How DEKRA Helps Companies Meet Sustainability Targets

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DEKRA provides services to improve sustainability
DEKRA is a global leader in safety and sustainability, offering vehicle inspections, testing, certifications and consulting to promote green practices

There are almost 1.5 billion vehicles on the road worldwide producing about eight billion tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) per year.

Transport as a whole contributes almost one quarter of emissions and is expected to rise to 30% by 2030. 

Vehicle emissions regulations are in place around the world, but how can it be guaranteed that they’re followed?

What does DEKRA do?

Founded in 1925, DEKRA is the world’s largest non-listed expert organisation in the testing, inspection and certification sector. 

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Initially the company focussed on technical safety in vehicles, but it has now expanded to cover industrial inspections, cyber security and sustainability.

The German company generated more than €4bn (US$4.3bn) in 2023 and has locations in more than 60 countries. 

In 2023, it inspected more than 31 million vehicles.

Sebastien Bartels, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Sustainability Services at DEKRA, says: “DEKRA champions a holistic approach to sustainability, emphasising the integration of environmental, health, safety, social, and governance aspects at the workplace.”

Sebastien Bartels, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Sustainability Services at DEKRA

“Stakeholders have told us several times what an important role organisations like DEKRA are taking on in sustainable change.”

How DEKRA helps others to be sustainable

DEKRA has a large portfolio of sustainability services to contribute to sustainable development in the environment, economy and society. 

It provides Sustainability Advisory Services across ESG framework including advising on EcoVadis sustainability ratings and verifying Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs).

The company also certifies health safety and environment management systems (HSE) including ISO 46001 for water efficiency and ISO 45001 for health and safety management.

DEKRA provides environmental and ambient inspections and measurements for emissions and to ensure a safe workplace.

This includes monitoring air pollution, soils, groundwater and radiation.

William Soper, Head of Sustainability Services at DEKRA UK, says the company offers a  “fantastic opportunity to offer solutions to meet the needs of the future, eliminate tens of thousands more tons of carbon, enhance lives globally and innovate the approach to engineer and drive change in sustainability.“

William Soper, Head of Sustainability Services at DEKRA UK

DEKRA’s sustainability strategy

DEKRA aims to meet its first set of sustainability goals by 2025, including using 100% renewable electricity and reducing GHG emissions in line with Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) targets. 

It aims to pursue four overarching goals:

  • Be an attractive employer, champion diversity and expand its social commitment to sustainability
  • Optimise its contribution to climate protection and resource conservation through systematic environmental management 
  • Ensure the group-wide organisational integration of sustainability management, reliable and transparent reporting and successful external sustainability ratings 
  • Integrate sustainability holistically in its supply chain and expand its services and solutions in the area of sustainability. 

DEKRA holds a platinum rating from EcoVadis, placing it in the top 1% of all companies rated on ESG and sustainability efforts. 

Stan Zurkiewicz, CEO and Chairman at DEKRA, says: “Safety remains at the core of who we are and what we do. 

Stan Zurkiewicz, CEO and Chairman at DEKRA

“We made a profound and consequential decision to expand our mission to also include security and sustainability. 

“As vehicles, machines and all sorts of other assets evolve into cyber-physical systems, the software component, and with it the cyber security challenges, are becoming ever more important. 

DEKRA’s environment and climate goals

To help ensure sustainability, DEKRA is committed to resource-efficient working methods and protecting the climate.

GHG emissions play a central role in its environmental management as it aims to contribute to climate protection and minimise its impact on climate change. 

DEKRA aims to reduce emissions throughout all three scopes, with particular focus on business travel activities in Scope 3.

As a testing and inspection business, DEKRA has a relatively low impact on resources but is initiating projects at its sites and beyond to promote biodiversity. 

In addition, DEKRA is part of the global RE100 initiative which aims to promote sourcing electricity from renewable sources.

DEKRA offers sustainability testing and inspecting

Since 2020, 100% of its energy consumption in Germany is from renewable sources and aims to expand this around its global operations. 

DEKRA’s sustainable management and governance

DEKRA aims to pursue sustainability in a holistic way, implementing processes throughout the group in all departments to ensure integrity and ethical behaviour.

As an expert organisation, the company aims to be transparent and trustworthy for both partners and stakeholders. 

It maintains extensive regular dialogue with stakeholders to involve them in the ongoing development of its sustainability commitments.

DEKRA also aims to increase gender diversity in management by more than 15% by 2025.

Sustainability in DEKRA’s supply chain

When selecting suppliers, the company considers social, ecological and business ethical criteria to source the products and services it requires. 

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It requires its suppliers to comply with its Sustainability Supplier Code of Conduct, which is checked by risk and demand-oriented audits.

This code sets clear requirements for ecological, social and business responsibility to reduce any negative impact on the planet.

Where possible, DEKRA tries to provide its services digitally and remotely to avoid GHG emissions from business travel. 

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