HEIDELBERG has strengthened its environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy by accelerating climate action, expanding renewable energy generation and enhancing sustainability reporting, according to its Combined Group Sustainability Report 2025/2026. The company is advancing a science-based decarbonisation roadmap supported by improved emissions accounting, greater transparency and investments in renewable energy as it works toward achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the 2050/2051 financial year.
The sustainability programme is led by Dr. Eva Boll, Head of Corporate Sustainability, who is driving the integration of environmental and governance priorities across the business. Reinforcing the company’s long-term vision, she said HEIDELBERG aims to become the company with the smallest ecological footprint in the industry across its entire value chain.
HEIDELBERG has established a structured sustainability framework with three planning horizons. A one-year horizon focuses on operational improvements and regulatory compliance, a one to five-year period targets emissions reduction initiatives and sustainability projects, while a more than five-year horizon is dedicated to long-term transformation across the value chain.
HEIDELBERG disclosed 45,678 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) in gross Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. To improve reporting accuracy under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), the company recalculated historical emissions across four Scope 3 categories covering employee commuting, processing of sold products, end-of-life treatment of sold products and downstream leased assets.
The company refined its emissions accounting methodology by moving leased operational vehicle emissions from Scope 3 to Scope 1, while emissions from rented facilities were reassigned to Scope 2. These changes improve consistency and transparency in greenhouse gas reporting, HEIDELBERG Sustainability report 2025 indicated.
HEIDELBERG identified purchased goods and services, logistics activities and product use as the largest sources of emissions, together accounting for approximately 91 percent of total Scope 3 emissions. The company has introduced targeted emissions reduction programmes for these value chain activities, with climate performance also incorporated into executive incentive schemes.
Renewable energy continues to play a growing role in HEIDELBERG’s decarbonisation strategy. During 2025/2026, the company generated 6.5 GWh of renewable electricity from its on-site photovoltaic installations, reflecting continued investment in solar power to reduce operational emissions. Following a historical data correction for self-generated solar electricity, the company confirmed that it generated 0 GWh of electricity from wind energy during the reporting period, meaning all self-generated renewable electricity currently comes from solar installations.
HEIDELBERG also continued strengthening its circular economy strategy by designing durable products, extending product lifecycles and improving resource efficiency across its operations. Life-cycle assessments are being used to reduce environmental impacts while supporting customer demand for more sustainable products. The company is also expanding fiber-based packaging solutions to help customers reduce dependence on plastic packaging and improve circular material use.
The company further enhanced sustainability governance by expanding the reporting boundary of its 2025/2026 sustainability report to include Heidelberg Catering Services GmbH (HCS) and Amperfied GmbH. The report has been prepared using the principle of double materiality, complies with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and the German Commercial Code, and aligns with the EU Taxonomy Regulation to improve transparency around environmentally sustainable business activities.
HEIDELBERG’s ESG governance remains overseen by its ESG Council in close coordination with senior management and the Head of Corporate Sustainability, ensuring climate objectives remain integrated into strategic decision-making.
With an SBTi-validated net-zero target for 2050/2051, a 2021/2022 baseline, disclosure of 45,678 tCO₂e in Scope 3 emissions, 6.5 GWh of solar electricity generation, 0 GWh of wind generation, recalculation across four Scope 3 categories, identification of activities responsible for 91 percent of Scope 3 emissions and the inclusion of two additional subsidiaries in its ESG reporting, HEIDELBERG continues to strengthen its sustainability performance while accelerating its long-term transition to a lower-carbon business model.
SHAFANA FAZAL