Siemens: Engineering a Sustainable Future with Technology

Siemens has published its 2025 sustainability report, providing insight into its strategy for responsible manufacturing, circularity and the protection of biodiversity. As a business with a presence in more than 190 countries, Siemens' focus on lowering emissions and recovering raw materials provides a case study in applying technology to solve environmental challenges.

The report details how Siemens is working to make its global operations more sustainable. Siemens’ approach is centred on using its technological expertise in areas like automation and infrastructure to not only reduce its own footprint but also to enable its customers to do the same.

Technology-led decarbonisation targets

According to the report, Siemens’ greenhouse gas emission reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as being aligned with the 1.5°C scenario.

Siemens has made a commitment to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations by 90% and from its value chain by 30% by the 2030 fiscal year compared to the 2019 fiscal year.

Looking further ahead, the target is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This involves a planned reduction of absolute emissions across its entire value chain by 90% and neutralising any remaining emissions.

Judith Wiese, Chief People and Sustainability Officer at Siemens, explains how the company’s technology contributes to wider decarbonisation efforts.

“As of 2025, our cumulative customer avoided emissions stand at 694 million metric tonnes of CO₂e, quantifying the positive impact of our offerings sold over their lifetime,” Judith says.

She adds: “Additionally, for the second straight year, we enabled customers to avoid more emissions than we caused along our entire value chain – while reducing our own emissions by an impressive two-thirds since 2019.”

A conservation programme for biodiversity

Siemens has stated its commitment to protecting and conserving biodiversity.

Siemens's strategy focuses on its operational impact on ecosystems through pollution, land-use change and resource consumption. Siemens has identified potential risks connected to biodiversity that could result from habitat loss and an evolving regulatory landscape.

To address this, Siemens is implementing a conservation programme at its sites.

The target is to roll out this programme at 100% of its relevant sites by 2030. The programme is designed to help individual sites evaluate and manage risks from changing land use and freshwater use regulations, which could ensure compliance and minimise operational disruptions.

In 2025, Siemens reported an increase in the implementation rate of its conservation programme at all relevant sites from 18% to 55%.

Eva Riesenhuber, Global Head of Sustainability at Siemens, says the company's business model is a key enabler for its customers.

“With more than 90% of our business enabling customers to achieve a positive sustainability impact, we’re positioned to empower them to become more competitive, resilient and sustainable,” Eva says.

She adds: “Even further, our Sustainability Statement 2025 provides measurable proof that our impact on societal infrastructure goes beyond our customers and our own business transformation to reach ultimately our planet and society.”

Digital passports and the circular economy

Circularity is another core pillar of Siemens's sustainability framework. The report states a belief that a circular approach adds value by creating business opportunities reducing costs and enhancing supply chain resilience. This approach also works to minimise waste and supports decarbonisation goals. Siemens focuses on designing its products for sustainable materials, optimal use, and value recovery at the end of their life.

Technological solutions are central to this ambition. Siemens plans to empower its customers to adopt circular practices through the use of digital product passports. These passports provide data that allow customers to make informed decisions about material recovery and circular sourcing for products. Siemens is also pursuing a goal of zero waste to landfill by 2030 while committing to 100% sustainable product packaging for relevant products to promote sustainable forestry.

“We believe that organisations achieve their greatest growth and resilience when sustainability and business strategies are aligned and executed with speed and scale,” Judith said on LinkedIn. “At Siemens we empower our customers to do exactly that – accelerate their digital and sustainability transformations by combining the real and digital worlds. This dedication to a sustainable future is comprehensive equally prioritising lifelong learning and the wellbeing and growth of our people.”