Sustainability by Schattdecor
Progress Report 2025
Sustainability is not just a trend; it is of great importance for our customers, employees, and the public.
Our customers’ expectations and needs are also at the forefront of our sustainability journey and the ongoing development of our product portfolio: After all, sustainability is a key factor in securing the long-term success of our company.
Sustainability Strategy
In the 40 years since our founding, we have already reached significant milestones in sustainable development. We have also established ambitious targets for the future.
“Sustainability and environmental protection are integral to our corporate identity.”Executive Board of Schattdecor SE
Since 2025, we have been analyzing, through a systematic process, both the market environment and regulatory requirements, as well as the sustainability potential of Schattdecor’s core business areas and competencies.
From this, we have derived four areas of action, each of which we have assigned specific goals, measures, and key performance indicators. These put our understanding of sustainability into practice - transparently and measurably.
The areas of our sustainability strategy
CLIMATE AND ENERGY
We take responsibility for our environmental impact by consistently decarbonizing our value chain and continuously improving our energy management system, aligning it with renewable, efficient, and resilient structures. Through energy efficiency and the gradual electrification of our sites, we optimize our production, reduce the carbon footprint of our products, and at the same time strengthen our resilience to energy price volatility and supply shortages.
PROTECTING THE FOUNDATIONS OF LIFE
We take responsibility for the natural environments on which our business model depends in the long term. We systematically track, assess, and reduce impacts on biodiversity, land use, and air and water emissions throughout the entire value chain. At our own sites, we aim to actively promote biodiversity.
PRODUCT SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION
We develop products that incorporate sustainability and the circular economy from the very beginning—in material selection, design, and throughout the entire life cycle. Our quality standards enhance the durability of our products, thereby reducing environmental impact. Customers choose Schattdecor because our products enable innovative spaces that combine safety, quality, and economic value. We support our business partners in achieving their own sustainability goals and continue to evolve together with them.
A RESPONSIBLE FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY
Schattdecor creates an environment for its employees and the local community that is characterized by fair working conditions, high occupational safety standards, and targeted professional development. At our company, everyone takes active responsibility for one another: We don’t just wait for things to happen—we shape the future together. As an attractive employer, we attract and retain talent, thereby ensuring our competitiveness in the race for skilled workers. At the same time, we are firmly rooted in our regions and actively help shape them—economically,
socially, and culturally. This regional presence strengthens our reputation as a responsible employer and sustainably increases our appeal to employees. In this way, we create a clear competitive advantage.
RESPONSIBILITY IN THE VALUE CHAIN AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Schattdecor has clear governance structures that ensure legally compliant, transparent, and ethical conduct worldwide. Human rights are systematically taken into account throughout the entire value chain, and risks are managed responsibly. Our supplier relationships are long-term and characterized by mutual trust—based on clear expectations, fairness, and reliability. We view compliance as a way of life: it is the foundation that makes the spaces we aim to create for people and regions possible in the first place.
Further information on our specific goals within the four areas of focus of our sustainability strategy can be found in the 2025 Progress Report.
Progress Report 2025
Our sustainability strategy and current key metrics summarized in a single document:
The key areas of our sustainability strategy
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Decarbonization
Our goal is to become climate-neutral by 2045—in line with Germany’s climate protection targets. For a manufacturing company like Schattdecor, this poses major challenges in areas such as production, procurement, and customer relations.
In doing so, we focus not only on our own operations (Scope 1) but also on the upstream and downstream supply chain (Scopes 2 and 3). Analyzing all three scopes provides us with important insights into our decarbonization levers—that is, where measures to reduce our carbon footprint are particularly effective.
“The combination of photovoltaics, battery storage, and smart energy management is another step toward a long-term, sustainable, and economically stable energy supply.”Manuel Mrazek, Head of Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Thansau
Facts about decarbonization at Schattdecor
Emissions arise in Scope 2 and 3
The emissions are generated primarily in the upstream supply chain – during the production of our substrates and resins – and in the downstream supply chain – at the end of the life cycle of our processed products. This underscores the need to strengthen our collaboration
with suppliers and customers so that we can work together to make our production processes more climate-friendly.
