If you would like further information about Viessmann’s environmental commitment, we’d be happy to assist you. Our Sustainability Officer Guido Schwab is responsible for all environmental issues (e-mail: sbg@viessmann.com).
Environmental protection
We take responsibility for our environment
As a society, it’s never been clearer to us how strongly we need a pristine environment and how important it is for us to protect it. Viessmann bears a special responsibility as a leading international manufacturer of energy systems. We act accordingly and allow ourselves to be measured by the promises we make.
Viessmann has been putting the concept of integrated environmental protection into practice for decades. Our entire value chain is geared towards it. Our brand values have served as the foundation for establishing an environmental policy for the company from which specific goals can be derived. Thanks to our environmental management system, we can realize this environmental policy and guarantee compliance with external and internal environmental standards.
We want to do more than just adhere to legal regulations and environmental protection requirements for companies. Our work thus focuses on continually improving our environmental management system. We ensure that living spaces remain worth living in for generations to come.
The principles of action of our environmental policy
The Viessmann Executive Board has defined binding principles of action for all employees.
We improve our environmental performance
The observance of all legal regulations is our minimum standard. In order to continuously improve environmental performance, we make use of the best technology available, as long as it is economically justifiable.
We avoid polluting the environment
All of our activities, processes, operating resources, and our new products and services are checked for their environmental compatibility before they are used. We regularly assess the impacts on the environment and minimize them.
We conserve resources
We use raw materials in a resource-saving manner and employ energy as efficiently as possible. Unavoidable emissions and waste are reduced to a minimum.
We think in terms of life cycles
Is that sustainable? This is the question we ask ourselves right at the very beginning – from the development of our products to their production, use, and disposal. We make sure to conserve resources during production. Our heat generators excel during ongoing operations thanks to high thermal efficiency and durability. At the end of their technical service life, Viessmann products are professionally recycled and valuable raw materials are looped back into the production and reusable material cycle.
We participate in the take-back schemes required by law in each specific market to ensure the return of old appliances. Since 1995, we have also cooperated with a nationwide waste disposal service provider and offered our customers in Germany the voluntary take-back of waste. We recycle our packaging in accordance with the valid regulations in place in the local markets. In Germany, we are part of a solution which was brought into being by industry, trade, and crafts back in the early 1990s to take back and recycle packaging from the plumbing, heating, and climate sector.
We want to maximize the reduction of hazardous substances. To do this, we take a hard look at our processes and products on a constant basis and improve them. The relevant regulations on hazardous substances stipulate bans, restrictions, and limit values on substances with which all suppliers must fully comply. All deliveries and services must be provided taking these prohibitions into consideration. Further information for suppliers can be found here.
We keep environmental protection in mind in all processes
Our endeavors to continually improve environmental performance are reflected in both planning and administrative activities as well as in our range of services.
We involve suppliers and customers
Our contracting partners must apply the same environmental standards as our own employees. We also train our customers on how to handle our products and advise them about relevant environmental issues.
We are transparent
Regular close contact is maintained with stakeholders about Viessmann’s activities and environmental impacts.
We keep environmental protection in mind in all processes
Our endeavors to continually improve environmental performance are reflected in both planning and administrative activities as well as in our range of services.
We prevent operational interruptions
Appropriate preventive measures guarantee operational disruptions are largely avoided or that their environmental impacts are kept as low as possible.
We review our actions on a regular basis
Compliance with our environmental policy is regularly checked and assessed.
Our ambitious environmental management system
We routinely review the achievement of objectives derived from the environmental policy. All Viessmann locations and sales branches in Germany are certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14001. Thanks to its location in Allendorf (Eder), the Viessmann Group was the first company in the heating technology sector and the second company in Germany to obtain EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) certification in 1995. The Viessmann site in Allendorf (Eder) is currently the oldest entry in the EMAS register.
