Continental is taking sustainability to an entirely new level

Continental Receives Top Marks for Contribution to Climate Change Mitigation

Continental has been awarded the top rating from international organization CDP for its leading role in climate change mitigation.

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Technology company Continental is going on the offensive with respect to the central theme of the sustainability of humankind and has set itself some ambitious goals in this respect. Four focus areas are at the heart of the action.

Firstly, 100% carbon neutrality along the entire value chain.
Secondly, 100% emission-free mobility and industry – in terms of harmful emissions.
Thirdly, 100% closed resource and product cycles driven by circular economy.
And fourthly, 100% responsible sourcing and business partnerships.

By 2050 at the latest, these four ambitions are to be achieved together with all partners along the value chain. In particular when it comes to emission-free mobility, Continental is stepping things up a gear. Continental has adopted one of the most comprehensive sustainability roadmaps in the vehicle supplier industry. For technology company Continental, sustainability means one thing above all else: a tremendous opportunity.

There Is No Such Thing as Waste – Just Material in the Wrong Place

The recycling model commonly used today is important, but is only a first step in the right direction. Because pure recycling can often be applied only in limited repetition cycles without causing a loss of quality in the material, it still falls short of being sustainable in the long term. That is why we at Continental are going one step further and focusing on circular economy.

Global Recycling Day

The world and the global economy find themselves at the start of a new era. The path toward transformation to a sustainable economy is clear. While the solutions have not all been fully developed yet, we are establishing the framework for Continental and its partners. Sustainability has long been one of the key drivers of innovation at Continental, as part of its corporate strategy unveiled at the end of 2020, the company also plans to systematically seize the opportunities that arise as a result of the sustainability transformation.

Continental-Personalvorstand Dr. Ariane Reinhart

"Sustainable business is the future. It is both an expression of an inner attitude and a forward-looking way of thinking. With our ambitious sustainability roadmap, we are decisively pursuing the transformation to a sustainable economy. This is the decisive benchmark for us and for the entire mobility industry."

Find out more about Continental's comprehensive sustainability roadmap.

1. Carbon Neutrality

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2. Emission-free Mobility and Industry

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3. Circular Economy

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4. Responsible Value Chains

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Dr. Steffen Schwartz-Höfler is head of Group Sustainability at Continental.

In an interview, he shared how far Continental has come in terms of sustainability and why the transformation upstream and downstream is only really just beginning.

Please click here for the Interview.

Timeline

Chronological overview from the birth of the modern understanding of sustainability in 1987 to the objectives in Continental's Sustainability Roadmap to 2050.

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Key Messages

Sustainability is the key driver of innovation at Continental and is firmly embedded in our strategy.

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Facts and Figures

Facts, figures and data on sustainability in general and at Continental.

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Commitment

What national and international sustainability initiatives does Continental support?

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Integrated Sustainability Report 2022

Turn change into opportunity - embrace sustainability.

Sustainability Report 2022 - PDF (7.2 MB)

Sustainability Strategy at Continental

Sustainability is anchored in the foundation of our values. They form the basis of our work, they guide our company and they will take us into the future.

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Sourcing of Natural Rubber

Continental pursues a holistic approach to make the complex and fragmented supply chains for natural rubber more sustainable: The latest digital technologies, local involvement in the cultivation of rubber, and close cooperation with strong partners are aimed at creating more transparency along the entire value chain.

Responsibly Sourced Natural Rubber

Continental Launches First Tires with Polyester Made from Recycled PET Bottles

April 05, 2022 Continental is the first tire manufacturer to immediately launch volume production of recycled polyester yarn which is obtained from PET plastic bottles in a new process. In September 2021, Continental unveiled the inhouse ContiRe.Tex technology for the first time. It uses polyester yarn, which is obtained from used PET bottles without any intermediate chemical steps and not recycled in any other way. This makes the technology much more efficient than other standard methods for processing PET bottles into high-performance polyester yarns.

ContiRe.Tex-Technologie

Welcome to the ContiHome! Small in form and big in function.

We fulfill the desire for sustainable products that many consumers have through the use of recyclable materials: The ContiHome is our answer to densely populated residential areas, rising rents, and the growing demand for more sustainable living alternatives. It offers flexibility and agility, ensures quality instead of quantity, and incidentally, living in a small space is not only significantly more environmentally friendly, but also more comfortable in our ContiHome. The furniture, floors, walls, windows, façades, and deck are all covered in easy-to-care-for and long-lasting surfaces by Continental and demonstrate our core competencies in the areas of haptics, design, functionality, aesthetics, and comfort. One of our goals was to fulfill the desire for sustainable products that many consumers have through the use of recyclable materials.

Tiny House ContiHome

Research Project “Sustainable tires from dandelions" Among the Finalists of Federal President's Award

Team of Continental, Fraunhofer IME and the University of Münster have been nominated for the Federal President's Award for Technology and Innovation 2021 (“Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2021”) with their joint project “Sustainable tires from dandelions – Innovations from biology, technology and agriculture”.

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A sustainable life style while living AND working in a VW bus? YES!!

Retro meets future: The concept vehicle AMBIENC3 focuses on sustainability, individualization, modular interior design, electrification and autonomous driving - the trends that will steer us into the automotive future. With the VW T2 microvan conversion Continental previews what we can expect from the on-board equipment of vehicles in the years ahead; driving, working and relaxing define the interior of the future.

Find out more about the AMBIENC3

Tires made from rice hull ash, vegetable oil and recycled PET bottles? YES!!!

Natural rubber from dandelions, silica from rice husk ash, plant-based oils and recycled PET bottles – these are the components that will make up the tire of the future. This innovative tire concept has a name: Conti GreenConcept.

Find out more about the Conti GreenConcept

Intact Cycles, Intact Business

Retreading tyres is a good example of cyclic thinking. And a smart method of reducing costs and ensuring high mileage. At the same time, it contributes to environmentally friendly behaviour.

Find out more about ContiLifeCycle - PDF (3.4 MB)