Energy efficiency as a key lever
Schattdecor relies on a variety of measures to save energy and, as a result, reduce CO2 emissions: optimizing and electrifying our drying processes, central cooling system, rotary heat exchangers to preheat the air and und spray humidification systems instead of energy-intensive steaming - these are just a few of the hundreds of measures.
37 % Improving energy efficiency
We are all the more proud to have increased the energy efficiency of our production by 37% between 2015 and 2025. This is particularly worth noting given the challenges we face in implementing our energy efficiency goals.
Aim until 2035: further decrease by 20 %
By 2035, we aim to continuously improve the specific energy consumption of our primary users by an additional 20% compared to 2025. We will regularly monitor progress through group-wide tracking of our energy metrics and our certified energy management system (in accordance with ISO 50001).
Renewable energy
At our 14 production sites, we use our printing, impregnation, and lacquering machines to produce high-quality decors as well as technical and decorative surfaces. As these processes are inherently energy-intensive, a future-proof energy infrastructure with predictable prices is of high strategic value.
Thus we have decided to consistently expand our own renewable energy generation. Phasing out fossil fuels is not only beneficial for the environment; it also helps make our branches less dependent on fluctuating energy prices and external supply.
Good for the environment. Good for Schattdecor.
Mariusz Bączek
Mariusz Bączek has been an integral member of the Schattdecor family since 2007. After joining the company in the production department, he has been working at the Tarnowo Podgórne site since 2016 as a technical and technological projects coordinator, as well as an energy and environmental manager.
What specific measures impact climate protection and energy efficiency?
"It starts with the sustainable use of everyday building technology such as heating, lighting, and air conditioning systems. Switching to LED technology or installing presence sensors makes a big difference. Other measures require technical expertise, for example, the further development of our paper humidification system. It now operates completely without energy-intensive steam generation. We have also developed a separate cooling system that, through central control, completely eliminates redundant chillers and is also extremely economical thanks to an intelligent weekend standby mode. Moreover, a significant milestone was the signing of a 10-year power purchase agreement that guarantees our supply of green electricity."
What we do
Thansau Solar Park: 2.6 MWp Total Capacity
Our solar park in Thansau, with a capacity of 2.6 megawatts-peak (MWp), generates a total capacity of 3.8 MWp together with the existing rooftop PV systems—enough, in purely theoretical terms, to supply approximately 1,000 four-person households for one year.
Battery Storage for Flexible Energy Use
To complement the solar park, we are currently evaluating the installation of a battery storage system. In addition to enabling flexible solar power usage and reducing peak loads, this will increase our self-consumption of electricity.
Global PV Expansion: 7.5 MWp Worldwide
Two additional locations were equipped with rooftop PV systems in 2025. This brings our group-wide total capacity to 7.5 MWp. In 2025, Schattdecor was able to use 70% of its self-generated energy in production processes. Total self-generated energy accounted for 23% of the total electricity consumption at these locations.
Green Electricity Procurement at International Sites
Where self-generation is not yet possible, Schattdecor relies on certified green electricity: in 2025, we procured 100% green electricity at both plants in São José dos Pinhais, Brazil. Last year, the share of renewable energy at our Quzhou site in China was 86%, at the two Polish sites in Tarnowo Podgórne and Głuchołazy it was 85%, and in Rosate, Italy, it was 40%.
Innovation & Design
Schattdecor is synonymous with a strong commitment to innovation, which is reflected in the consistently high quality of our decors and surfaces.
Together with our customers, we find the specific, requirement-driven solution for new products.
Our employees also apply the same technical expertise and solution-oriented approach to make our products and processes more sustainable. To create space for these innovative processes, we launched the “Green Windmill” program in 2024.
The “Green Windmill” future program has given rise to 13 pioneering projects in the areas of emissions reduction, improvement of our services, and product-specific innovations. Some are already being implemented, such as the optimization of our drying systems. Planning for others is already well underway.
