A ?kodA year in review - Skoda Auto

SustainabilityFor a greener futureSustainable development has long been both an aspiration and an obligation for ŠKODA AUTO.Now, the Company has launched the GreenFuture project to entrench sustainability even more firmly withinthe organisation. A steering committee, reporting directly to the Board of Management,manages all sustainability activities relating to products, production and processes. This puts ŠKODA AUTOin position to implement the Group Strategy aimed at making the Volkswagen Group the mostsustainable automotive company in the world by 2018.He has one of the most exciting jobsthere is at ŠKODA AUTO currently. As headof the newly-created GreenFuture project,Pavel Vacek is responsible for making sustainabilityeven more of a priority at ŠKODAAUTO. He looks forward to this challengingand complex task: “We have ambitious goalsat ŠKODA AUTO – for our model offensive,our growth targets, and also for our sustainabilitymanagement,” he explains.Vacek aims to bundle all of the Company’ssustainability activities together for maximumimpact. At the same time, new goalswill be defined and pursued: “Sustainability isa complex issue that concerns all divisions ofthe Company and all hierarchical levels.”He adds: “Our task covers not only a widerange of topics, but also a tremendousdepth. That is what makes it so fascinating.It also shows just how big a challenge weface with GreenFuture.”The major significance of sustainability forŠKODA AUTO – and therefore for the GreenFuture project – was underlined by Chairmanof the Board of Management Prof. Dr. h.c.Winfried Vahland in the foreword to the currentSustainability Report: “A healthy environment,good working and living conditionsand a stable economic framework are allessential to our success. Responsible conductis therefore fundamental to securingthe future of our Company.” The latest SustainabilityReport also charts new territoryfor ŠKODA AUTO: Although this is the thirdreport of its kind, it is the first to follow theinternationally recognised guidelines of theGlobal Reporting Initiative and therefore offerthe degree of transparency now expectedat international level.“Minimising environmental impact”GreenFuture focuses on topics like resourceconservation, recycling and emissions reduction.In line with its Group EnvironmentalPrinciples, this specifically means reducingthe CO 2emissions of the new vehicle fleetand, on the production side, significantlylowering energy and water consumption, aswell as waste volumes and emissions.The principle behind this is ‘prevention, thenrecovery, then disposal.’ Michael Oeljeklaus,ŠKODA Board of Management member forProduction and Logistics elaborates: “Wemust minimise environmental impact as faras possible – from vehicle development allthe way through to professional recycling.With GreenFuture, we have established thisas a standard within the organisation.”222012 – A Škoda year in review