Daimler has the declared aim of adopting a pioneering role in climate protection, and has made a major step further forward on the way to achieving this, the company said. Over the last five years, the company has been able to reduce the CO₂ emissions of its new passenger car fleet in Europe by more than 20%, to 140 g/km. This figure is to decrease by 2016 to 125 g/km.

Independent fuel consumption tests have also shown that Mercedes-Benz trucks are a benchmark for fuel consumption. Daimler’s entire truck portfolio (Actros, Arocs, Antos, Atego, Unimog and Econic) is already available in Euro VI versions today. Two years before the due date, the Mercedes-Benz Actros was able to meet the Euro VI emission standard which will come into force on 1 January 2014.

In the passenger car sector, more than 40% of all Mercedes-Benz cars registered in the second quarter 2013 in Germany meet the Euro 6 standard.

Mercedes-Benz also achieves the environmental certificate from TÜV Süd for each new vehicle model. This encompasses more than 40,000 individual processes, the analysis, calculation and assessment of which produce an extensive eco-profile. The detailed examination includes all environmentally relevant processes, from development to production and use, and ending in recycling. The most recent models analysed in this way include the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 2013 and in 2012 the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID as the brand’s first diesel hybrid model, which burdens the environment with twelve tonnes less CO₂ over its life cycle compared with the E 300 CDI.

Over the last five years, the CO₂ emissions of the plants fell by 28% per car. This is the result of numerous measures: these include more efficient production technologies, optimized heating and ventilation systems, intelligent shut-off control for the production facilities and campaigns promoting energy-conscious behavior by employees.

Each year the non-profit organization Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), founded in London in 2000, analyzes the sustainability and climate change strategies of companies worldwide listed on the stock exchange, and their measures for the control and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. On this basis it produces a rating that assists investors when making their decisions.

The CDP represents the interests of 722 institutional investors with a current capital investment volume of US$87 billions. The main focus is above all on CO₂ management and reduction targets, together with the relevant measures and achievements. In addition, the CDP evaluates the emission data of the individual companies. The result is a number of leadership indices showing the best-performing companies. This year 81% of the 500 leading companies worldwide took part in the survey. According to the CDP, the number of investors who obtain associated data from CDP has grown steadily since 2000.