Bühler contributes to covering the basic needs of billions of people. As a global provider of industry solutions for food processing and for the production of advanced materials, Bühler contributes to food security, sustainable protein supply, and sustainable mobility.

We contribute to food security by providing solutions that reduce raw material losses and enable the production of grain-based staples. We also foster industrial solutions for local grain processing and offer training and education in training centers around the world. Through our engagement with PFS – an independent nonprofit organization that works to strengthen food security, improve nutrition, and increase economic development across Africa by expanding and increasing the competitiveness of the food processing sector – we support small food businesses in Africa.

We contribute to sustainable mobility with die-casting solutions that reduce the weight of the body of the car and with our battery solutions for electric vehicles. Our thin film coating solutions are used to produce coated architectural and automotive glass, which help save and conserve energy in mobility and in the built environment.  

We implement human rights as a foundational element of our business strategy. The safety, health, and well-being of Bühler employees is our top priority. We encourage lifelong learning and build a culture of inclusion. Our corporate values of Trust, Ownership, and Passion (TOP) underpin all that we do by providing a framework for how we achieve our goals and collaborate.  

Bühler’s definition of the term “nature” takes into consideration climate and energy, but also other environmental aspects like waste, water, and biodiversity. Bühler’s impact on climate is reflected by the company’s CO₂e footprint. The use of sold goods (in Scope 3 downstream) constitutes the largest part of the company footprint – two orders of magnitude higher than the emissions created in our own operations (Scopes 1 and 2). This large footprint is the result of the globally installed base of Bühler’s technology, the high utilization rate, and the long lifetime of the assets.

Given Bühler’s strong enabling role, our sustainability strategy focuses on where the biggest potential for positive impact lies, which is supporting our customers in their sustainability journey and implementing innovative technology and service solutions for highest efficiency in terms of yield and energy. We support our customers to measure and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions following science-based targets. At the same time, we continuously work on reducing the impact of Bühler’s own operations on climate (Scopes 1 and 2) and on collaborating with suppliers toward the same goal. Our climate road map is informed by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) framework.

As a company, we recognize biodiversity as an integral part of nature which is critically interconnected with climate. We recognize that land use for food crops is one major driver of biodiversity loss and climate change. A core element of our strategy is innovating for land-sparing technologies exemplified by our commitment to contribute to waste and water reduction, to enable sustainable protein supply, and to increase the circularity of biomass with innovations for side stream utilization.

Our well-established environmental quantification program goes beyond climate and assesses the impact of measures and solutions along our customers' value chains. We take a holistic approach including metrics on energy, greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water depletion. 

As a company, we strongly believe that we can achieve the greatest impact by enabling our customers across the value chain in transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Our 50/50/50 goal encapsulates this ambition. We have set up a clear governance structure and lines of responsibility for achieving these targets. Research and development spending is leveraged to directly foster projects that will transform our processing solutions to become more energy and resource efficient.

Our transition plan towards a low-carbon economy includes our 2030 target of a 60% reduction in Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scopes 1 and 2 emissions in our own operations using the market-based method.¹ This target is measured against our baseline set in 2019. To achieve this target, we have not only set an interim target of reducing Scopes 1 and 2 emissions by 25% by 2025 but also defined a pathway. Our pathway is based on reduction of energy consumption and the adoption of renewable energy sources. Additionally, we have developed an energy policy that sets the framework for renewable energy procurement. Key actions on our pathway are the following:

• Reducing energy consumption in our manufacturing sites and sales offices.

• Taking up opportunities to switch energy sources to greener alternatives (e.g., on-site electricity generation, alternative fuels, etc.).

• Reducing our manufacturing and sales offices grid electricity by sourcing more emission free electricity. 

With our 60% reduction target we are notably more ambitious than the best practice required by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which requires a 46.2% reduction. We believe that with our pathway, which we revise continuously and implement, we will be able to achieve our goal. 

By strengthening relationships with our suppliers, we are fostering a collaborative approach to sustainability. With over 14,000 suppliers globally, Bühler has a significant impact on its value chain emissions from purchased goods and services. We have set the target of 27.5% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for purchased goods and services and logistics (Scope 3.1, 3.4, and 3.9) with 2019 as the baseline.

