Asked by the Süddeutsche Zeitung in December 1970 about the most important event of the year in the fields of science and technology, Ernst von Siemens replied “in my opinion the most important event […] isn’t a new invention or a discovery, but rather the fact that public awareness of the need to protect our environment has become so strong. It may sound strange that a company so closely associated with the sciences says this, since “engineers” and the industry they’ve built up reputedly are destroying and polluting the environment.” The grandson of the company founder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board was personally dedicated to ensuring that Siemens products were not only innovative and profitable, but also environmentally compatible.

Reflecting this commitment, Siemens got involved relatively early with the theme of environmental protection. In 1959, the company established a “water supplies and clean air” working group that had a voice in the planning of new production facilities and issued internal recommendations for processing water, keeping air clean and disposing wastes. A little over ten years later, the company management decided to consolidate all environmental protection activities associated with operations in a separate office. The Corporate Environmental Protection Office, whose establishment was announced in a circular dated September 8, 1971, primarily had a coordinating and advisory function. In addition, it represented environmental interests in the company’s technical and political bodies. Organizationally, the office was part of the central Technology Department (today Corporate Technology). A short time later, three working groups – “Water resources, Clean Air and Waste Disposal,” “Noise Abatement” and “Radiation Protection” – were formed and their members were recruited from corporate as well as operating units. These working groups made recommendations to company factories and operations for environmentally compatible product design, spurred the development of environmentally friendly production processes, and promoted the exchange of relevant know-how within the company.

Over the following decades and under the influence of changing scientific and technical findings, economic conditions and legal regulations, the company’s environmental protection organization was continually expanded and adapted to meet new challenges. In 1993, for example, the company management assigned company-wide responsibility to five “Corporate Environmental Protection Offices” for the themes “Operational Environmental Protection,” “Chemical Safety,” “Fire Protection and Civil Protection,” and “Product Recycling.”

In August 2009, responsibility for the company-wide guidelines covering environmental protection, health management and safety were bundled in the Environment Protection, Health Management and Safety (EHS) unit. At the same time, responsibility for the theme on the Managing Board changed hands: it was shifted from Corporate Technology to Corporate Human Resources. Today, the Munich office, backed by innovative production processes and demanding environmental management, ensures strict adherence to high environmental standards throughout the company and is also responsible for the company’s Environmental Protection program.

Sabine Dittler