Vestas Wind Systems
ESRS disclosure
Tags Tree
- Provide a comprehensive list of material sites within your operational control, derived from the identification and assessment of actual and potential impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems. This disclosure should include a detailed breakdown of these sites according to the impacts and dependencies identified, as well as the ecological status of the areas, referencing the specific ecosystem baseline level where they are situated.
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Question Id: E4.SBM-3_03
Although we do have facilities located near biodiversity sensitive areas, we have concluded that none of them have a material negative impact on the areas. Therefore, we have no biodiversity specific metrics nor have we set a base year from which progress is measured.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 30%
- Provide a comprehensive list of material sites within your operations, including those under your operational control, as determined by paragraph 17(a). Specify the biodiversity-sensitive areas impacted by these sites, enabling users to ascertain the location and identify the responsible competent authority concerning the activities outlined in paragraph 16(a) i.
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Question Id: E4.SBM-3_04
Although we do have facilities located near biodiversity sensitive areas, we have concluded that none of them have a material negative impact on the areas. Therefore, we have no biodiversity specific metrics nor have we set a base year from which progress is measured.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 50%
- Has the undertaking identified any material negative impacts concerning land degradation, desertification, or soil sealing?
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Question Id: E4.SBM-3_05
We have several facilities located near Natura 2000 or other biodiversity-sensitive areas, but none of them have been assessed to have a material negative impact on the local habitat in terms of land degradation, desertification, or soil sealing.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%
- Does the undertaking have operations that affect threatened species, as required under Disclosure Requirement SBM 3 concerning material impacts, risks, and opportunities and their interaction with the strategy and business model?
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Question Id: E4.SBM-3_06
We have several facilities located near Natura 2000 or other biodiversity-sensitive areas, but none of them have been assessed to have a material negative impact on the local habitat in terms of land degradation, desertification, or soil sealing, or have a negative effect on threatened species.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%
- Has the undertaking conducted a screening of its assets and activities to identify actual and potential impacts, risks, and opportunities within its own operations and across its upstream and downstream value chain? If such a screening has been performed, provide a detailed account of the methodologies, assumptions, and tools employed in this process.
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Question Id: E5.IRO-1_01
Our biodiversity and ecosystems-related impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs) are identified through an impact assessment developed in collaboration with third-party experts; utilizing third-party platforms and by consulting internal subject matter experts. The assessment covers our entire value chain. During 2025, we aim to collect more robust data to further refine and support the materiality conclusions.
By engaging third-party experts in the impact assessment, we get access to leading knowledge and platforms, supporting a more thorough analysis and conclusion. The impact of our supply chain is an assessment of land use, climate change, air pollution, water use and water pollution, estimated through sector-country averages based on our procurement spend. Using sector-country averages allows impact assessment across many suppliers, but is based on assumptions of e.g., land use and air pollution levels.
The impact assessment of our own operations is split in two categories: impacts arising from factories (e.g., land occupation and pollution from paint), and impacts arising from their own operations activities, e.g., service and construction of on- and offshore wind farms and the related emissions from transportation. For our own operations, we consider land use, climate change, air pollution, and water use impacts. The impact on our downstream value chain is an assessment of how wind turbine parks might affect biodiversity and ecosystems during operation.
The analysis of transition and physical biodiversity risks (including systemic risks) is conducted using third-party software solutions, also allowing assessment of biodiversity risks across multiple future looking scenarios and time horizons, and by leveraging internal and external subject matter expertise. See section E1 IRO-1 on page 65 for more information on the scenarios used in the analysis. No specific assessment criteria were applied in the analysis as a consequence of our material biodiversity impact.
Though geospatial coordinates are the proximity of our factories to biodiversity-sensitive areas such as Natura 2000[1] areas. None of our facilities located near biodiversity-sensitive areas have been assessed to lead to material deterioration or disturbance of natural habitats or the habitats of species.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%
- Provide a detailed description of the processes your organization employs to identify and assess material impacts, risks, and opportunities associated with resource use and the circular economy. Specifically, include information on resource inflows, resource outflows, and waste management. Additionally, disclose whether and how your organization has conducted consultations, particularly with affected communities, in relation to these processes.
