ESG Strategy & Management
Sustainability
Sustainability is a central part of PNE's business model and is firmly anchored in the company. As a “Clean Energy Solutions Provider”, we make an important contribution to climate protection and promote the use of renewable energies.
In our non-financial report, you will find detailed information on the topic of sustainability at PNE.
ESG Strategy & Management
Our sustainable business model in the areas of wind energy, photovoltaics, storage solutions and power-to-X technology with a focus on hydrogen is both an aspiration and an obligation to us. As part of our commitment to responsible corporate governance along the entire value chain, environmental, social and governance concerns are being taken into account alongside economic interests. We strive to create sustainable value for our customers, employees, investors and suppliers, for local communities and for our planet.
The PNE Group has established an ESG Committee as an independent body for ESG and sustainability issues. This committee is made up of various specialist departments. Its tasks include the management and coordination of sustainability-related topics, the identification and evaluation of impacts, risks and opportunities as well as the support of the sustainability reporting and internal and external communication on the subject.
Fields of action & material topics
With our ESG strategy (Environment, Social, Governance), we are making our contribution to sustainable growth. We have identified material topics in the three fields of action “Environment”, “Social” and “Governance”. These reflect where we have an impact on the environment, on people or society through our business activities or where ESG-relevant topics influence our business success in the long term.
To determine the material topics, we have carried out a multi-stage process in accordance with the ESRS double materiality.
PNE pursues a strategic, holistic and integrated approach: in everything we do, we work in a transparent and fact-based manner.
The following material topics were identified in the materiality analysis:
- Climate change (ESRS E1)
- Biodiversity and ecosystems (ESRS E4)
- Resource use and circular economy (ESRS E5)
- Own workforce (ESRS S1)
- Workforce in the value chain (ESRS S2)
- Affected communities (ESRS S3)
- Business conduct (ESRS G1)
Environment
For PNE as a “Clean Energy Solutions Provider”, climate protection and the consistent use of renewable energies are key concerns. With the projects we develop and operate, we make an important contribution to avoiding climate-damaging emissions and driving forward the energy transition. As full-service provider in the fields of wind energy and photovoltaics, we ensure that the expansion of clean energies progresses one step faster - for a better climate worldwide. In doing so, we are consistently targeting a secure, sustainable and profitable energy supply that is powered 100% by renewable energies.
Within our value chain, we promote the careful and efficient use of resources, contribute to environmental and species protection studies and implement energy efficient measures at our sites. Our overarching goal is to reduce the environmental impact of our business activities to minimize our impact on the environment.
It is also particularly important to us to keep the environmental footprint of our projects and services as small as possible. For this reason, we prefer to source the turbines for our wind farms from suppliers that are certified in accordance with the ISO 14001 environmental management system. Sourcing as regionally as possible also reduces long transportation routes and the associated CO2 emissions.
A frequently discussed societal issue in the construction of renewable energy plants is the impact on the environment. Consistently, we ensure to minimize our impact on the quality and diversity of animal and plant habitats and at the same time promote biodiversity in the wind farms and photovoltaic parks which we project.
Social
Our employees are PNE's most valuable resource. Their expertise, motivation, loyalty and dedication enable us to be successful in the market in the long term and to grow steadily. We want to be a first-class employer, and we put focus on our people. We attach great importance to the professional development of our employees and the equal development of their potential. In this way, we want to enable employees to take on key positions in the PNE Group in the short to medium term. In addition, we create an appreciative, attractive, safe and health-promoting working environment.
Through the PNE Academy and systematic onboarding, qualification and training measures, we create a framework in which learning and continued development are part of everyday working life for our employees. Our culture of lifelong learning consists of mandatory basic training on topics such as compliance and occupational safety, specific training for certain employee groups such as purchasing or sales and individual learning opportunities for specific training needs.
We see ourselves as a partner to the communities at our locations, offer secure and attractive jobs and promote the continuous training and qualification of young people locally. We want to make our contribution as a good “corporate citizen” to social, cultural and ecological coexistence, especially in the countries and at the locations where we are active ourselves. For this reason, we support sports clubs, cultural institutions, voluntary fire brigades and local events in the form of donations. We have also further intensified our involvement at the level of community participation. PNE takes on the development, planning and construction of community wind farms and also provides support with the financing and operational management of the turbines. In addition to the planning and implementation of wind farm projects, we support local people with additional subsidies of various kinds.
Furthermore, PNE keeps an eye on the value chain and pays attention to a sustainable cooperation with its business partners. Wherever possible, PNE commissions regional suppliers and promotes local value creation. As an internationally active company, respect for human rights is a basic condition for our business activities. We reject any form of child, forced or compulsory labor, human trafficking or modern slavery and are committed to social and fair cooperation within our value chain.
Governance
Good business conduct and compliance are a matter of course for PNE and are firmly anchored in our daily activities. We are convinced that we cannot be successful without binding guidelines as well as compliant and honest behavior. PNE expects compliance with applicable laws and internal regulations, respect for basic ethical values and sustainable behavior from its own employees as well as from its business partners and suppliers. The PNE Code of Conduct, the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Codex and the business partner guidelines along our value chain form the basis for this.
We achieve compliance through an open and trusting working environment and an efficient compliance management system tailored to our needs, which is coordinated by the Compliance Officer and compliance officers in the subdivisions of the PNE Group. Any violations of the Code of Conduct or the PNE guidelines, such as anti-corruption law, antitrust law or insider law, can be reported anonymously via an internal whistleblower system.
We have a “success picture” for the entire PNE Group. It shows how we want to act as a company based on common goals and values. To accompany this, we have developed focus measures to enable the “success picture” to be deeply embedded in our daily business. The measures include, for example, the implementation of management standards, the improvement of our resource management and continuous process optimization.