Driven by Sustainability: KION Group’s Global Commitment

For industry leaders, sustainability is no longer a side initiative, it’s a core part of business strategy, reputation and long-term resilience. As part of the KION Group, Linde Material Handling Australia draws strength from a global organisation that treats sustainability not as a slogan, but as a measurable, action-oriented journey.

At Linde Material Handling Australia, sustainability means taking responsibility: for the environment, for future generations, for our customers, and for our employees. That’s why we integrate environmental and social targets in every aspect of our business activities, guided by a clear sustainability strategy. This goes beyond compliance or branding, it’s about creating long-term value for our customers, our people and the planet.

KION Group, one of the world’s largest intralogistics companies, recognises that its scale brings both responsibility and opportunity: responsibility to minimise environmental and social impacts, and opportunity to drive sustainable transformation across supply chains worldwide. As part of that global commitment, KION has pledged to achieve climate neutrality along its entire value chain by 2050, with clear, science-based targets validated by the international Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Recognition that reflects progress

KION Group achieved major recognition in late 2024, qualifying for the prestigious Dow Jones Best-in-Class Europe Index and securing a spot in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2025 (top 15% globally in its sector). These independent ratings, based on a record CSA score of 64/100 across environmental, social, and governance factors, assure customers that KION’s sustainability strategy is delivering verifiable results.

As Valeria Gargiulo, Chief People & Sustainability Officer, explains: “As a global leader in intralogistics and supply chains, we recognise our responsibility to make our company more sustainable and to help our customers and partners achieve their own sustainability goals.”

For Australian businesses relying on Linde Material Handling, this commitment provides crucial ESG assurance to meet increasingly stringent local reporting demands and secure a competitive advantage in tender processes.

Defeating the “Hidden Giant”: Supply chain decarbonisation

Recognition is valuable, but impact comes from tackling the most difficult challenges. KION is tackling the "hidden giant" of decarbonisation, Scope 3.1 emissions, from its supply chain, which account for roughly 20% of the Group’s indirect greenhouse gas emissions (embedded in materials like steel and electronics).

To overcome this, KION has launched a strategic project focused on two priorities by 2030:

• Supplier engagement: Actively working with top suppliers, through workshops and shared best practices, to encourage and support them in setting their own emissions reduction targets.
• Operational integration: Embedding sustainability and emissions criteria directly into daily procurement processes, sourcing, and contract management.

This initiative assures Linde customers that sustainability improvements are being driven upstream, in the very materials and services their high-quality equipment is built from.

Moving the date: Circularity as strategy

Beyond decarbonisation, KION is also advancing the circular economy — rethinking how resources are used, reused, and regenerated. This is one of KION’s eight sustainability action fields and a response to the pressing reality of Earth Overshoot Day, which each year marks the point at which humanity’s resource use exceeds the planet’s capacity to regenerate.

At Linde MH, circularity translates into tangible outcomes:

• Recycled inputs: Counterweights for Linde forklifts manufactured in Germany are made from up to 100% recycled iron and steel, diverting scrap like radiators and manhole covers from waste streams.
• Extended product life: Through after-sales support, rental fleets and used-truck refurbishment, KION generated €3.7 billion in circular sales in 2023 — maximising value while reducing demand for raw materials.
• Battery recycling: A partnership with Li-Cycle enables the recovery of valuable materials from lithium-ION batteries, with over 2.35 tonnes of modules recycled in the first six months alone.
• Waste reduction: Across KION sites, 80% of waste is recycled, supporting broader environmental management goals.

What it means for Linde customers

For Linde Material Handling Australia and its customers, KION’s global sustainability program delivers tangible advantages:

• Trusted assurance: Independent recognition through Dow Jones and S&P confirms that Linde’s global parent is walking the talk on ESG.
• Responsible supply chains: Efforts to decarbonise procurement reduce risk exposure for customers under increasing scrutiny for Scope 3 emissions.
• Circular solutions: Refurbished trucks, rental models, and recycled materials mean more options for sustainable fleet management without compromising performance.
• Future resilience: A net-zero vision backed by supplier collaboration ensures that Linde’s products will remain compliant and competitive in a low-carbon economy.

We are shaping the sustainable economy of tomorrow

KION’s sustainability journey demonstrates that success is not about one initiative, but about weaving responsibility into every layer of the business — from design to supply chain to lifecycle. Recognition in world-leading indices is a signpost, but the real progress lies in the systems being built: collaborative procurement, circular economy models, and science-based climate targets.

For Linde MH, sustainability means more than a green logo. It’s about taking responsibility — for people, for the planet, and for customers’ long-term success. For Australian businesses partnering with Linde, it means confidence, knowing the equipment powering your operations is backed by a company shaping, not just adapting to, the sustainable economy of tomorrow.

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