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Question Id: E5.IRO-1_02
Our circular economy and resource use related impacts, risks, and opportunities were assessed through consulting internal subject matter experts, particularly drawing on life cycle assessments (LCAs) conducted for our products, and by analysing data inputs from internal software platforms. We also consulted external experts and stakeholders such as our customers. The analysis of impacts, risks, and opportunities covers our entire value chain.
Vestas conducts ISO-compliant LCAs of our wind turbines. These LCAs form the foundation for our understanding of the environmental footprint of our products, and the basis to identify impacts, risks, and opportunities related to resource inflows and outflows. The LCAs cover the full life cycle and over 99.5 percent of material inflows for all models of our wind turbines. Although our LCA is a methodological strong analysis, it is based on several assumptions including the lifetime of asset and has limitations of life. Additionally, data from Vestas’ own manufacturing operations, reported via our waste management process, identifies all waste fractions and treatment methods relevant for our operations.
Affected communities were not consulted or involved in the materiality assessment. We have not identified any material negative impacts on priority ecosystem services of relevance to affected communities in our overall analysis. For more information about our approach to biodiversity, see pages 83-85.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%
- Provide a detailed description of the processes and strategies your organization employs to establish, develop, promote, and evaluate its corporate culture, as required under Disclosure Requirement G1-1 concerning business conduct policies and corporate culture.
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Question Id: G1-1_01
Building and promoting a strong ethical culture is essential for long-lasting relationships with stakeholders and being a trusted partner in the energy transition. Vestas’ corporate culture in relation to business conduct is not established through policies, but through annual communication campaigns, trainings, and awareness initiatives as part of our global and regional compliance programmes. These include 'Accountability' as a key reinforced in annual townhalls, employee development dialogues, and other communication initiatives. Our corporate culture is evaluated through the Global Compliance Survey and Employee Engagement Survey.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%
- Provide a detailed description of the mechanisms your company employs for identifying, reporting, and investigating concerns regarding unlawful behavior or actions that contradict your code of conduct or similar internal rules. Additionally, specify whether these mechanisms allow for reporting from both internal and external stakeholders.
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Question Id: G1-1_02
EthicsLine is our whistleblower system and main mechanism for identifying, reporting, and investigating concerns, promptly, independently and objectively as defined in the EthicsLine Policy. It accommodates both internal and external stakeholders. It allows employees and business partners to report suspected violations of Vestas Codes of Conduct, applicable laws, and Vestas policies. Hosted on a secure external platform, it ensures anonymity and protection from repercussion. The platform is accessible publicly at our corporate website, the Vestas Compliance app, our intranet, and by phone.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 95%
- Does the undertaking currently have policies on anti-corruption or anti-bribery that align with the United Nations Convention against Corruption? If not, provide a statement regarding the absence of such policies, and detail any plans to implement them, including the specific timetable for their implementation.
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Question Id: G1-1_04
Vestas has established Global and Regional Compliance Programmes which outline how Vestas works with Anti-Bribery & Corruption (ABC) inspired by the six principles in the UK Bribery Act 2010. The programmes are comprised of five pillars: 'Programme Governance,' 'Learning & Awareness' and 'Culture & Behaviour' which aim at preventing misconduct while 'Monitoring & Audit' and 'EthicsLine' are used to prevent, detect and manage misconduct.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 60%
- Provide a detailed account of the measures your organization has implemented to safeguard against reporting irregularities, specifically focusing on the protection mechanisms in place for whistleblowers. This information should align with the requirements outlined in Disclosure Requirement G1-1 concerning business conduct policies and corporate culture.
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Question Id: G1-1_05
The EthicsLine Policy sets the framework for our whistleblower system, designed to investigate suspected violations of laws and Vestas’ policies and procedures. Available to all employees and third parties, the policy applies globally across our value chain. It emphasises a safe reporting environment and details protections for individuals reporting misconduct or cooperating with investigations. The policy underscores the importance of a safe reporting environment and details the protections available to individuals who report misconduct or cooperate in good faith with an EthicsLine investigation, relating to our material impact on protection of whistleblowers.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%