and 50 tons of used products here every day. Clutch pressure plates, clutch discs, release systems, dual-mass flywheels and torque converters are manufactured.
Compared to a new part, the remanufactured products save more than 90 percent in material and energy. The CO2 savings are more than 80 percent. "This helps us achieve our climate protection goals and decouple resource consumption from growth," emphasized Jörg Witthöft, ZF site manager in Bielefeld. In addition, the site has been covering 100 percent of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources since 2018. In addition, around 95 percent of the product range is certified according to the "Cradle to Cradle" standard for consistent circular economy. Waste at the plant has also been reduced by around 40 percent since 2019. For example, 100 tons of old coverings were no longer disposed of thermally but were shredded and remanufactured due to their high copper content.
The "German Sustainability Award" has been presented by the associated foundation in various categories since 2008. In cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and other partners, it awards prizes to companies whose products and services are particularly successful in meeting ecological and social challenges, thus using sustainability as an economic opportunity. A jury of experts decides in advance which companies will be honored as pioneers of transformation in the respective industry. The awards ceremony will be held at the German Sustainability Day, which will take place on November 23 and 24 in Düsseldorf - the most visited annual communication platform on the topics of sustainable development. With over 1,200 applicants and 2,000 guests attending the events, the award is the largest of its kind in Europe.
