Sustainability in numbers
At Kärcher, we see the bigger picture. We rely on the strategic aims of several years for the entire corporate group, in order to realise our sustainability vision. We document the achievement of these goals in our sustainability report.
Sustainability report according to GRI standard
Responsibility is an essential part of the corporate culture at Kärcher from the beginning – with sustainable company development focused on people and the environment. Our economic success is based on long-term strategies. This is also the case when it comes to sustainability.
This sustainability report contains Kärcher’s key figures, targets and activities. The report was produced in line with the standards of the current version of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
80 %
proportion of recycled paper in paper-based sales packaging
50.000 boxes
from regranulate at the plant in Romania since 2022
> 40 products
in the detergent sector with eco-certification
26 tons
less plastic in packaging at the Ahorn Service Center
11%
of company vehicles are electric
> 1.900 tons
plastic recyclate used in products
Packaging that protects the product and the planet
High-quality packaging ensures our products reach customers safely. Here at Kärcher, however, it's not enough that our packaging just be strong – we believe it should also save resources and be sustainable. And we are working hard to ensure this is the case.
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PRODUCTS
Long life for Kärcher appliances
We consistently take environmental aspects such as resource efficiency and recyclability into account right from the product design stage. But even during the usage phase, it is important to us that Kärcher appliances have a long service life and do not create unnecessary waste.
Kärcher therefore makes repairability a consistent principle. While new EU regulations set standards, the company demonstrates how durable products and innovative business models complement each other.
Repairing instead of throwing away: how Kärcher appliances get a second life
‘It's as easy as ordering a pizza,’ says Sarah Lang, Senior Business Consultant Aftermarket & Services at Kärcher, explaining the digital repair process for home and garden appliances. The well-designed system guides customers through the entire repair process. It all starts on the Kärcher website: after logging into the “my Kärcher” customer portal, users enter their appliance details and select from a list of typical fault descriptions. They receive practical tips for troubleshooting – sometimes a supposed defect can be fixed with a few simple steps.
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SUPPLY CHAIN
Our close cooperation with suppliers is crucial for Kärcher’s success. That’s why we want to be a trustworthy and reliable partner to our suppliers and their employees. This also includes taking responsibility for the protection of people and the environment in our supply chain. In light of this, we are continuously further developing our corporate due diligence in the supply chain
Our path to a sustainable supply chain
Sustainability plays a hugely important role at Kärcher – and not just within our own company. We also value environmentally friendly activities, long-term relationships, strict welfare standards and high levels of transparency throughout our supply chain.
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PRODUCTION
Kärcher sites worldwide
Rooted in Germany – active all over the world: Kärcher produces and sells its products around the globe. The map provides an overview of our worldwide production and logistics sites as well as the approximately 80 countries with sales and service sites.
Countries with Kärcher sales and service sites are highlighted yellow. Countries with Kärcher production and logistics sites as well as sales and service sites are marked turquoise. Countries with Kärcher sales and service sites that are not part of this report are dark grey.
Production and logistics sites
Germany
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Winnenden (Headquarters)
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Winnenden (Factory)
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Servicecenter Ahorn
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Obersontheim (Factory)
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Obersontheim (Logistic Centre)
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Bühlertal
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Illingen
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Schwaikheim
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Waldstetten
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Duisburg
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Reutlingen
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Italy
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Correggio / Reggio Emilia
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
•
Production and logistics sites
Quistello
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
•
Production and logistics sites
Reggio Emilia
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
•
Production and logistics sites
Romania
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Cuerta de Arges
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
•
Production and logistics sites
USA
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Aurora
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Blackwood (Logistic Centre)
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Fayetteville (Logistic Centre)
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Mexico
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Monterrey
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Brazil
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Vinhedo
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
China
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Changshu
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
•
Production and logistics sites
Latvia
9001:2015 (Quality)
14001:2015 (Environment)
5001.:2018 (Energy)
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
Production and logistics sites
Jelgavas Novads
9001:2015 (Quality)
•
14001:2015 (Environment)
•
5001.:2018 (Energy)
•
45001:2018 (Occupational safety)
EMPLOYEES
Number of employees (headcount)
Sustainable HR management
Kärcher pursues a globally valid human resources strategy. This is the responsibility of the central HR Management team in the head office at the Winnenden site and is implemented in collaboration with the HR departments of the subsidiaries. With this strategy, we are pursuing the goal of at tract ing new talented employees, retaining employees in the long term and developing them in a targeted manner. In this context, we take the employee ex perience of our workforce seriously. With our sustainable HR strategy, we want to meet the challenges of a shortage of specialists and demographic change while also ensuring our competitiveness. In doing so, we are working to establish global standards and promote cooperation be tween the individual sites.
Continuous development
Kärcher’s ambition is to attract new, talented professionals and to fully utilise the potential of existing employees. In doing so, we build on our training pro grammes, which have grown over the years, and on a standardised talent management process in conjunction with targeted further training. In this way, we drive the establishment and development of the necessary future com petencies – based on the Kärcher competency model.
85 %
participation in the last global employee survey
46. place
in Forbes' "World's Best Employers" ranking (10th place in Germany)
2,5 days
for training programs at the head office per person
5 %
Training quota at the head office
SOCIAL COMMITMENT
At Kärcher, we are aware of our social responsibility. That’s why we support non-profit initiatives and organisations that make a significant contribution to society and stand for values such as family, education and equal opportunities as well as the protection of the environment and resources. In all three areas – donations and sponsorship, long-term cooperation and employee commitment – we take our role as a social stakeholder seriously and are therefore dedicated to preserving values, whether social or ecological. That’s why value preservation is also the focus of our “Social Hero” initiative – one of the three pillars of our 2025 Sustainability Strategy.
Bags of help in the war on plastic waste in the ocean
The littering of the world's oceans is an enormous problem. The non-governmental organisations One Earth-One Ocean and COMPED are actively confronting this problem and ridding Cambodia's waters of waste. And Kärcher is supporting them in their efforts.
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Finally swapping buckets for schoolbooks
Through the "Clean Water for the World" initiative, the Global Nature Fund and Kärcher have pledged their commitment to improving water quality in emerging and developing nations. At a school in Burundi, a Kärcher water treatment product is now being put into action for the first time.
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Cultural sponsorship
For more than 40 years, we have been committed to the preservation of historical monuments and buildings free of charge as a cleaning specialist. To date, Kärcher has demonstrated its experience and expertise in over 150 restoration projects worldwide.
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