Continental’s environmental management system was developed and successively introduced worldwide in 1992 based on the BASICS. The aim of the system is to minimize the use of resources in particular, and to ensure that environmental pollution is reduced on an ongoing basis. Location-specific objectives to reduce consumption and environmental impact play a particularly important role in this environmental management system. Compliance with set targets is reviewed by means of annual internal and external audits conducted as part of the international standard ISO 14001. In this context, environmental indicators for specific consumption and emissions per ton of finished product are derived. Examples include energy and water consumption, waste production and CO2 emissions.

Continental introduced environmental management systems at an early stage. Back in 1995, the tire and ContiTech site at Korbach was the first company in the rubber industry to be monitored externally in line with the European EMAS system. Locations in non-EU member states have also signed up to the EMAS system, and set themselves the same high environment standards that apply in EU member states. Since the introduction of the ISO 14001 standard in 1996, certification at Continental has also been conducted according to this international norm.

Status of environmental certification at Continental:

For locations that supply products to the automotive industry, implementation of the ISO 14001 standard is now a matter of course.