Sustainability
Keeping tomorrow in mind.
We are undergoing a transformation in order to enable change.
Yes, it is true that, currently, we are still largely transporting fossil natural gas through our pipeline grid, which is around 4,400 kilometres long. In Germany, natural gas has been a key pillar of the energy mix for decades and, for the time being, it will continue to serve as a bridge until renewable energy sources are fully integrated. Yet, the days of natural gas are numbered. We recognised these developments at an early stage. We are not holding fast to natural gas, but rather focussing on a future with hydrogen, biogas and other green gases.
The challenge here is that we must achieve the one without abandoning the other. Yet, the existence of two systems - one for natural gas and one for hydrogen - also means increasing complexity in planning, construction, operation and maintenance – this poses challenges for us as a company. Consequently, with that in mind, we are undergoing a profound change; this is nothing less than the most comprehensive transformation in our company's history. This process will take time and will not be achieved without facing conflicts and overcoming obstacles. However, the direction is clear and we are advancing step by step up the stairway to the future.
Dare to try something new
Hydrogen is giving rise to a completely new market. Consequently, it takes a great deal of courage and pioneering spirit to invest in this market and to view the transformation of our energy supply as an opportunity. Our contribution here is more than one hundred years‘ experience of transporting gas.
Our key performance indicators
>> Sustainability report from p. 28
We started reporting transparently on our activities in 2021 and have been working on enhancing our sustainability performance ever since. To this end, we use an increasingly systematic approach to recording a large number of key performance indicators (KPIs). In preparation for reporting in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), at the end of 2024, we introduced digital KPI management, which we are now continuously developing. Here is a small selection of our KPIs:
Our structures
and contact persons
Sustainability is a collective task and has been firmly established as a field of action in our corporate strategy. That is why, at our company, creating added value for the environment, our employees and society has more and more faces and is increasingly changing the way we work together. With this in mind, in 2024, we formalised our governance structure by adopting a sustainability guideline and created incentives to ensure that sustainability is practised in all areas of our company. We are proud of the many employees who are promoting this issue throughout the company.
Our sustainability officers, Henrik Schultz-Brunn and Timm Dominik, act as coordinators here between sustainability strategy development and its operational implementation. They are responsible for the internal and external communication of sustainability activities. They develop approaches to solutions together with experts in the respective areas, provide impetus and bring about company-wide policy decisions. If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact our sustainability officers.
