Earth Overshoot Day: How KION is driving forward the circular economy

Every year, Earth Overshoot Day marks the day on which this zenith is reached. We maintain this deficit - and reach it earlier every year - by depleting stocks of ecological resources and accumulating waste, especially carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Companies and the economy play a central role in the use and conservation of resources because their actions are a powerful lever for necessary change. Ultimately, however, companies and individuals alike must continue to raise awareness of planetary boundaries and dwindling resources. As a large company, we have a social responsibility to help shape the transformation towards a circular economy and will also benefit from this in the future by ensuring the availability of resources.

But this is also a major change for companies because processes have to be adapted and new data recorded. There are a number of new laws that have come into force or are in preparation as part of the Green Deal . These include, for example, the EU directive on corporate sustainability reporting (CSRD), the EU's circular economy action plan, the eco-design directive and the battery regulation with the product passport.

Circularity is becoming increasingly important for KION because, on the one hand, we want to make our contribution and, on the other hand, legal regulations and the demands of our customers are increasing. In order to meet these requirements, we need to formulate and implement a comprehensive circular strategy for both segments of the KION Group with corresponding targets, key figures and an action plan.

We pursue circular approaches through a range of activities, initiatives and programs across the entire product life cycle - from product design and materials used to sourcing, remanufacturing and recycling.

• With iron and steel, we use a large amount of recyclable or recycled materials. For example, the counterweights for our forklift trucks in Weilbach and Dinklage (Germany) are made from up to 100% recycled materials. Among other things, manhole covers, cast-iron radiators, recycled counterweights and other scrap are melted down in the KION Group's foundries. This process prevents the extraction of new iron ore from the earth's biosphere.

• The after-sales and rental business and the sale of used forklift trucks ensure that our products are used for longer and given a new lease of life through maintenance, reconditioning and reuse. In 2023, we generated "circular" sales of around € 3.7 billion in this area. We must promote and expand these business models.

• Lithium-ion batteries can be recycled through our partnership with Li-Cycle. In 2023, we got off to a good start with 2.35t of recycled Li-ion modules within 6 months.

• The majority (80%) of our waste is recycled as part of waste management at our sites.

Each and every one of us can contribute to combating waste and counteracting resource scarcity with our everyday decisions. For example, I personally try to throw away as little food as possible and make a conscious effort to use it up in good time. My cell phone is second-hand. In general, I try to save water and not buy anything that I don't actually need.

There are many ways to support the circular path and integrate it into your life - individually and according to your own possibilities: Cycling, public transport or car sharing to get around, using clothes and household appliances for longer, more conscious meat and food consumption, correct waste disposal and much more. On the Overshoot Day website, there are also a number of local initiatives that you can join: #MoveTheDate solutions.