K+S Sustainability goals 2030
With its corporate strategy, K+S is clearly committed to sustainability. We have set ourselves goals in these three areas of action: Social Responsibility, Environment & Resources and Governance.
Identification of the material sustainability issues
We identify our material sustainability issues with a materiality analysis. In 2024, the double materiality assessment was carried out for the first time in accordance with the new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Impact materiality and financial materiality, which together form double materiality, were updated in two separate steps in 2025 based on the analysis from 2024. Internal experts of the undertaking representing affected internal and external stakeholders, as well as selected external stakeholders, were interviewed directly in workshops.
In the context of the double materiality assessment, impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs) were identified that result from activities and processes in the business model or in the value chain of the K+S Group. The impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs) that are material for the K+S Group are the core results of our double materiality assessment. The entity-specific matters, as well as topics from all ESG dimensions, are covered.
To facilitate understanding, we have prepared a sustainability wheel, which illustrates the allocation of relevant topics to the ESG dimensions.
The inner circle of the wheel illustrates the material topics identified, which are the focus of our K+S Sustainability Strategy. The outer ring of the wheel presents the broader fields of action in which K+S is involved.
Making targets progress measurable
We have developed concepts for our targets and are implementing measures to achieve them. Non-financial performance indicators (KPIs) are used to make the progress of target achievement measurable and are regularly reviewed. Individual KPIs are part of the compensation system at management level.
Social Responsibility
- EMPLOYEES: Providing a healthy and safe work environment to protect our employees who constitute our most valuable capital
| Target | KPI | Unit | Base value | Target value | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Target achieve-ment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Employees: Providing a healthy and safe work environment to protect our employees who constitute our most valuable capital. |
Injury with lost time1, 2 |
Lost time incident rate (LTI-Rate) |
11.5 |
0 |
8.3 |
7.6 |
5.4 |
5.5 |
52 % |
1Relevant to remuneration for the Board of Executive Directors and management.
2Management relevant within the meaning of DRS 20.
Environment & Resources
- RESOURCES:
- Reducing saline process water
- Reducing the environmental impact and conserving natural resources by re-examining the potential of residues stored on tailings piles
- CLIMATE CHANGE: Reducing the carbon footprint and improving energy efficiency to enhance competitiveness
| Target | KPI | Unit | Base value |
Target value |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Target achieve-ment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Resources:1 Reduction of saline process water. |
Additional reduction of saline process water from potash production in Germany |
million m³ p.a. |
2.7 |
-0.5 (excluding a reduction due to the KCF facility and the discontinuation of production in Sigmundshall) |
-0.4 |
-0.06 |
-0.17 |
-0.31 |
62 %
|
|
Reducing the environmental impact and conserving natural resources by re-examining the potential of residues stored on tailings piles.
|
Amount of residue used for other purposes than talings piles covered |
million tonnes p.a. |
0.18 |
3 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
14 % |
|
Additional area of tailings piles covered |
ha |
0 |
155 |
14.1 |
21.4 |
31.0 |
32.0 |
21 % |
|
|
Climate Change: Reducing the carbon footprint and improving energy efficiency to enhance competitiveness. |
Absolute CO2 emissions in the K+S Group worldwide |
percent |
100, absolute base value: 2.34 million tonnes of CO2e |
-25 |
-1.3 |
-3.2 |
-4.4 |
-11.7 |
47 %
|
|
Reduction in specific CO2 emissions2, 3 |
kg/t |
271.6 |
254.6 |
266.8 |
270.8 |
262.2 |
259.7 |
70 % |
|
|
Specific greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) in logistics (kgCO2e/t) |
percent |
26.831 kgCO2e/t (absolute base value) |
-10 |
-13.1 |
-15.8 |
-31.4 |
-31.8 |
100 % |
1 At the end of 2021, the injection of saline water into the ground in Germany was discontinued, as the target had envisaged.
2 Relevant to remuneration for the Board of Executive Directors and management.
3 Management relevant within the meaning of DRS 20.
Governance
- SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAINS: Demanding sustainable practices from our suppliers along the entire supply chain to align all business activities to our values
- DIVERSITY & INCLUSION: Hiring and developing a workforce that reflects the places in which we do business. Fostering an inclusive environment that enables all employees to thrive and contribute to innovation and results
| Target | KPI | Unit | Base value | Target value | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Target achieve- ment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sustainable supply chains: Requesting compliance with a sustainable approach on the part of our suppliers along the entire supply chains to allign all business activities with our values.
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>90 |
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Diversity & Inclusion: Hiring and developing a workforce that reflects the places in which we do business. Fostering an inclusive environment that enables all employees to thrive and contribute to innovation and results. |
Positive perception of inclusive working environment by employees |
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1Relevant to remuneration for the Board of Executive Directors and management.
Responsibilities of the Sustainability Goals & KPIs
Each sustainability goal has a sponsor at board level who provides the necessary resources. At the subordinate management level, so-called KPI-Owner are responsible for achieving the target and the KPI. The processes and measures for achievement are in turn broken down in a cascading process to the respective subordinate organizational levels, the KPI-Representer and the KPI-Manager:
- KPI-Sponsor: Responsible for the strategic objective, provides necessary resources.
- KPI-Owner: Responsible for goal and KPI and their achievement
- KPI-Representer: Delegate for the support (dependent on department) of KPI steering
- KPI-Manager: Management of the measures, data collection of the KPI and reporting
If deviations are detected, the KPI-Representer defines countermeasures in consultation with the respective KPI-Owner, who in turn decides on the measures to be taken, if necessary in consultation with the KPI-Sponsor.
