Added environmental value

A strong intention to safeguard the environment forms part of Addtech's business strategy. The aim is to minimise Addtech's impact on the environment by working to reduce waste, increase the share of renewable energy and use natural resources more efficiently and cautiously. Addtech's main operations consist today of technology sales and distribution in around 30 countries. The proportion of Group companies which conduct their own production comprising the use of raw materials, chemicals and fossil fuels increased during the year. However, production represents only a limited proportion of the Group's operations. So, Addtech's main direct impact on climate is from the transportation of finished goods, and business travel. The majority of Group purchases is from suppliers outside the Nordics in Europe, the US and Asia, necessitating a high transport volume. The aggregated environmental impact of the products provided by our companies also includes production operations at our suppliers and eventually also how customers use the products. We consequently seek to take the entire lifecycle of our operations into account in the Group's constant improvement work. 

Addtech's major environmental aspects may be summarised as follows:

• Transport of goods and employees.

• Use/consumption of energy, raw materials and chemicals.

• Emissions and waste from production.

The Group's emission-related risks are mainly associated with carbon dioxide emissions. Such emissions are caused primarily through combustion of fossil fuels in the Group's own operations, chiefly through the transport of goods and employees, and also indirectly through procurement of electricity generated by the combustion of fossil fuels.

The Group has not, either during the year or in previous years, been subject to any fines relating to breaches of environmental legislation. 

We are proud that we at Addtech, as an international Group, obtain over half of our energy from renewable sources. We are working with great ambition to constantly increase that share.

Addtech's environmental policy

The Addtech Group's environmental policy, which is part of our Code of Conduct, expresses our intention to shoulder our part of the responsibility of improving the environment and working to promote lasting sustainable development. Environmental activities shall be conducted within the scope of our business concept and be closely integrated into operational activities. Environmental measures shall be implemented to the extent they are technically feasible, reasonable from a business economic viewpoint and environmentally justified. Responsibility for ongoing environmental work rests with each individual company in the Group. The environmental policy involves the Addtech companies working according to the following points:

• Addtech shall minimise the occurrence of waste and prevent any risks of emissions.
• Environmental performance shall be taken into account in the choice of products and transport methods. 
• Addtech shall constantly encourage its employees and suppliers to perform open and committed environmental work.
• Addtech's environmental work shall lead to constant improvements, and prevailing legal requirements are minimum requirements for the operations.

Addtech's energy consumption

During the year, the Group's total energy consumption increased to 18.1 GWh (16.0 GWh). Out of the energy consumption, electricity consumption accounts for 73 percent (74), and district heating 27 percent (26). Out of the total energy, 57 percent (53) derived from renewable energy sources, an increase of 4 percentage points - despite the acquisition of production-intensive companies in the year - which we find positive. In relation to sales, the share of renewable energy sources increased by 19 percent, while the share of non-renewable sources decreased. One of Addtech's overarching goals is to reduce energy consumption over time relative to Group sales and to focus on continuously increasing the proportion of renewable-source energy. Around 30 percent of Group companies now only use electricity from renewable sources. The table shows Addtech's energy consumption trend.

The figures in the orange fields above the bar charts show the change in relation to Group sales.
*Solar energy, wind power and  hydropower
** Biofuel, waste heat, waste (70 percent renewable) 

Climate impact

Addtech's impact on the climate principally comprises carbon dioxide emissions. Combustion of fossil fuels also produces emissions of other greenhouse gases, but Addtech has concluded that carbon dioxide emissions represent the biggest threat from the Group's operations.

In the calculation of carbon dioxide emissions arising from electricity generation, the calculation was based on Nordic electricity generation, where 1 kWh is estimated to generate 0.1 kg CO₂.

In addition to emissions arising from the internal use of fossil fuels and electricity, carbon dioxide emissions are also generated by various kinds of transport, including transport of materials and products, as well as employee travel. Addtech reports carbon dioxide emissions for employee travel and for materials and product transport according to the table below, which shows the Group's CO₂ emissions.

*Based on reported number of kilometres driven and the average emission of CO₂/km from the Group's vehicle fleet.
**Based on reports from transport providers, plus own calculations using ecotransit.org.
***Based on Nordic electricity generation, where 1 kWh is estimated to generate 0.1 kg CO₂.

The totals regarding Freight In and Freight Out have been adjusted for 2011/2012 after a lapse occurring for two of the Group's freight-intensive companies (25 percent of total CO₂ emissions). The comparative figures have therefore increased in these bars. The general increase in relation to sales derives from the Group's recent acquisition of a freight-intensive company, which alone accounts for 12 percent and 7 percent, respectively, of the Group's total Freight In and Freight Out CO₂ emissions.