Waiblingen, 5/31/2022 | Company press release
STIHL publishes its first sustainability report
The STIHL Group has published its first sustainability report, detailing the company’s sustainability strategy and activities. The motto, “Acting for Generations” reflects the firm conviction which has guided the business since its founding more than 95 years ago.
In 2021 STIHL developed a sustainability strategy, with the goal of enhancing its previous sustainability policy, consolidating its efforts to date, and significantly stepping up its ongoing activities. The family-owned business has set itself ambitious 2030 targets in three focal areas – ecosystems, circularity, and care. These targets are aligned to the intention that STIHL becomes climate-neutral, more resource-efficient, and continues to work fairly as it makes it easier for people to work in and with nature in future. The company also seeks to make a measurable contribution to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dr. Nikolas Stihl, grandson of company founder Andreas Stihl and Chairman of the STIHL Advisory Board and Supervisory Board, emphasizes: “As a business rooted in forestry, we have traditionally had a deep connection with the natural world. Given that our livelihood depends on nature, everything we do has always been focused on people, nature, and their power to grow. That is what drives us, and also what we want to continue to promote.”
In focus: Ecosystems, circularity, care
Dr. Michael Prochaska – Executive Board Member for Human Resources and Legal Affairs, with responsibility for sustainability at STIHL – explains the objectives behind the new sustainability strategy: “STIHL should remain fit for the future. We think in generations rather than quarters. That is why we want to anchor sustainability in all of our decision-making processes; this is the only way we can advance STIHL as a whole and also strengthen our competitiveness.”
As part of its sustainability strategy, STIHL is committed to protecting ecosystems, which includes taking consistent actions to combat climate change. STIHL supports the Paris Climate Agreement target of limiting global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, and in 2020 the company adopted a climate strategy with this in mind. STIHL locations in Germany have been climate-neutral via offsetting since 2021, and since this year the international production companies have also been climate-neutral. The international sales companies will follow in 2023. In the long term, the aim is to reduce carbon emissions over the entire product lifecycle, from raw material procurement to production and use. STIHL is also committed to preserving and promoting biodiversity – when designing its product range, acting as a partner to local authorities, and in terms of species diversity at STIHL locations.
STIHL is addressing the topic of the circular economy in multiple ways, including by working to make its products and packaging widely reusable, and so to introduce them into a materials cycle, always following the “repair, reuse, refurbish, and recycle” concept. The renowned durability and repairability of STIHL products, with their many individually available spare parts, has been helping contribute to this goal for decades. The company is also dedicated to good working conditions for everyone who works directly or indirectly for STIHL.
The STIHL Sustainability Report is available online.
It outlines the sustainability strategy and targets, as well as the Group’s activities in 2021. The report covers STIHL locations in Germany (head office and eight plants, along with the sales headquarters in Dieburg) and all of its international production companies. The STIHL Sustainability Report was prepared in accordance with the Sustainability Reporting Standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
