Volvo 2007 Annual Report Download - page 37
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Please find page 37 of the 2007 Volvo annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.The Volvo Group has a Group-wide environmental policy. The
policy forms the basis of the Group’s environmental manage-
ment systems, strategies and goals, audits and measures. The
environmental policy states that the Volvo Group’s environmen-
tal program shall be characterized by an overall view, continuous
improvement, technical development and effi cient use of
resources. The policy is broken down into strategies and goals.
agement systems, primarily ISO 14001:2004.
There are also environmental management
systems for other parts of the value chain, such
as product development and marketing.
The environmental program includes coop-
eration partners. Environmental demands have
been used as an integrated part of the evaluation
of suppliers and for follow-up of various pur-
chasing organizations since 1996.
Requirements on facilities
All production units must meet Group-wide
minimum requirements regarding the use of
chemicals, energy consumption, emissions to
air and water, waste management, environ-
mental organization and improvement efforts.
If local laws and regulations are more compre-
hensive they must be followed. Since 1989,
environmental audits have been carried out
to ensure that all plants comply with the
environmental policy. Newly acquired companies
and properties are subjected to an examination
of environmental factors and risks.
All the Volvo Group’s production facilities
have the requisite environmental permits. In
Sweden, there are 16 facilities that require
permits. These permits encompass waste,
noise and emissions to air, ground and water.
Four Swedish environmental permits were
renewed in 2007 and three permits are due
for renewal in 2008.
The existence of polluted land on the
Group’s properties is cataloged every year.
This pollution generally has historic origins. In
2007, cleaning-up activities were conducted
on six properties.
No major environmental incidents occurred
in 2007 and no environmental disputes took
place.
The Volvo Group’s operations generate
transport to and from the plants. These fl ows
are continuously reviewed to identify potential
improvement measures to reduce environ-
mental impact. Volvo Logistics has developed
a system for calculating environmental load.
Carbon-dioxide-neutral plants
In September, the Group presented the world’s
fi rst carbon-dioxide-neutral vehicle plant – the
Volvo Truck plant in Ghent, Belgium. Invest-
ments in wind power and biofuel will generate
electricity and heat that does not contribute
any carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The
project is fully in line with the EU’s objective of
reducing carbon-dioxide emissions in Europe
by 20% by 2020. The aim is to make all Group
plants carbon-dioxide-neutral. In 2005, it was
decided to make the Volvo Trucks plant in
Tuve carbon-dioxide-neutral, and efforts are
under way to achieve this goal. The Volvo
Truck plant in Umeå is also on route to becom-
ing carbon-dioxide-neutral.
Greater environmental impact
during use
The greatest environmental impact caused by
the Volvo Group’s products occurs during use.
Lifecycle analyses show that up to 90% of the
Emissions regulations for trucks and buses
US 10, 2010
US 07, 2007
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0.00
Particles, g/kWh
NOx, g/kWh
012345678
Euro 2, 1996
Euro 3, 2002
Euro 4, 2006
Euro 5, 2009
US 02, 2002 The currently applicable emissions
standards are Euro 4, in Europe, and
US 07, in North America. The
difference between Euro 3 and Euro
4 is considerable. Emissions of
particles have been reduced by 80%,
and of NOx, by 30%. Euro 5 will
entail a 50% reduction in NOx
emissions compared with Euro 4.
total environmental impact arises during use.
One of the most important environmental
issues is climate change. Increased levels of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere depend pri-
marily on combustion of fossil fuels from oil,
coal and natural gas. According to the Stern
report, approximately 14% of total emissions
of carbon dioxide in the world come from trans-
port. Total road transport accounts for 10%.
Climate change and access to energy
sources may strongly affect the Volvo Group.
It is therefore vital to prepare for use of fuels
other than crude oil. These efforts focus
Volvo Group Sustainability Report
Volvo Group’s sustainability report will
be available on www.volvogroup.com
in mid-April.
Volvo Group’s environmental
performance
For information on the Volvo Group’s
environmental performance see
the Eleven-year summary on page 157.
Board of Directors’ Report 2007 33