“At Škoda Auto, sustainability is not an afterthought, but a cornerstone of our corporate strategy. In close cooperation with our partners, we are constantly reducing the environmental impact of our business activities. We take a holistic approach to this topic. For example, with our recently introduced ‘Curiosity Fuel’ coffee, we are advancing circular economy principles by thinking outside the box and using the husks to tan leather seats. To foster biodiversity, we have also launched a wide range of projects in the areas surrounding our plants worldwide.”
Karsten Schnake, Škoda Auto Board Member for Procurement and Board Representative for Sustainability
“As one of the largest employers in the country, we bear a particular responsibility for both society and the environment. In promoting biodiversity, our employees’ willingness to get involved is our most valuable asset, and we are proud to be tackling this major task as a team. We are actively engaged in projects under the Škoda Trees initiative or Krakonoš Gardens, where our employees contribute by digging pools and planting areas that cultivate biodiversity.”
Maren Gräf, Škoda Auto Board Member for People & Culture
Škoda’s Curiosity Fuel coffee launched at Czech plants
Škoda Auto’s Curiosity Fuel coffee, which is grown, roasted and packaged for use at its Czech plants and offices, preserves the local environment. It also promotes fair and secure wages for local farmers by adhering to Rainforest Alliance principles. Starting this summer, the coffee bean husks will be used to sustainably tan leather for the seats in the Suite Design Selection of the Octavia and Kodiaq.
New Laurin & Klement Kampus headquarters receives Austrian Green Planet Building Award 2024
At its new headquarters in Mladá Boleslav, Škoda Auto ranks at the top of the sustainability ladder thanks to a 222- panel photovoltaic system boasting a peak output of 100 kW, which significantly reduces energy requirements from external sources. The building also incorporates energy-saving innovations like LED lighting and smart light sensors. Additionally, its ventilation system with heat recuperation ensures an 80% energy recovery rate. The Laurin & Klement Kampus recently received the Austrian Green Planet Building Award 2024 and is expected to earn a gold certificate from the German Sustainable Building Council (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen).
Škoda Trees: Nearly 90,000 more trees will be planted in 2024
Since 2007, Škoda Auto has been planting and nurturing a tree for every car sold in the Czech Republic. These seedlings create habitats for animals and insects, contributing to biodiversity and helping prevent erosion by retaining water in the soil. By the end of this year, more than 1.3 million trees will have been planted since the project was launched, covering over 277 hectares of forest or the equivalent of 423 football pitches.
Preserving local ecosystems and voluntary employee involvement
The Škoda Auto Endowment Fund has announced a call for projects under the ‘Krakonoš Gardens’ initiative, aimed at preserving or restoring local ecosystems through the efforts of non-profit organisations, local municipalities, and associations. To date, 16 projects have been supported with nearly CZK 2 million, focusing on reintroducing native species and constructing new ponds. Additionally, to enhance biodiversity, Škoda Auto has built insect houses near its production locations, such as the Insect Hotel at the Kvasiny plant site in late 2023. Škoda Auto employees and their families are also actively involved in protecting the environment around the company’s Czech sites through organised waste clearing events, such as Let’s Clean Up Czechia.
Škoda Auto promotes biodiversity at its Indian locations
Škoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL) is dedicated to protecting biodiversity. As a signatory to the India Business and Biodiversity Initiative, the company is continuously expanding the green spaces around its two plants. In the city of Chattrapati Sambhaji Nagar (formerly Aurangabad), SAVWIPL supports Oxygen Park, Green Hub, and the recently developed Green Future Park, which collectively contain over 80,000 trees. In Pune, the company is committed to revitalising 20 hectares of wasteland in early 2024. In December last year, the Indian Parts Expedition Centre achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first in India to receive the Indian Green Building Council’s platinum certificate for green building. The certification underscores the facility’s adherence to green building principles, focusing on water conservation, energy efficiency, natural resource preservation and waste reduction.
You can learn more about sustainability and biodiversity on the company’s sustainability microsite.
