THE SUSTAINABILITY INTERVIEW
Sustainability-first strategy Volkswagen Group’ s Regenerate + strategy was launched by CEO Oliver Blume in Berlin before the company’ s wider strategy to highlight leadership commitment.
“ Our suppliers also need to see we’ re really staying close,” Dirk explains.“ It has to be pragmatic, ingrained in the culture.”
The strategy’ s legitimacy rests on rigorous transparency through progress reports. Volkswagen reports quantifiable progress each year, responding to the new EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive( CSRD).
Investing in circular economy, partnerships and business resilience According to Dirk, sustainability at Volkswagen extends far beyond decarbonisation and EVs. Central to the Regenerate + strategy is the circular economy, which seeks to minimise extraction of new materials and maximise recycling and reuse across the vehicle life-cycle.
“ Circular economy hits all our pillars – nature, decarbonisation, people, society and business. It’ s a really overarching topic,” Dirk explains.
For automotive manufacturing, this involves steel, glass, aluminium, polymers and used parts, returned and refurbished for new use.
“ Why should we take more resources out than we already have?” Dirk asks.“ Half of the copper demand could be met from recycled material, which is not currently being recycled. Circular economy helps reduce the carbon
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