Sustainability Channel

18/04/2012

ON THE WHEELS OF SUSTAINABILITY: HENKEL AND PIRELLI TOGETHER FOR ROAD SAFETY IN THE COMPANY

Pirelli pit-stop Pirelli at Henkel’s offices; for the first time tyre maintenance and control directly at the place of work

Henkel continues is path towards sustainable mobility and announces a new project in collaboration with Pirelli, a high profile sustainable partner committed to the dissemination of the cultre of road safety. Henkel employees, on the occasion of its first ‘Sustainability Day’ at its Milan headquarters, installed a tyre pumping station available to all employees. The Pirelli station represents a new piece of a wider sustainability strategy which Henkel has been pursuing successfully for many years, also directly involving employees in sensitizing initiatives. Even an apparently simply gesture like checking one’s tyre pressure can contribute to ensuring  vehicle and passenger safety on the one hand and increasing motor efficiency, therefore reducing consumption and emissions, on the other.

During the inauguration of the station, Henkel employees also had the possibility of speaking with Pirelli technicians to learn things about correct tyre maintenance like tread depth, damage that can compromise safety, the difference between winter and summer tyres, pressure and methods of inflation.

The initiative was part of Henkel’s first Sustainability Day, conceived to motivate employee engagement with themes of importance to the company such as the consumption of resources, waste management, safety, social progress and the growth in value of company activities.

“We recently announced a new sustainability strategy which will see us committed from now until 2030 to increasing our efficiency by 30%, with short terms targets set for 2015. To achieve these results it is indispensable that everyone be involved, along the entire value chain and in all areas of activity, with a continual monitoring of the milestones reached. With regard to safety, we are implementing a strict policy of eliminating all types of workplace accidents, through continuous training in responsible behaviour. The theme of safe driving is dear to our hearts; our goal is to shine a light on such arguments also as a way of caring for the health of our employees,” said Giacomo Archi, Chairman and CEO of Henkel Italia.

“In Pirelli we live sustainability as a natural way of managing our business and of creating value for all stakeholders”, said Filippo Bettini, the Pirelli Group’s Director for Sustainability and Risk Governance.  “For this reason we developed a plan that fully fits into the business’s growth strategy and which will lead us to become ever more committed to process innovation, with more challenging targets, such as a 70% reduction in the drawing of water by 2015 or the 15% reduction in specific CO2 emissions and energy consumption in the same time frame. And, obviously, a commitment to continuous product innovation, developing tyres that deliver safety, performance and driving comfort in all atmospheric conditions, as well as environmental efficiency. At the heart of Pirelli plan, underlined Bettini, “is the quality of the workplace environment and the quality of the work of our employees, as well as a commitment to transforming the education of road safety in a true culture of safety. Occasions like today constitute a further cultural enrichment and a stimulus for future commitments”.

Contacts:

Pirelli Mariella Speciale Pirelli Car Press Office E-mail: mariella.speciale@pirelli.com Tel. +39 02 644270373 Mob. +39 335 18 23 646 Website: www.pirelli.com

Henkel Italia Cecilia de’ Guarinoni Corporate Communications Manager E-mail: cecilia.deguarinoni@henkel.com Tel. +39 02 35792435 Mob. +39 3346059844 Website: www.henkel.it