Latest figures show a strong sustainability commitment as the auto industry adapts to green production
Sustainability strategies in action – European automotive suppliers are actively pursuing green and circular strategies throughout the entire value chain, defining ambitious targets for an increasingly sustainable automotive supply industry.
Vehicle production increased in the past two years, following the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing supply chain disruptions; nevertheless, suppliers have managed to reduce CO2 emissions significantly by increasing the use of renewable energy. However, production increase, has led to an uptick in water usage and waste generation. Despite this ramp up in production, suppliers are finding innovative approaches to drive efficiency gains in waste recycling and recovery.
Methodology note: for this edition of the Data Digest, CLEPA analysed six key performance indicators (KPIs) from the non-financial reports of 27 companies representing the entire portfolio of automotive components. 2020 is taken as a base year to avoid that the fall in production between 2019 and the years following 2020 (COVID and supply chain disruptions) distorts the analysis.
These KPIs are often defined based on materiality assessments, and CLEPA has tracked the data as consistently as possible. We expect consistency to further improve with the application of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, beginning in 2024 and 2025 for larger organisations and unlisted companies, respectively. The six KPIs we assessed are Scope 1&2 emissions, energy use, renewable energy use, water consumption, waste generation and recyclable waste generation.
What you will find in this edition
1 – CO2 reduction: More than 800,000 metric tons of CO2 saved in 2022 compared to 2020
2 – Renewable energy: Share of renewable energy peaks at 41% in 2022
3 – Water use: Increased vehicle production puts a spotlight on water consumption
4 – Waste management: Up to 93% of production waste was recycled or recovered in 2022
