As an international corporation, we are deeply committed to environmental awareness, human rights, social responsibility, and transparency. This is not new. But publishing a formal sustainability report that describes in more detail what we have already done and aim to do in the future is. This article highlights the main findings of Dantherm Group’s first sustainability report covering the year 2023.

Dantherm Group is steadfast in its pursuit of sustainability, supported by our valued customers, partners, and employees. Together, we are committed to forging a more sustainable future. Throughout 2023, we prioritised laying the groundwork to meet future legal requirements, particularly focusing on compliance with the upcoming EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) regulations starting from 2025. Initiatives included the completion of a readiness assessment, the initiation of a double materiality assessment as well as the establishment of a dedicated compliance organisation along with new policies to ensure ongoing adherence.

Currently, we are measuring more than 20 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) KPIs across the organisation and we will introduce several additional ESG KPIs in 2024. Continuously building the ESG discipline in Dantherm Group also means ensuring a high-quality standard of sustainability data, providing a robust basis for monitoring and reporting on our policy commitments, efforts, and results. Hence, high-quality data and documentation will continue to be a focus area in 2024.

Below, you’ll find a selection of achievements from 2023 – if you’d like to get additional information, please feel free to download a copy of the full sustainability report 2023 here.

Environmental achievements in 2023

13% reduction of CO₂ emissions
20% increase in consumption of renewable energy
94% of waste recycled at our HQ in Skive, Denmark
100% of our portable Master oil-fired heaters are compatible with BioFuel
80,000 km transportation reduction resulting from warehouse consolidation in Germany

Social achievements in 2023

10% of our employees at the HQ in Denmark are employed on non-traditional terms
32% of our employees are women and we set the aim for 40% in 2030
45 different nationalities are employed in Dantherm Group
Balanced employee age diversity with approximately one third of employees below 35 years of age, one third between 35 and 50 and one third above 50
Strategic group leadership training and employee satisfaction survey conducted

Governance achievements in 2023

92% of our total direct procurement spend is from suppliers who signed our supplier code of conduct
95% of our direct procurement trade goods spend is from suppliers who signed our supplier code of conduct
97% of our direct procurement Printed Circuit Board (PCB) spend is from suppliers who signed our supplier code of conduct
Establishment of a new compliance organisation guided by new compliance policies
Mandatory online compliance training courses for all employees were rolled out

One of many important achievements in 2023 was the opening of our state-of-the-art main distribution centre in Heinsberg, Germany. Measuring out at a stunning 55,000m², the roof of the entire facility has been fitted with solar panels that generate electricity for its own electricity requirements and which have the potential to cover the energy requirements for approximately 2,000 private homes in the vicinity. The building has obtained the highest possible energy efficiency rating (40 plus).

What’s next?

For 2024, we have planned several activities to continue our sustainability journey.

These include:

Further increase our use of renewable energy
Include scope 3 in our emissions calculations and increase emissions transparency
Create an Environment Product Declaration (EPD) strategy
Implementation of group-wide employee performance reviews and leadership training
Creation of 4 new ESG policies (sustainability, environmental, human rights and labour)
Continue CSRD compliance preparations
3 onsite supplier audits and 100 supplier sustainability performance assessments planned

In conclusion, the report marks the beginning of our journey towards comprehensive sustainability reporting, offering insights into our environmental, social, and governance endeavors. As we progress, we aim to enhance transparency and compliance further.

Download the full report here

Read more about our approach to sustainability here.