Press maker Heidelberg – also a growing manufacturer of charging points for electric vehicles – has joined the UN Global Compact on sustainable and responsible governance.

The company says it is underlining its commitment to aligning with the Compact's ten sustainability principles on human rights, labour standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption.

Chief executive Ludwin Monz says participation is a “logical step” in efforts to have the smallest ecological footprint “along the entire value chain in our industry”.

The company has committed to Scope 1 and 2 climate neutrality obligations by 2030 at its production, development and sales sites. It has not committed to the Scope 3 obligations, which relate to activities for which it may be indirectly responsible up and down its value chain.

Monz says priority is given to increasing energy efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions and substantially increasing the share of in-house electricity production through renewable energies. A new photovoltaic system at its Amstetten site in the Netherlands was commissioned last month.

“Any remaining CO2 emissions that cannot be avoided by means of optimisation measures will be neutralized in the future by means of voluntary compensation,” he said. From 2040, Heidelberg aims to manage without offsetting, again excluding Scope 3.

A new whitepaper argues for decentralised, local energy management of the German power grid, “so that it can supply millions more e-cars and wallboxes”. It says the purchase of energy management systems should be subsidised by the state for this purpose, with policymakers pushing for the expansion of infrastructure so the country can achieve climate targets.

Pictured: An EV connected to a Heidelberg wallbox; photovoltaic panels at Amstetten