Technical and Technological Innovations
An outstanding example of process optimization is the further development of our drying process. After printing and impregnation, the surfaces are damp and must be dried under controlled conditions for further processing. Until now, the heaters used for this purpose have operated most efficiently with gas. Several years ago, we were already able to significantly reduce gas consumption in the printing press dryers. Building on this success, the concept was applied to the impregnation process. Through targeted retrofits to the impregnation line at our Italian facility, we were able to achieve the same drying results while using 20% less gas. This optimization has proven successful and has already been implemented at other international locations, including Malaysia and Brazil.
Design Innovations
Today, there is a growing demand for durable, long-lasting material finishes. One example of this is our Arezzo decor. Irregularly distributed composite stones made from concrete, sandstone, and other materials create a dynamic, deliberately imperfect appearance. This aesthetic composition is enhanced by the selected substrate: Silphium paper, with its less smooth surface in the printed product and its improved environmental performance, complements the aesthetics of Arezzo. Thus, tactile feel, sustainability, and design harmonize with one another.
Globally connected
SUCCESSFUL TOGETHER
Since its founding, the principle “by people, for people” has shaped Schattdecor’s identity and actions. The well-being and satisfaction of our employees, customers, and suppliers are at the heart of everything we do. Above all, we recognize that it is the extensive expertise of our specialists and our collaborative partnerships that have made us a market leader in decorative and technical surfaces.
We preserve and foster these qualities by encouraging long-standing employees to share their knowledge, experience, and deep understanding of our processes with new colleagues. The fresh perspectives of new employees, combined with the experience of our long-standing workforce, create a valuable balance between innovation and continuity.
In addition to treating one another with honesty and fairness, open cross-cultural exchange on an equal footing is a key factor in Schattdecor’s success. We foster a diverse and globally connected workforce because we believe that different perspectives continuously improve our products, processes, and corporate governance. At the same time, Schattdecor is firmly rooted in the communities in which it operates and will continue to help shape them in the future – economically, socially, and culturally. Through our regional presence, we aim at further strengthening our reputation and appeal as a responsible employer.
What makes working at Schattdecor special for you?
"I find it incredibly enriching to work with people of different professional backgrounds and/or nationalities. Sharing experiences and perspectives broadens our horizons and helps us become even stronger as a team and solve even the most complex problems."
FABIAN MUNARI, Sustainability, Energy & Environmental Manager
ITALY
„Our network provides an ideal platform for discussing the shared and site-specific sustainability challenges faced by our locations worldwide and for developing solutions together. For example, we jointly improved data collection for downstream logistics at our printing, lacquering, and impregnation sites. This gives us a more accurate basis for calculating Scope 3 emissions.“
DIONYS JEYASEGARA, Sustainability, Energy & Environmental Manager
MALAYSIA
Our Sustainability Team
With our production sites and joint ventures on four continents, we serve markets around the world. This is why we are also globalizing our sustainability structures: in addition to their respective roles in operational or commercial functions, qualified employees at our production sites in nine countries take responsibility for local sustainability, energy, and environmental management, forming a valuable network across national borders.
Ana Pamplona
Ana Pamplona has been working at our Brazilian locations in Marketing and Communications since 2021. In 2024, she also took on the role of Sustainability Manager for São José dos Pinhais, Brazil. In Ana’s view, this is both a privilege and a significant responsibility, which she embraces with her communication and networking skills, tackling even complex topics without hesitation.
What does sustainability management look like at Schattdecor?
"Environmental and social sustainability have always been a core principle of our company. Due to increasing demands and requirements, including those from regulatory bodies, we now
need a Group-wide governance structure. I’m particularly enthusiastic about our young, interdisciplinary team of sustainability managers. We come from all over the world and share the
same passion for the topic. Since our first networking meeting, we’ve been working together as a group, guided and supported by the team in Thansau. This makes every task easier, and I’m
confident our sustainability management will quickly achieve global success!"
