Plain talking is best when it comes to SDGs!

But for globally operating companies they do in fact entail a snag that must not be underestimated: Any enterprise that does not refer to them often enough or at all will arouse suspicion. And the same applies for firms that overdo their SDG-related communication by suggesting it is possible to reach all 17 goals under their own aegis, so to speak. We, the Krones team, don’t belong to either group. To prove it, we specifically disclose both the goals where we can make a contribution thanks to our core business and those where we can’t. Just like in our Carbon Transition Plan, the rule is: Better to be frank and honest about the limits of our influence than to loiter on the brink of greenwashing.

The Top 5 of our sphere of influence

There is something you will notice at first glance when you look at our “Solutions beyond tomorrow“ vision: The core elements of several SDGs coincide with the mission described there and with our group’s strategic alignment. It is true, every single one of the SDGs is an important building block for creating a fairer, more sustainable future. But not all of them are within our sphere of influence. When you compare our corporate strategy to the global sustainability goals, you will see there are five SDGs where we can achieve the biggest possible positive impact.

SDG #3: Good health and well-being

This SDG aims to ensure a healthy life and promote the well-being of all people, no matter how young or old. Krones is part of a value chain that supplies millions of people with consumer goods every day. Against this background, our vision defines a far-reaching mission: “Sustainable and affordable beverages, food and essentials for everyone and everywhere.” We are proud that we can offer our customers top-class machines, lines and services, enabling them to provide consumers with hygienically and reliably filled products.

Krones has no direct influence on what happens to food and beverages after they have been produced and delivered. But we can counter the spoilage of food and beverages by extending their best-before dates. As an example, we’ve been enhancing the capabilities of our aseptic lines, thereby enabling them to ensure a long shelf life, even for highly sensitive goods like fruit juices or milk-based drinks, by performing all the process steps needed for producing and filling beverage containers in a consistently sterile atmosphere.

Besides solutions for reliably filling beverages and liquid foods under hygienic conditions, our employees’ well-being is another focus of what we do as a company. We fulfil our responsibility to our staff by creating a safe working environment that promotes their health and well-being.

SDG #8: Decent work and economic growth

Sustainable and inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all: These are SDG aspects we have major influence on. That is because Krones is present in the lives and daily routines of innumerable people, not only as an employer with a payroll of over 18,000, but also as a supplier and partner to international customers and their staff. It is therefore our duty and responsibility to offer the people whom we employ and with whom we have links through our business associates productive and decent work. By creating an attractive working environment, we also increase motivation levels and team spirit among our employees so that we can all join forces in achieving our shared goals.

Our corporate strategy also specifies that sustainable practices be integrated into our business activities in order to make a beneficial contribution to society and our environment. The aim is to put in place an operation geared to long-term business success, thus ensuring secure and attractive jobs.

SDG #9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

As our claim “Solutions beyond tomorrow” suggests, innovation is essential for us as a technology group. Pioneering spirit, creativity and thinking outside the box are the salient characteristics of Krones, and our core aspiration is to offer solutions that exceed expectations.

Vivid proof of that can currently be found not only at Krones AG but also at its subsidiaries. To give you an example: Steinecker GmbH has developed Phoenix BMC, a biomass conversion system for upcycling residual materials from the brewing process and using them for energy recovery.

And System Logistics demonstrates how sustainability of intralogistics processes can be upgraded. The Italian Krones subsidiary designed a fully automated warehouse for the Czech brewery Plzeňský Prazdroj that not only upgrades efficiency levels but also reduces annual CO₂ emissions by 500 tons into the bargain.

SDG #12: Responsible consumption and production

Krones’ commitment to reducing the amount of packaging needed and keeping the materials used in a closed loop is directly tailored to this particular SDG. Our MetaPure system enables our customers to recycle post-consumer PET, polyolefins and multi-layered packaging for high-grade use. We are continuously upgrading the technology so that it can process further material types.

Of course, sustainable consumption is not limited to the issue of packaging. So we have also focused much of our development work on technologies for producing plant-based milk and meat alternatives. A calculation by the UN Environment Programme shows that the calories lost when plant-based food is converted into animal-derived food could theoretically feed 3.5 billion people. And the picture is similar for the climate footprint: While 1.3 kilograms of CO₂ are caused in the production of one litre of cow’s milk, that figure is only 0.29 kilograms for the oat-based vegan alternative.

Our technologies are suited not only for existing customers in the dairy industry who want to tap new market segments with plant-based alternatives but also for start-ups who intend to produce innovative foods from alternative protein sources for a climate- and eco-aware target group.

SDG #13: Climate action

Climate change is one of humankind’s most urgent problems. Conscious changes in our behaviour are important in order to protect our natural environment and slow down climate change. Krones has set itself ambitious emission-reduction targets to be achieved by 2030 and implements fit-for-purpose measures to meet them.