Acting now. Sustainability@ZF Acting now. Sustainability@ZF

Acting now.

Sustainability@ZF

How ZF Thinks and Acts Sustainably

Sustainability is an integral part of ZF Group strategy. Its targets include complete climate neutrality by 2040. However, sustainability means far more to us than climate protection. In addition to climate and nature, we focus on the dimensions of people and lasting values. We bundle our global sustainability activities under the motto Acting now. Sustainability@ZF.

Sustainability @ ZF Sustainability @ ZF

Climate and Nature

Acting for Climate and Nature

  • Climate action
  • Sustainable and circular products
    and operations

Acting for climate and nature

People

Acting for all People

  • Employee development and diversity
  • Keeping ​people safe
  • Human Rights and working conditions

Acting for all people

Lasting Values

Acting for lasting Values

  • Responsible behavior across ​the business
  • Long-term ​value creation ​and resilience

Acting for lasting values

Positive Track Record

Sustainability – A Key Success Factor

Dr. Michael Karrer, Senior Vice President Sustainability & EHS at ZF, talks about recent sustainability achievements as well as the priorities for this year.

In our short video, you will learn how ZF has purposefully advanced its sustainability strategy and made significant progress across all three dimensions – environment, people, and governance. Dr. Michael Karrer highlights key milestones, including substantially reduced emissions through the use of electricity from renewable sources and improved occupational health and safety. ZF also embraces its responsibility within the supply chain and is integrating sustainability even more deeply into its products and processes.

Annual Report 2025 Sustainability

Annual Report 2025: Sustainability

Find out more about our progress on sustainability in the current Sustainability Report, which is part of the ZF Annual Report. When preparing the Sustainability Report 2025, we voluntarily aligned ourselves with the requirements of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) according to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) which will be mandatory in the future.
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Sustainability Ratings and Rankings

Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations has defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These are political targets that serve sustainable development worldwide on an economic, social and ecological level. ZF has identified eight of these targets to which the company is able to make a relevant contribution. This means either through minimizing consequences or by developing new technical solutions with positive effects. Our focus is on climate and nature, people and lasting values.

 
Sustainable Development Goals
 
SDG4
 
SDG7
 
SDG8
 
SDG9
 
SDG11
 
SDG12
 
SDG13
 
SDG17

Sustainability Worldwide

As a globally active technology company, we take on responsibility along our entire value chain – for our employees and our locations, as well as in our supply chain and for our products. Thanks to intensive and focused investment in research and development, ZF promotes the topic of sustainable mobility in general.

Polymer Recycling: Breaking Down the Chains

ZF and its partner BASF successfully completed a circular economy pilot project in record time. It proves that recycled plastic can be used even in the production of high-stress components – with no compromise in quality compared to conventionally manufactured, fossil-based plastic.
Climate & Nature

Polymer Recycling: Breaking Down the Chains

ZF and its partner BASF successfully completed a circular economy pilot project in record time. It proves that recycled plastic can be used even in the production of high-stress components – with no compromise in quality compared to conventionally manufactured, fossil-based plastic.
Tunnels underneath cities or even entire mountains are an integral part of the concept of safe and sustainable mobility. ZF technology ensures reliable tunneling through the toughest rock for rail and road transportation. Tunnels underneath cities or even entire mountains are an integral part of the concept of safe and sustainable mobility. ZF technology ensures reliable tunneling through the toughest rock for rail and road transportation.

Hidden Lifelines

Tunnels underneath cities or even entire mountains are an integral part of the concept of safe and sustainable mobility. ZF technology ensures reliable tunneling through the toughest rock for rail and road transportation.
Climate & Nature

Hidden Lifelines

Tunnels underneath cities or even entire mountains are an integral part of the concept of safe and sustainable mobility. ZF technology ensures reliable tunneling through the toughest rock for rail and road transportation.
Green Packaging – Profitable Climate Protection Green Packaging – Profitable Climate Protection

Green Packaging: Profitable Climate Protection

With a pilot project on environmentally friendly transport packaging, ZF is taking another step toward making its own production more sustainable.
Climate & Nature

Green Packaging: Profitable Climate Protection

With a pilot project on environmentally friendly transport packaging, ZF is taking another step toward making its own production more sustainable.
Rare Earths Rare Earths

Motor of The Future With no Rare Earths

Electric mobility is closely linked to the use of rare earth metals. Since their origin and mining can prove problematic, ZF adopts a three-pronged approach to make its product portfolio as responsible as possible.
Climate & Nature

Motor of The Future With no Rare Earths

Electric mobility is closely linked to the use of rare earth metals. Since their origin and mining can prove problematic, ZF adopts a three-pronged approach to make its product portfolio as responsible as possible.
Climate neutral ZF Plant in Klasterec Climate neutral ZF Plant in Klasterec

Clean Factory of the Future – Now a Reality

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions require decisive action. All ZF plants worldwide will therefore be climate-neutral by 2040. This transformation of an existing factory in Klášterec, Czech Republic, has just been completed.
Climate & Nature

Clean Factory of the Future – Now a Reality

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions require decisive action. All ZF plants worldwide will therefore be climate-neutral by 2040. This transformation of an existing factory in Klášterec, Czech Republic, has just been completed.
Managing Human Rights Managing Human Rights

