Sustainability

EWE sees itself as an interface in a world of decentralised energy supply, in which energy customers are increasingly becoming energy producers. The satisfaction and trust of our customers and partners take centre stage in our business. Information security and data protection in the digital world are becoming increasingly important for our customers. For us, compliance is an obvious basis for trust between the company and its stakeholders. We recognise that integrity is the key to our business success. Strict compliance with applicable laws and regulations is essential to avoid potentially significant legal and economic risks for EWE and its stakeholders.

EWE seeks to combine economic success with responsibility for the climate and environmental protection. To effectively support the energy revolution, we are increasing the share of our electricity generation from renewable energy sources. More specifically, we are concentrating our activities on expanding the use of on-shore wind energy and gradually withdrawing from the conventional generation of electricity and heat with coal. Nonetheless, we remain a competent partner for the operation of conventional electricity and heating plants of our customers.

We aim to reduce the specific CO2 emissions of our electricity production by 40 per cent by 2020 compared with the base year 2005. The expansion of our power generation from offshore wind energy and moving away from hard coal as an energy source are intended to further reduce our specific and absolute CO2 emissions over the coming years.

Climate and environmental protection is firmly established in our Code of Conduct.

Energy, telecommunications and information technology offer an average of 8,50816 employees in the EWE Group a broad range of work environments. The skills and high level of motivation of our employees are material to our lasting success. We value responsive and fair cooperation and have laid down this requirement in our Code of Conduct, which our companies are committed to as are our employees.

In addition, we have set high standards to promote the health of our employees and provide them with a working environment conducive to their health and well-being. We also expect our business partners to comply with these standards.

Our economic responsibility is derived from our operating activities. We want to live up to this by fulfilling our responsibility towards all stakeholders through farsighted capital expenditure and sustainable profitability. Not only do our customers expect safe and innovative products and services, our economic responsibility also encompasses meeting the needs of citizens of the municipalities and districts in which we operate. Most of EWE’s shareholders comprise local authorities to whom we wish to provide a secure, stable dividend. In addition, we would like to offer local communities and their citizens, as incorporated in our Code of Conduct, a secure supply and more scope to participate in and shape the local energy revolution.