Since 1 October, DR-WALTER has been operating in a climate-neutral manner and making its contribution to tackling the climate crisis. The expert for the safety of people abroad invests in climate protection projects in Africa, Bolivia, Indonesia as well as in the reforestation of German mixed forests. By purchasing CO₂ certificates, it offsets the greenhouse gases caused - knowing full well that for a long-term decarbonisation strategy, its own carbon emissions must be further reduced. Further measures are being planned for this purpose.

Accounting of CO₂ emissions

In order to determine DR-WALTER's carbon footprint, the principles and methods of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG) were applied. In cooperation with the sustainability consultancy First Climate, data on energy and water consumption, the vehicle fleet, business trips and work travel were collected and calculated using an online tool. The emissions report for 2022 shows that DR-WALTER emitted 286,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide through its business operations.

Investment in climate protection projects

To offset these greenhouse gas emissions, DR-WALTER has now purchased carbon credits through the Berlin-based sustainability start-up Senken. The most effective offset project is Exomad's Green Biochar in Bolivia: this uses the power of biochar to remove carbon from the atmosphere and sequester up to 200,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project protects the second largest intact rainforest, the Congo Basin. By building and renovating schools, providing healthcare services and supporting food security, the project reduces the main causes of forest loss. Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve in Indonesia creates an economically viable alternative to deforestation. It provides a buffer zone between the palm oil industry and Tanjung Puting National Park, home to one of the last remaining wild populations of orangutans. Papariko - Vlinder restores degraded mangrove areas - biodiverse habitats of great ecological importance - and improves lives of vulnerable communities in Kenya. With DEUTIM CO₂-Speicher, DR-WALTER supports the conservation of native forests. The reforestation measures serve to establish a healthy, climate-stable mixed forest in Rodenbach on the edge of the Rhine-Westerwald Nature Park.

Further minimize carbon footprint

Although compensation through certified climate projects makes DR-WALTER carbon neutral, minimising unavoidable carbon emissions remains a top priority. "This is no easy task," says Timo Dreger, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at DR-WALTER. "One of the main drivers of our emissions is fuel consumption during employees' commutes to work, especially at the rural Neunkirchen-Seelscheid site where public transport is limited. The development of mobility concepts is therefore an important part of our sustainability strategy for the future, including travel as a whole." DR-WALTER, as a partner for safety and health abroad, supports longer stays abroad, emphasising the importance of climate-friendly travel choices. Short shopping trips to New York or weekend trips to Barcelona are no longer appropriate in the face of climate change.