Sustainability at Festo

Festo as a Partner and Enabler for more Sustainability

With the technology fields of pneumatics, electrical automation, process automation, digitization and artificial intelligence, Festo provides a toolbox for efficient and climate-friendly industrial production. In view of demographic change and the increasing shortage of skilled workers, Festo is developing solutions to relieve the physical and mental strain on people in the workplace. With its technologies from the LifeTech business unit, automated systems support the healthcare sector. Festo Didactic enables people to learn and use new technologies efficiently with its learning systems.

To improve the environment and use natural resources more carefully, Festo supports the structural change of certain industries such as the automotive industry and shows how CO2 emissions can be reduced through digitization, for example. Ecological innovations are creating new solution areas for automated processes with organic material and in the field of biotechnologies. Festo is also focusing on increasing the localization of its production close to the markets in order to shorten transport routes and value chains, make them more resilient and minimize emissions.

Sustainable Transformation through Ecological Innovations

The major goal is to achieve the net zero era and the transition towards a circular economy and the elimination of fossil fuels. "Nature shows us how to manage without waste and wastage. We need to learn how to apply these principles to our economic activities," says Thomas Böck. Festo's Bionic Learning Network is therefore researching the automated cultivation of biomass. Algae, for example, offer great potential and an alternative to crude oil: they bind 100 times more CO2 than land plants and metabolize components through photosynthesis that can be used to produce medicines, cosmetics and bioplastics. "In 2023, Festo presented the "BionicCellFactory" model factory, which cultivates algae efficiently using automation technology. At this year's Hanover Fair, we will be demonstrating the scalability of the system and a new application for the production and storage of green hydrogen using bacteria. Our customers increasingly see us as a technology partner for biological processes as well. Together with us, they can drive the transformation of the industry. Innovation is the key to greater sustainability," says Thomas Böck.

Festo relies on digitization and AI in its own products and services, such as digital and intelligent pneumatics, which, depending on the application, offers significant advantages in energy-efficient use.

The Festo AX software platform contains AI-based dashboards for monitoring system parameters and energy efficiency in real time. The strength of the Festo portfolio and the different technologies always offer the most efficient solution. "With our products and services, we are the right partner for our customers for energy-efficient and sustainable production operations. We also support sustainable industries and technologies with our product and service solutions," says Julia Bikidis, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Festo.

CO2 Neutrality as early as this Year

Festo will massively reduce its CO2 footprint in the coming years. "Since 2023, all our buildings in Germany and our global production and logistics sites have been CO2-neutral with regard to Scope 2. We compensate our Scope 1 emissions. In 2024, two years earlier than planned, we reach this for the Festo Group. We will continuously reduce our Scope 1 emissions through technology transformation to achieve Net Zero as planned by 2040. We will also gradually reduce our Scope 3 through a variety of measures with focus on the efficient production and usage of our products," says Julia Bikidis.

Lifelong Learning as an essential Element of Sustainable Development

As a solution provider for technical training and further education, Festo Didactic imparts skills and abilities to master the challenges of the present and shape the future for the benefit of coming generations. Festo also attaches great importance to strong training and further education within its own company. In addition, Festo Didactic develops learning content and learning environments for new training professions based on the increasing requirements in the areas of IT, AI, data science and sustainability.

New Sustainability Report published

Every year, the Sustainability Report of Festo provides information on the activities, achievements and goals of the past year that were significant in terms of sustainable corporate development in this reporting period. The report is based on Festo's own Sustainability Strategy objectives and, in future, on the future requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Klick here: www.festo.com/sustainability-report