You have mentioned activities from the social and governance areas. What are you doing for ecological sustainability?
Klewitz: Quite a lot, actually. We are gradually and continuously reducing CO2 in our supply chain. We require that our partners use green electricity, we are closing material cycles and increasing the share of secondary material in those areas where it makes a major impact – for example in aluminum. Specifically, as a result of the Audi CO2 program in the supply chain, we were able to make a net reduction of more than 480,000 metric tons of CO2 in 2021. This covers an entire year of carbon emissions from around 43,000 people living in Germany.1
Let’s be honest now. Is it possible to always act with integrity?
Neidlein: Of course, it is uncomfortable to hold firm, and sometimes it can mean giving up a personal advantage. Conflicting goals are the order of the day at large companies. There is great skill in aligning one’s own behavior with the big picture, the overarching good intention, and in working together to achieve it. This requires the right mindset. It includes, for example, the willingness and responsibility to question oneself and to speak up when something is not working. At the same time, it is very important to me to learn from the mistakes of the past. That is the only way a company and its culture can continue to grow, and it is ultimately reflected in the ratings. ESG pays off for everyone.
Klewitz: For me personally, it is crucial to have a stable and healthy inner compass of values. I want to feel comfortable with my decisions. That is also essential for my work in the field of sustainability. This field brings together many expectations and requirements – from regulators, to the public, to NGOs and customers to our own employees. They all want us at Audi to act in a transparent, responsible and credible manner.
