Environmental protection

In the environmental protection action field, the KION Group aims to minimise the environmental impacts of its activities through active management. Key areas of this include the environmentally friendly handling of waste and use of water. As one of the top 20 environmental protection measures, the KION Group’s minimum standards that are currently in planning will also be expanded to cover distributors. To achieve this, an implementation plan is in development.

The Group’s activities focus on the aspiration to avoid environmental pollution and extraordinary environmental events. For example, adverse effects on the environment and on society can be caused by leakages or liquids escaping as a result of exceptional events. The KION Group environmental management system takes these circumstances into account through preventative (such as preventative maintenance and testing) and risk-prevention measures. The minimum HSE standards that are planned Group-wide also counter the aforementioned risks.

The structured approach serves to ensure the set objectives are implemented and the necessary standards are met. One proof of the success of this methodology is the fact that there were no significant pollution incidents in the reporting year. Furthermore, no significant fines or penalties for non-compliance with environmental standards were imposed either.

Hazardous substances in production

Hazardous substances in production pose a constant risk to employees and the environment. This is why the KION Group has set itself the objective of banning hazardous and critical substances from its production processes. To achieve this, it is working on a blacklist that identifies the particular substances. In 2018 it will have completed its work to produce an inventory of critical substances used in production; it will have also planned the phase-out process by then, so that it can give its programme the green light as soon as possible after that.

Water use and waste water

Using water sparingly comes naturally to the KION Group, not least for cost reasons. As its business activities only have a relatively low impact on water quality, the KION Group does not need to carry out its own pretreatment prior to discharge, except for the use of volatile liquid separators. Neither is the Group bound by law to measure its water consumption. Owing to the negligible environmental impact and primarily local significance of the topic, the KION Group has no Group-wide water-use plan; however, measures are identified and taken at a local level as part of environmental management activities.

In 2017 the KION Group used a total of 653,220 m³ of water Group-wide (> Table 8). The majority of this came from communal supplies, and was also returned to the water system via the public sewage system (> Table 9). Comparatively water-intensive processes exist such as at foundries (furnace cooling) as well as at forklift washing bays. In the reporting period the Jingjiang plant in China caught the Company’s attention because of its high water consumption due to leaks. Measures to remedy these were taken promptly and successfully.

To further reduce its water consumption, 25 of the reporting entities have set themselves specific water-savings targets. In this regard, the measures are just as diverse as the processes in the Company and range from checking for water leaks, through reusing rinse water, to installing water-saving appliances and the continuous monitoring of water consumption. Last but not least, through internal communication measures the Company is raising awareness among its employees of the importance of the sparing use of water.

Waste and recycling

The KION Group’s production plants in particular generate a wide variety of waste (> Table 10). In 2017 this amounted to 69,372 tonnes of waste globally across the KON Group (2016: 51,134 tonnes*). The waste is separated locally into its constituent parts, and if it cannot be reused or recycled, is disposed of in accordance with local regulations. Differing national regulations and laws governing waste management are a constant challenge to international companies such as the KION Group.

59,446 tonnes (86 per cent) of the total waste volume was classified as non-hazardous, whereas 9,926 tonnes (14 per cent) was hazardous. At the KION Group, this hazardous waste mainly comprises waste lead-acid batteries, waste paint, solvents, and waste oil.

The KION Group’s fundamental objective is to continually reduce the amount of waste it generates, to avoid negative environmental impacts and reduce costs at the same time. In this regard, systematic reuse is a key driver in further increasing environmental sustainability in waste management. Across the KION Group 77 per cent of waste is already recycled today, of which materials account for the majority. By 2018 the Company intends to set a specific reuse and recycling rate target in the environmental protection action field. This will then be used as the basis for setting and implementing waste management programmes both at a Group and local level.

In the reporting period the KION Group developed a better understanding of volume flows thanks to its internal sustainability reporting process as well as numerous workshops at its sales and service units. As a result, it was able to identify the factors driving waste generation.

44 reporting entities currently pursue specific targets to reduce their waste volume, of which 14 are plants and 30 are sales and service business units. Measures including the electronic transmission of documents, reuse of packaging materials, improved waste separation, and raising employees’ awareness regarding the separation and avoidance of waste are helping the Company to achieve its targets.

Further environmental impacts

Wherever the KION Group is active, it works to minimise the impact of activities on the environment and its immediate neighbours. Filter and exhaust-extraction systems such as at welding workshops and paint shops make a major contribution to preserving the quality of air and water. In the reporting year, a post-combustion plant for volatile organic compounds was installed at KION’s Xiamen plant in China. By taking this step, the plant now exceeds statutory requirements and contributes to reducing local pollution.

Effective monitoring systems at the KION Group’s locations ensure that it responds quickly in an emergency and prevents environmental damage to the greatest extent possible.

Noise emissions, particularly at KION’s production plants, are minimised wherever possible through plant specifications and protective measures.

The KION Group also sees itself as responsible for land use and the sealing of surfaces. As at the end of the reporting year the KION Group’s locations covered an area of 3,493,100 m², of which 2,257,514 m² were sealed.

Sustainability aspects also played a key role in the construction of KION’s new corporate headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The new building meets the demanding requirements of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system. This global sustainability certification system stipulates a host of standards for environmentally friendly, resource efficient and sustainable construction. Certification was awarded to the KION Group in December 2017.