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Empowering society. Empowering our company.

To ensure future viability, sustainability is firmly embedded in the values of FUCHS. Taking social and ecological responsibility is part of FUCHS’ corporate identity. Therefore the three sustainability dimensions of economy, ecology and society are core elements of good corporate governance for FUCHS.

Economic, ecological and social activities in harmony

FUCHS sees sustainability as core element of sound corporate management. The Sustainability Guideline published for the first time in 2012 contains standards for responsible business practices and is considered as binding sustainability framework for the Group's global business operations. Based on this, FUCHS is committed to three central sustainability targets, which are operationalized by a comprehensive key performance indicator system and documented in the annual Sustainability Report.

ECONOMICAL

  • Develop markets
  • Bind / win customers
  • Secure / increase  longterm business

ECOLOGICAL

  • Resource-efficient production
  • Environmentally friendly products
  • Reduction of CO2 emissions

SOCIAL

  • Employee safety / -satisfaction
  • „Corporate Citizenship“
  • Compliance with human rights

Economic Responsibility

FUCHS considers economic responsibility to be the adoption of a long-term business orientation with the objective of continuously increasing company value, as well as creating shareholder value. Business activities are therefore based on the following principles:

  • FUCHS bases its corporate decisions on realistic, economically sound and long-term objectives
  • FUCHS pursues a dividend policy that is geared to providing continually increasing, or at the very least stable, dividend payouts

The central key performance indicator (KPI) for corporate management is the FUCHS Value Added (FVA). As economic profit, the FVA embodies a holistic approach that takes into account both earnings (EBIT) and capital employed. At FUCHS, the development of net operating working capital (NOWC) has a particular influence on the level of capital employed. The main components of NOWC are inventories and trade receivables.

 20222021
FUCHS Value Added (FVA) in € million172205
Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) in € million365363
Net operating working capital (NOWC) in € million820606
Total dividend payout in € million148142

Ecological Responsibility

We are continuously reducing our ecological footprint through targeted product and process-based measures. 

  • FUCHS invests in modern and safe systems and process optimization. This helps reduce energy and water consumption, as well as production waste
  • With lubricant products that are optimally matched to their respective applications, FUCHS increases the efficiency of its customers' production process and makes a contribution toward reducing emissions
  • FUCHS invests in alternative raw material solutions that support the conservation of the environment and  resources
  • FUCHS' R&D activities are keenly focused on the development of resource-saving and environmentally-friendly products

With these measures, FUCHS is making a valuable contribution toward reducing its environmental impact and resource consumption, and thereby also contributing to sustainability in the ecological sense.

Targeted transfer of knowledge at all levels in the FUCHS Group and consistent compliance with specified guidelines/directives, as well as continuous measurement of defined KPIs, allow us to critically analyze our commitment.

 

Energy Use by Source

FUCHS is committed to switch to renewable (“green”) electricity by 2025 in all countries where this instrument is available. In the year 2022 the share of Green Electricity of all FUCHS affiliates reached 54%.

Not all energy providers of FUCHS disclose their energy mix to FUCHS. In cases where the market-based energy mix is not available, we have to include location-based data (the country’s average energy mix). Under these limitations, the total energy mix can be calculated as follows:

 

FUCHS Electricity Mix

FUCHS Energy Mix

Of the non-renewable part of energy consumption 75% is attributable to natural gas, 12% to coal, 7% to oil and 3% to energy from nuclear power generation. The analysis was conducted using primary data from our sites and location based secondary data of local energy mixes.

Energy consumption

Energy Intensity (in kWh/ton produced)

Absolute Energy Consumption (in MWh)

 

Basis: CO2 emissions of FUCHS production, sales and holding companies (without offsetting certificates of origin for "green electricity").


Water consumption

Water Use Intensity (in liters/ ton produced)

Absolute Water Use (in m³)

 

Basis: Water consumption of FUCHS production, sales and holding companies.


Waste generation

Waste Intensity (in kg/ton produced)

Absolute Waste generation (in tons, excluding recycled flushing oil)

 

Basis: Waste generated by FUCHS production, sales and holding companies.


CO2 emissions ("gate-to-gate")

CO2-Emission Intensity (in kg CO2e/ton produced)

Absolute CO2-Emissions (in tons CO2e)

Scope 1: Direct emissions, including own energy generation.

Scope 2: Indirect emissions through purchased energy.

Scope 3: Other indirect emissions along the value chain.

Basis: CO2 emissions of FUCHS production, sales and holding companies (without offsetting certificates of origin for "green electricity").

Social Responsibility

For FUCHS, social sustainability means assuming responsibility both for its employees and for society at large.

"

We believe that every company also has a social responsibility. That’s why active commitment in a wide range of social challenges is part of our corporate culture and has long been a tradition for us.

Julia Schlusche, Specialist Corporate Marketing & Communications, FUCHS SE

"

Responsibility for employees

We see our employees as the basis of our success and have permanently anchored this concept in our personnel policy.

  • FUCHS is committed to compliance with human rights and labor standards, as well as to promoting health and safety at the workplace
  • FUCHS ensures a balanced mix of specialists and all-rounders when filling key positions at the company
  • Wherever possible, FUCHS also fills positions that become vacant with experienced employees from within the company
  • FUCHS invests in training young people, as well as in the development and promotion of up-and-coming talents
  • FUCHS offers its employees support in combining their career with a family

 Social indicators

 

20222021
Average age of employees in years4343
Age structure of employees in %  
< 30 years1415
31-40 years2828
41-50 years2727
> 50 years3030
Average length of service of employees in years1010
Employee fluctuation1 in %75
Work related accidents2 per 1,000 employees1210
Days lost due to sickness per employee109
Proportion of women in management positions in %2424
Average further training and education per employee in hours1312

1 Share of employees leaving the company voluntarily.

2 Number of accidents with more than three absence days.

Responsibility for society

We are engaged in various corporate citizenship activities, as we also bear responsibility for our social environment.

  • FUCHS supports cultural projects with the aim of securing a versatile and attractive cultural offering 
  • FUCHS is committed to social projects and supports voluntary work, as well as social organizations and establishments
  • FUCHS promotes scientific projects and socio-scientific exchange

We are supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are political targets set by the United Nations to ensure sustainable development at the economic, social and environmental levels worldwide.

More information

Ranking of FUCHS supported SDGs by projects in 2022

Tip: Hover over the cards to find out how many projects with this SDG FUCHS supports.

Goal 3

84
projects
(30% of total)

Goal 1

46
projects
(16% of total)

Goal 4

36
projects
(13% of total)

Goal 11

34
projects
(12% of total)

Goal 10

26
projects
(9% of total)

Goal 10

12
projects
(4% of total)

Goal 10

11
projects
(4% of total)

Goal 10

10
projects
(4% of total)

Wheel

20
projects
(7% of total)

"

We select projects that not only help improve the lives of the people included, but also help alleviate the social-economic problems our country ist facing.“

Esther Seabi, Transformation Director FUCHS LUBRICANTS SOUTH-AFRICA

"

Sustainability Report

For the latest developments on how FUCHS is empowering not only customers, but also its employees and society as a whole, can be found in our annually published sustainability report.

Read now

EVOLVE Magazine

More interesting insights and stories about FUCHS' sustainability can be found on our online magazine EVOLVE.

Read now

Any questions?

Markus Garb

Vice President Global Sustainability

Contact
+49 (0) 621-3802-0