Managing Human Rights Professionally

Sustainable business includes adhering to human rights. ZF is also liable for its suppliers – worldwide. Jasmina Brancazio, Human Rights Officer at ZF, discuses the current status of protective measures and challenges.
People

Managing Human Rights Professionally

Sustainable business includes adhering to human rights. ZF is also liable for its suppliers – worldwide. Jasmina Brancazio, Human Rights Officer at ZF, discuses the current status of protective measures and challenges.
CO2-Neutral Plant Pancevo CO2-Neutral Plant Pancevo

CO2-Neutral Thanks to Holistic Planning

With the first plant for electric driveline technology in Pančevo, Serbia, ZF is creating a milestone in its own transformation process. It is emission-free from the outset. This factory is the blueprint for future production facilities of the tech company.
Climate & Nature

CO2-Neutral Thanks to Holistic Planning

With the first plant for electric driveline technology in Pančevo, Serbia, ZF is creating a milestone in its own transformation process. It is emission-free from the outset. This factory is the blueprint for future production facilities of the tech company.
Green Materials Green Materials

Make Your Supply Chain Greener now

ZF needs to and is willing to reduce its carbon footprint in order to become carbon neutral in 2040. Purchased materials such as steel play an important role in this context. The following is a glance behind the scenes.
Climate & Nature

Make Your Supply Chain Greener now

ZF needs to and is willing to reduce its carbon footprint in order to become carbon neutral in 2040. Purchased materials such as steel play an important role in this context. The following is a glance behind the scenes.
Striving for a Greener India Striving for a Greener India

Sustainability: Striving for a Greener India

Taking responsibility for the environment and society is a crucial part of sustainability. Indian ZF employees has been proving how much a determined acting team can achieve.
Climate & Nature

Sustainability: Striving for a Greener India

Taking responsibility for the environment and society is a crucial part of sustainability. Indian ZF employees has been proving how much a determined acting team can achieve.
Jochen Berner, Head of Sustainability Strategy Jochen Berner, Head of Sustainability Strategy

Towards a Holistic Balance Sheet

Sustainable action makes an important contribution to safeguarding the future for companies. ZF not only works on this within the current legal obligations, but is also committed to make sustainability visible in its balance sheet. Read more in the interview with Jochen Berner, Head of Sustainability Strategy at ZF Group.
Lasting Values

Towards a Holistic Balance Sheet

Sustainable action makes an important contribution to safeguarding the future for companies. ZF not only works on this within the current legal obligations, but is also committed to make sustainability visible in its balance sheet. Read more in the interview with Jochen Berner, Head of Sustainability Strategy at ZF Group.
Ecological Sustainability Ecological Sustainability

Stemming the Flood of Plastic

Sustainable actions require local commitment. A project by ZF employees in Mexico shows how a consistently implemented idea obviates the need for environmentally harmful plastic film.
Climate & Nature

Stemming the Flood of Plastic

Sustainable actions require local commitment. A project by ZF employees in Mexico shows how a consistently implemented idea obviates the need for environmentally harmful plastic film.
Remanufacturing Remanufacturing

Miraculous Transformation

Remanufacturing is a sustainable alternative to new production. A visit to the Czech location of Frýdlant exemplifies how ZF is giving a second life to different safety technology products through remanufacturing of used products.
Climate & Nature

Miraculous Transformation

Remanufacturing is a sustainable alternative to new production. A visit to the Czech location of Frýdlant exemplifies how ZF is giving a second life to different safety technology products through remanufacturing of used products.
Kerstin Manger Kerstin Manger

The Many Shades of Green

Energy is just as important to ZF as steel and aluminum. To achieve the CO2 neutrality, the use of energy will have to meet sustainability criteria much more effectively. We discussed the associated challenges and opportunities with Kerstin Manger, Specialist Sustainability Strategy.
Climate & Nature

The Many Shades of Green

Energy is just as important to ZF as steel and aluminum. To achieve the CO2 neutrality, the use of energy will have to meet sustainability criteria much more effectively. We discussed the associated challenges and opportunities with Kerstin Manger, Specialist Sustainability Strategy.
It’s About Community

It’s About Community

At a time in which the pace of change is increasing sharply, the ZF Way provides orientation for employees as they journey together towards the future.
More about our principles
Diversity

Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion enhance our creativity, increase our innovational power, and are key to business success. We offer equal opportunities in a diverse working environment.
More about diversity and inclusion
Social Commitment: ZF hilft.

Social Commitment

The association "ZF hilft e.V." collects donations of employees and customers for sustainable relief projects worldwide. The donation income comes to 100% with the projects.
More about ZF's social commitment
Sustainable Finance

Sustainable Finance

Investors can participate in ZF's sustainability strategy and contribute to a lower-emission and more climate-friendly economy.
More about sustainable finance

Strategy

Our strategic approach of "Strengthening our Strengths – Unlocking our Potential" is the key to ensuring that ZF continues to focus on profitable growth in a powerful and sustainable manner.
ZF's corporate strategy
Code of Conduct

Compliance

ZF has gained trust of its customers thanks to its responsible corporate management, compliance, and its outstanding performance. The aim is to maintain this high esteem.
More about compliance