25 years of EMAS: Viessmann recognized as environmental management pioneer

  Allendorf (Eder), Nov 30, 2021  – The European Commission has once again recognized Viessmann as a pioneer in sustainable environmental management. The company has now been using the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), the world’s most comprehensive and sophisticated system for sustainable environmental management for more than 25 years. Viessmann was one of the first businesses to adopt EMAS. With its two production plants at the company’s headquarters in Allendorf (Eder), Viessmann has been an EMAS-registered organization longer than any others in Europe and is the only company in its industry to use the EMAS environmental management system.

“Sustainability has been an integral part of our responsibility as a family business for generations. It is today that we are creating the living spaces for generations to come,” explains Alix Chambris, Vice President Global Public Affairs and Sustainability of the Viessmann Group, adding that, “As a leading international manufacturer of energy systems, environmental responsibility has been integrated in our company’s guiding principles since the middle of the previous century. We are glad that we have adopted EMAS for our largest production facilities. The environmental management system supports our ambition to continuously improve and think holistically about our environmental performance.”

“We are proud to have Viessmann, one of the most loyal EMAS participants in the entire EU, in our chamber’s district. We warmly congratulate Viessmann on its 25-year EMAS anniversary and on the many years of successful environmental awareness,” said Jörg Ludwig Jordan, President of the Kassel-Marburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Kassel-Marburg).

Viessmann’s actual 25-year anniversary of using EMAS was in October 2020. However, the issuance of the certificate along with its official presentation by IHK Kassel-Marburg were postponed until this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Environmental protection is ingrained in Viessmann’s entire value-added chain, from development and production to product use and disposal. Viessmann has done much for the environment in the 25 years as an EMAS participant – and that includes the usage of renewable energy. The two plants in Allendorf, for example, have been consuming electric power generated entirely from renewable energy sources since 2012. The site also has a dedicated solar park with around 45000 square meters of grid-connected photovoltaic systems that satisfies a large proportion of the local electricity demand. The home-brewed green energy mix is supported by two biogas plants, three combined heat and power generation units and the recovery of energy from woodchips produced on the company’s short-rotation plantations. Poplar and willow trees are cultivated on a 170 hectares site and supply around half of the 7000 metric tons of solid biomass that the site consumes every year.

Instead of waiting for political decisions or legal regulations to protect the environment, Viessmann acts proactively to preserve the climate for future generations – as demonstrated by the strategic sustainability project “Efficiency Plus”. This program, launched in 2005, enabled the company to meet the German federal government’s climate targets as early as in 2012. However, Viessmann also regularly exceeds the required standards for responsible resource management through day-to-day environmental management activities such as recycling and drinking water conservation.

Viessmann – looking ahead to the future, following climate science and pursuing the goal of the Paris Accord to limit global warming to 1.5°C – has committed itself to reducing its operational emissions by at least another 50 percent compared to 2019 by 2030. The company announced this at COP26 in Glasgow when it presented its first  climate report. Viessmann has even looked beyond 2030 and aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

EMAS is the world’s most sophisticated environmental management system. Businesses and organizations use this EU tool to demonstrate that they are taking responsibility for the impact they have on the environment.

EMAS participants operate a standardized ISO 14001-compliant environmental management system and undergo annual inspections by government-accredited independent environmental verifiers. They publish annual environmental statements containing detailed environmental data on matters such as waste, emissions and resource and energy consumption. They also set environmental objectives and publish how they intend to continuously and systematically improve their environmental performance.

About Viessmann

Viessmann is the leading provider of climate solutions for all living spaces. The ‘Integrated Viessmann Solutions Offering’ enables users to connect products and systems seamlessly via digital platforms and services for climate (heating, cooling, air quality) and refrigeration solutions. All solutions are based on renewable energy and maximum efficiency. All activities of the family company, founded in 1917, are based on its purpose. “We create living spaces for generations to come” – that is the responsibility of the global Viessmann family with 12750 members.  

Media contact:
Viessmann Group
Corporate Communications
Jörg Schmidt
Viessmannstr. 1, Germany, 35108 Allendorf (Eder), T +4915115168389
smdj@viessmann.com,  www.viessmann.de