EMAS is the most ambitious environmental management system in the world and comprises the environmental management standard ISO 14001 (german website). The EU instrument makes it possible for companies and organizations to show that they assume responsibility for their impacts on the environment. EMAS ensures that all environmental aspects, from energy consumption to waste and emissions, are looked at systematically and that the relevant environmental regulations are also implemented or observed. In the annual environmental statement, companies disclose precise details of their environmentally relevant data to the public, which includes among other things resource use, energy consumption, emissions, and waste. They also define their environmental goals and publish how environmental performance is to be continuously improved in a systematic manner.
Establishing Environmental Management for a long time
For decades we have been implementing the concept of integrated environmental protection along the entire value chain. Process and product integrated environmental protection carries the greatest priority to ensure that environmental accidents are assessed and repaired before they have a chance to happen.
An environmental management system that has been in place for many years organizes and monitors the implementation of environmental policy. Derived from environmental policies, the objectives of providing good environmental management are constantly monitored to guarantee proper environmental performance within the company.
Viessmann environmental statement
In 1995, Viessmann was the first company in the heating technology sector and the second in Germany to be certified in accordance with the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) at its site in Allendorf. The Viessmann environmental statement can be found at the bottom of the page under Downloads.
Environmental policy
The Viessmann Executive Board has established the following binding principles of action for all employees.
We improve our environmental performance
We create living spaces for generations to come and in doing so, we continuously improve our environmental performance. In this context, we use the best available technology, taking into account economic viability. We assume compliance with all legal regulations as a minimum requirement.
All employees participate
All employees participate in the creation of living space for generations to come. For this reason, employees in all areas of the company are comprehensively informed, trained and included in the environmental protection concept.
We avoid environmental pollution
All our activities, processes, equipment, new products and services are tested for environmental compatibility before they are used. We regularly evaluate the effects on the environment and reduce them to a minimum wherever possible and economically justifiable.
We conserve resources
We use raw materials sparingly and energy as efficiently as possible. We reduce unavoidable emissions and waste to a minimum.
We consider environmental protection in all processes
Our efforts to continuously improve our environmental performance apply equally to planning and administrative activities and to our services.
We prevent operational disruptions
By means of suitable preventive measures, we avoid operational disruptions as far as possible or keep their effects on the environment as low as possible.
We regularly review our activities
We regularly monitor and evaluate compliance with our environmental policy.
We involve contractual partners and customers
Our contractors and suppliers must apply the same environmental standards as our own employees. Furthermore, we train our customers in the handling of our products and inform them about the relevant environmental aspects.
We are transparent
We are in regular dialogue with stakeholders about Viessmann's activities and environmental impact.
ISO 14001
The topics of energy efficiency, resource conservation and sustainable management are becoming increasingly important. Management systems according to internationally defined standards make an important contribution here. As the compliance with internal and external specifications and regulations are checked within the framework of regular audits, optimization potentials are evaluated and implemented.
The standardized environmental management system that is in accordance with the internationally valid ISO 14001 standard is introduced throughout the Viessmann Group. Below you find the certificates of the certified companies within the Viessmann Group.
Information as per REACH regulation
The EU regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regulates the obligations of producers when placing substances, mixtures and products on the market. In addition to data acquisition and registration of substances, these include the transfer of information along the supply chain.
Special obligations apply when products are placed on the market that contain "Substances of Very High Concern" (SVHC). These are substances which, due to their hazardous properties, may be subject to authorisation after further examination by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and are included on the so-called "candidate list" (= candidate for the list of substances subject to authorisation according to Annex XIV of the REACH Regulation).
According to the information available from our suppliers, Viessmann products may contain the following SVHC:
Our products do not pose any hazards unusual to the product when used as intended, taking into account the safety instructions in the product information and implementing the usual hygiene measures (wearing personal protective equipment, washing hands, etc.).
FAQ
We are very interested in answering any questions our market partners have about environmental protection and keeping them abreast of our latest news. That’s why we’ve put together some further information on the disposal of waste equipment.