Sustainability at Kärcher
The concept of sustainability is deeply embedded in the family business of Kärcher. We accept responsibility for the environment, our products, the supply chain, the company, society and our staff. Because we believe that this is how we can make a difference – for the society in which we live. Be the difference!
Sustainability Goals 2030
No emissions, less plastic and more recycling
Sustainability Goals 2030
No emissions, less plastic and more recycling
Packaging that protects the product and the planet
How we optimise our packaging for sustainability.
Packaging that protects the product and the planet
How we optimise our packaging for sustainability.
Bags of help in the war on plastic waste
The organisations One Earth - One Ocean and COMPED are ridding Cambodia's waters of waste. Kärcher supports them.
Bags of help in the war on plastic waste
The organisations One Earth - One Ocean and COMPED are ridding Cambodia's waters of waste. Kärcher supports them.
What makes our products sustainable
Aspects of sustainability in focus
What makes our products sustainable
Aspects of sustainability in focus
We take responsibility
The following documents form the cornerstone of the collaboration between Kärcher and our suppliers and are binding for them. This includes the Code of Conduct and Kärcher Norm (KN) 050.032, which specifies the product conformity requirements for the substances used in supplied products.
Fields of action in our sustainability strategy
Awards
German Sustainability Award top three (2020)
In November 2019, we were selected by the jury of the German Sustainability Award as one of the three most sustainable large enterprises in Germany for our many years of commitment to sustainability.
"audit berufundfamilie" (workandfamily audit) certificate (2020)
Since December 2013, Kärcher has been certified as a family-friendly company. The certificate is a mark of companies who are particularly committed to further developing family-friendly measures at the workplace.
BEST PLACE TO LEARN
As an assurance of outstandingly good company-based training, Kärcher received the BEST PLACE TO LEARN certification in 2019.
KUNUNU – TOP COMPANY
Kärcher received the "TOP Company" award in 2019 as a seal of approval for a well-evaluated employer.
KUNUNU – OPEN COMPANY
Kärcher received the "OPEN Company" seal for proactive handling of evaluations on kununu.com.
Corporate Culture Award (2018)
In 2018, we won the Corporate Culture Award in the "Best Story" category for our corporate culture. The award is presented to companies who impress with their outstanding cultural work and the corporate culture they successfully bring to life.
German CSR prize (2014)
Kärcher received the sought-after prize in the category of "Cultural engagement as an expression of the social responsibility of companies" for cleaning the listed Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin for the purposes of restoration.
Awarding of the ARBEIT PLUS (work plus) seal of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) (2013)
Kärcher received the ARBEIT PLUS (work plus) seal for outstanding performance in the area of HR management.
Sustainable. From the outset.
Taking on responsibility – that was an essential part of the corporate culture at Kärcher from the beginning. Alfred Kärcher and his wife were guided by the insight that sustained economic success is only possible by taking social issues into consideration.
In 1939, when the incipient company relocated to Winnenden, Alfred Kärcher built his own waste water treatment plant on company premises. In 1940, he founded the Alfred Kärcher foundation for employees in need, which produced toys to give employees' children as Christmas presents from 1943 to 1948.
This was followed by many other milestones. These included the first large-scale cleaning project of the statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, the commissioning of the company's own photovoltaic systems on the company premises, the publication of the Kärcher Code of Conduct, research projects for energy-efficient production, the introduction of a global energy management system and the first product parts made of recycled plastic in series production.
