Porsche 2006 Annual Report Download - page 94

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highly compatible with the existing Cayenne platform.
Compromises in terms of load space or all-wheel drive
technology have been avoided. This concept is better
suited to Porsche, as the Cayenne Hybrid demonstra-
tes even better acceleration and engine flexibility than
the current models.
The development of the hybrid powertrain and the
work on flexible fuel vehicles are evidence of how
seriously Porsche is taking the challenges presented
by the CO2debate. Porsche has visions for an even
cleaner future and is well prepared for turning these
visions into reality. Success, however, is the product
of individual efforts achieved in the context of world-
wide competition. Consequently, Porsche rejects the
idea of imposing CO2limits on the vehicle fleets of
each individual manufacturer. Instead, a more sensible
solution would be to have markers geared towards
individual market segments or vehicle classes.
Environmental Protection at all Sites
As early as 1995, Porsche made a commitment to
protect resources and minimize the environmental
impact of all its manufacturing locations. A functioning
environmental management system has helped to
further promote ongoing development in environmen-
tal protection and consequently to improve environ-
mental performance. This system regulates processes,
responsibilities and duties relating to environmental
protection and ensures that each employee is aware
of and takes into consideration the environmental
impact of his/her work.
At Weissach, environmentally-oriented development is
an integral part of all activities. Interdisciplinary teams
are already at work developing ecological concepts
that will not come into effect until a few years hence.
The potential for improvement is continually being
assessed in the workshops and test facilities, while
new builds, like the new Powertrain Center, integrate
the latest environmental protection technologies.
The Weissach site borders on an area of outstanding
natural beauty. In order to preserve an area of field
stones, an environmental project was undertaken with
the Weissach branch of BUND. The protected area
had to be moved before the start of the growing
season to minimize the effects on flora and fauna.
At Zuffenhausen, a host of activities ensure the con-
tinual improvement of manufacturing processes and
plant technology. In the 2006/07 financial year, the
best available environmental technology was used in
new plants such as the vehicle assembly line fluid-
fill system and the waste management center. Inno-
vative methods that assist the selection of the most
environmentally-compatible solutions are in use right
from the planning stage. The same also applies to
materials and components that the company procures
from suppliers.
The Kyoto Protocol is also the basis for the emissions
trading scheme that the European Union introduced
at the beginning of 2005, its purpose being to act as
a market-driven incentive for reducing CO2emissions
when operating large industrial plants and power sta-
tions. Installations that come under the scheme can
then only emit greenhouse gases if they have the re-
quired emissions certificates. To date, the power ge-
nerating plant at Zuffenhausen is Porsche’s only instal-
lation to come under the emissions trading scheme.
Consequently, all associated activities, including the
setting up of a monitoring system and the purchasing
of emissions certificates, are integrated into corporate
environmental protection operations.
Compliance with environmental regulations and envi-
ronmental policy, the capabilities of the environmental
management system and the observance of environ-
mental parameters are audited as part of a system and
process audit. The results of the environmental audits in
the review year were consistently positive. The audits
were conducted together with an external environmental
auditor. Porsche is therefore setting high standards and,
through internal audits, is showing how environment-
related processes may be analyzed at an interdiscipli-
nary level and designed more efficiently.
Success in environmental management is, however,
not just due to a well-run management system. More
crucially, it is achieved by the personal commitment
of employees. Their knowledge, experience and
expertise form the essential basis for sustainable
ecological improvements.
Successful certification testifies to Porsche’s obser-
vance of environmental regulations and continually
improving environmental performance. The Weissach
site and Porsche Leipzig GmbH were awarded the inter-
nationally-recognized ISO 14001 certification, while the
Zuffenhausen plant has been validated in accordance
with the European eco-auditing law EMAS (Environmen-
tal Management and Audit Scheme) and certified to
ISO 14001. In June 2007, the effectiveness of the en-
vironmental management systems was checked and
confirmed as part of the monitoring audit.
Environment