The Group intends to gain a competitive advantage by implementing fully carbon-neutral production by 2040, processing ecologically compatible raw materials and documenting its ecological footprint along its entire value chain. After all, there is growing demand for environmentally friendly solutions worldwide. In addition, FACC is also concerned with the social criteria of sustainability as well as those relating to sound corporate governance. With these measures, FACC is laying the foundation for sustainable growth in the long term.
Green energy and energy efficiency
FACC is a pioneer when it comes to energy from renewable sources. The company has been using geothermal energy for almost 20 years. In recent years, the Group has also invested in the exploration of further sustainable energy sources. Since the beginning of 2021, it has been sourcing electricity exclusively from hydropower at its Austrian sites, with extensive photovoltaic projects planned for 2023. Most recently, FACC has also introduced effective measures with regard to its consumption - for instance by fully converting its Austrian sites to LED lighting. Overall, fossil fuels now only account for just under 20 percent of FACC’s energy mix; this figure is to be further reduced in the medium term. Various projects are currently being examined, including the heating of autoclaves with solar energy or energy from biomass, or feeding waste heat from production into the district heating network. These are just two of the many avenues that are currently being explored and which are expected to lead FACC to success on its path to decarbonization.
Good for the environment, good for business
In recent years, FACC has increasingly shifted the focus of its research activities to the processing of ecologically compatible materials. Examples include bio-based fibers and resins as well as recyclable thermoplastics. The goal is to enable the transition to a sustainable circular economy in which products can be manufactured in a resource-saving manner and recycled at the end of their life cycle. However, the implementation of sustainable materials not only offers FACC great benefits in its pursuit of sustainability: many customers expect sustainable solutions in their invitations to tender. FACC thus also stands to gain economic advantages from its measures to increase sustainability.
Green logistics
Logistics and packaging play an important role at FACC: every month, thousands of aircraft parts have to be securely packaged for shipping. At the end of 2022, FACC presented a new and sustainable packaging concept with which the company has taken another major step towards carbon-neutral manufacturing by 2040.
The concept includes the following rules: For smaller parts, only packaging and filling material made from recycled cardboard may be used. For larger deliveries that necessarily require filling material, FACC now produces bubble wrap in-house from 40 percent recycled material with two new machines – and in a 100 percent carbon-neutral manner. The wrap is inflated with air only after reaching its destination; in this way, transport of the wrap requires around 25 times less space than before. This alone saves 30 truck trips per year. In total, this amounts to CO2 savings of approximately 40 metric tons. This is equivalent to the consumption of around 20 single-family homes per year.
Moreover, since 2018, FACC has been using eco-liners wherever possible for road transport. These are particularly long semitrailers that can carry up to 50 percent more cargo while consuming 20 percent less fuel in relation to their capacity than conventional trucks. All in all, the combined CO2 savings from these measures amount to approximately 400 metric tons per year.
A QR code on each packaging provides transparency and allows customers of FACC to centrally access total CO2 savings on the company website. Moreover, the packaging design was revised and a new logo for green logistics à la FACC was developed.
Move towards electromobility
FACC has been providing its employees with electric cars for their journey to and from work since the end of 2022. Requirements for using this service are long commutes and establishing carpools. The costs are borne almost entirely by FACC, which also supplies the power for recharging the vehicles. The recharging stations are fed by the company’s own photovoltaic systems. In the coming months, FACC also intends to electrify its existing vehicle fleet. Company vehicles for employees at management level will thus gradually be replaced by hybrid or electric vehicles.
A great place to work
Given the currently tense labor market, the title “A Great Place to Work” has gained new significance. Attractive working conditions are a fundamental prerequisite for the economic success of a company. As a globally active high-tech group, FACC naturally offers interesting career prospects for many people. This is one of the reasons why employees of 42 different nationalities are working at the Group’s Austrian locations. The proportion of women receiving scholarships financed by FACC and in apprentice training currently stands at 50 percent – an extremely high figure compared to the rest of the industry! FACC wishes to maintain this pleasing personnel statistic in the future and actively approaches young men and women to encourage them to pursue a career in the fields of tech and finance.
Strengthening CSR and compliance
As a group with more than 3,000 employees and a global market presence, FACC has to meet particularly high standards in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Compliance. Every single employee worldwide represents the company and is thus jointly responsible for its reputation. FACC continuously raises awareness of CSR and Compliance among its staff through training courses and HR campaigns. Moreover, to survey and evaluate the sustainability measures of FACC’s 250 most important suppliers, an internal CSR rating is to be established by 2023.
Sustainability as an integral part of the corporate strategy
The merging of FACC’s sustainability strategy with its corporate strategy in the 2022 financial year marks a milestone in the history of the Group, and is a clear commitment to the inextricable link between sustainability and corporate success at FACC.
Transparent management remuneration
FACC will ratify a new remuneration policy in the 2023 financial year. In addition to the remuneration of the Management Board, also the bonus schemes are to be made transparent. Most importantly, sustainability targets will also be taken into account in the latter as of 2023.