The automotive industry plays a key role in the transformation of business towards sustainability and the fight against climate change. Therefore, Porsche intensified its sustainability activities in 2022, developing the company systematically in line with the Sustainability Strategy 2030. Greater attention is being paid to the value chain as a whole in the process. The overriding objective is to anchor sustainability in all areas of its business activities.
The Sustainability Strategy 2030 classifies the key challenges facing Porsche into six strategy fields:
The work done by the Porsche is systematically aligned with these fields of action. In doing so, Porsche wishes to embrace its responsibility, bolster sustainable and value-creating growth, and reduce its environmental footprint continuously. It remains focused on the impact of its business activities and the expectations of its stakeholders all along the value chain.
Porsche evaluates its progress continuously in all six fields of action of its Sustainability Strategy 2030. To this end, Porsche regularly engages in dialogue with its internal and external stakeholders and with recognized experts. Porsche then uses the findings from these dialogues to update its strategy as necessary.
Porsche also aligns the six fields in the Sustainability Strategy 2030 and its related activities with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations. These help guide Porsche in its efforts to make its own business activities more sustainable. They indicate how economic progress, social justice, and environmental compatibility can be reconciled.
Sustainability is enshrined as a central cross-cutting issue in Porsche’s Strategy 2030¹. Throughout the company, it is anchored in the organization with a clear internal structure and defined responsibilities. This way, Porsche is able to address material topics systematically and effectively.
This is underpinned by Porsche’s sustainability guidelines. They contain binding rules for the entire company concerning the organization, internal processes, topic management, project implementation, and communication of all sustainability topics. They enable Porsche to ensure that the sustainability strategy is known and implemented throughout the company.
Sustainability is the responsibility of the Chairman of the Executive Board, supported by the Member of the Executive Board responsible for Production and Logistics and the Member of the Executive Board responsible for Procurement. Their role is that of overseers. The Executive Board is the highest body in charge of sustainable corporate development. It determines the fundamental strategic direction and concrete sustainability targets in regular strategy workshops. It also decides on particularly far-reaching measures and flagship projects.
The Sustainability department within the General Secretary and Corporate Development division is responsible for implementing the sustainability strategy and works continuously to optimize it. It realizes sustainability projects and manages the sustainability bodies of Porsche. In line with the Volkswagen Group Sustainability Guidelines, it also serves as the interface with the Volkswagen Group, where it represents Porsche’s sustainability management.
The Politics and Society department of the Communications, Sustainability, and Politics division is responsible for internal and external sustainability communications, strategic stakeholder involvement, and non-financial reporting. It engages in sustainability networks and represents the office of Porsche’s Sustainability Council.
The Environment and Sustainability Steering Committee is a cross-departmental body comprising representatives of all the relevant departments. The Environment and Sustainability Steering Committee determines the direction and content of the sustainability strategy. It convened a total of eight times in
2022. It also handles decisions regarding the road map and objectives within the strategy. The Environment and Sustainability Steering Committee forms working groups to prepare, evaluate, and refine individual topics, projects, and initiatives relating to sustainability. These assignments are issued by the Environment and Sustainability Steering Group, to which the Steering Committee reports.
The Environment and Sustainability Steering Group determines the focuses and direction of the sustainability strategy. The Environment and Sustainability Steering Group is composed of the heads of the main divisions. It can be expanded flexibly as required. It meets once a quarter and provides regular reports to the Executive Board. In doing so, it prepares its decisions regarding the sustainability strategy.
Another key body is the Porsche Sustainability Council. It was formed in 2016 and institutionalizes the stakeholder dialogue on sustainability.
¹ The Porsche Strategy 2030 focuses on the four stakeholder dimensions: customers, society, employees, and investors. The Porsche AG Group aims to become more sustainable as part of its Strategy 2030. “Sustainability” is one of six cross-cutting strategies, together with “customer”, “products”, “digitalization”, “organization” and “transformation”.