Our strategic priority is to engage with suppliers who are involved in high-emission processes to drive meaningful reductions across value chains. To address this area, we focus on three pivotal reduction levers: supplier management, volume allocation, and product and process innovation. At the same time, we strengthen the capabilities of our global procurement and logistics teams with internal training to strengthen their capabilities in managing supply chain emissions and driving impactful change.

GRI disclosure 302, 303, 305 and 306

The management approaches and subsequent actions are directly linked to the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 12, 13 and 17 and indirectly linked to SDGs 7 and 9.

The governance structure around material sustainability impacts, risks and opportunities within Bühler reflects and ensures the close involvement of the Board of Directors and the highest management levels.

The responsibility for sustainability lies within the Board of Directors, which has direct overview and monitoring of the progress made towards its sustainability strategy. The Chief Technology Officer and Sustainability Officer present the status once a year to the Board of Directors. 

As the Board of Directors considers sustainability an integral part of the company’s strategy, familiarity with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters is required of board members. The Board Members have a broad spread of competence relating to ESG topics, including those related to climate. With Board Members engaging in different programs around social and environmental topics, they accompany Bühler with further expertise.  

The Sustainability Committee was established in 2021 to effectively address the impact of our business on nature and humanity and to seek the most effective ways in which Bühler can contribute to mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss. As the sustainability regulatory landscape is fast evolving, the Sustainability Committee not only addresses impacts, but also risks and opportunities that derive from material sustainability topics. It does so within the concept of double materiality, which looks at the impacts of Bühler on the environment (“inside-out perspective”) and the impacts of the environment on Bühler (“outside-in perspective”).The purpose of the Sustainability Committee is to act as an advisory body to the Executive Board regarding Bühler’s sustainability strategy and execution plans in addressing the material impacts, risks, and opportunities. The Sustainability Committee is an assembly of selected Executive Board members such as the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Technology Officer, and the Chief Operating Officer, together with two external experts. The Chief Executive Officer, as Chairman of the Sustainability Committee and Board Member, forms a bridge to the Board of Directors.

In 2024, the Sustainability Committee met four times. Among the key topics discussed were: 

• quantification of the environmental impact of Bühler solutions; 

• review of strategy and action plan to reduce Bühler’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions;

• review of Bühler’s opportunities to support customers in their sustainability journeys;

• review of opportunities for nature/biodiversity impact.

Members of the Executive Board have defined roles relating to Bühler’s sustainability strategy in addressing material impacts, risks and opportunities. 

The Chief Operating Officer oversees sustainability topics, including climate-related matters, with a focus on Bühler’s own operations as well as upstream in Bühler’s supply chain. This covers topics related to CO₂e emissions and monitoring Scopes 1, 2, and 3 (upstream) emissions against set targets.

Scope 3 (downstream) emissions are the responsibility of the Chief Technology Officer, who is also responsible for driving innovation focused on sustainability. This includes climate-related topics that are customer-centered.

Bühler’s sustainability reporting, including climate-related disclosures, is in the charge of the Chief Financial Officer, who also oversees investments regarding Scopes 1 and 2 emissions.  

Bühler is committed to embedding sustainability across the entire organization. The result is Bühler’s Sustainability Community. Across different functions, business units, and regions, members of staff have been assigned to work together in a collaborative manner on specific sustainability topics. The Sustainability Community is led by the Sustainability Officer, who reports to the Chief Technology Officer. Key members of the Sustainability Community are linked to the highest management levels. 

In 2024, we provided sustainability training for 927 people including external training for customers and technical schools, as well as internal training programs for Bühler sales, research and development, and management. We ran 49 webinars, conferences, and workshops on the topic. The external training, which reached approximately 454 people, included conferences, events, courses, and tailored 1:1 knowledge transfer workshops with Bühler Environmental Impact Services.

In 2024, seven trainings were offered to management-level positions. A total of 90+ managers took part. The training focused on the sustainability challenges that Bühler as a company faces and on possible emissions reduction initiatives as a first step in tackling those challenges.