Corporate Social Responsibility

Our self-image

As a foundation-owned company, the Zeppelin Group is committed to the principle of infinity and assumes responsibility in the areas of society, economy, and ecology. For Zeppelin, sustainable corporate management is a prerequisite for making an authentic long-term contribution to the economy and society as a future-oriented and economically successful company, drawing on the strength of its corporate culture. Zeppelin is committed to long-term and sustainable economic success and creates value for employees, customers, suppliers, and society.

Impact portfolio: solutions with added value

Zeppelin's claim is to be a driver of sustainable transformation in our industries. To this end, the impact portfolio is constantly being expanded to offer customers products and services with added value for the environment, climate, and employees. One example of this is the electrification of Zeppelin Rental's product range, which was expanded in fiscal year 2025 and now includes fully electric mini excavators, electric dumpers and wheel loaders, and powerful electric telescopic handlers. In addition, more and more of our customers, such as Schwinger Granit from Nittenau, are relying on the professional reconditioning of their Caterpillar construction machines as part of our Certified Rebuild Program, thereby conserving resources and extending machine life. At the same time, Zeppelin unveiled its first mobile fuel cell unit in mid-2025 and has already successfully tested it in practice – a milestone for mobile, hydrogen-based power supply on construction sites, in shipping, and beyond.

Research and development: Focus on the circular economy

As part of a project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Zeppelin is working with partners to develop a sustainable construction site container. Through modular design, reusable materials, and integrated energy systems, the aim is to reduce emissions, conserve resources, and consistently implement the principles of the circular economy. At the same time, Zeppelin is working on an innovative microwave process for the environmentally friendly devulcanization of old tires as part of the "DevEl" project. The aim is to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and return valuable materials to the production cycle. Both research projects show that Zeppelin is actively shaping the future of construction and recycling through the circular economy – in a resource-saving, low-emission and technologically pioneering way.

Consistent decarbonization

The Group is pursuing a clear strategy on the path to greenhouse gas neutrality: energy-efficient renovation of its own properties, conversion to green electricity, and continuous electrification of its vehicle fleet. One challenge is converting service vehicles to emission-free operation, as they must be constantly ready for use and able to cover long distances with heavy loads. Progress in this area is exemplified by the Service Center in Leipzig, which replaced diesel-powered service vehicles with purely battery-powered vehicles and a hybrid vehicle in the 2025 fiscal year. By 2030, 30 percent of all service vehicles are to be converted to battery-electric drive, and by 2045, all service vehicles are to be converted.

Optimization of data management

In preparation for the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and to actively manage sustainability performance, Zeppelin has been recording non-financial indicators such as energy consumption and emissions on a monthly basis using centralised software since July 2025. The aim is to be able to respond more quickly to changes, evaluate measures and carry out profitability analyses. A key component of this is the installation of smart meters, which enable automated recording of consumption at the site level. During the fiscal year, the conversion of German sites was continued and installation was extended to a few international sites.

Recognized sustainability performance

In the reporting year, the sustainability performance of five companies in the Zeppelin Group was assessed by the international platform EcoVadis. Zeppelin Power Systems GmbH, like Zeppelin Rental GmbH in the previous year, improved to the highest platinum rating and is thus among the top 1 percent of the more than 150,000 companies assessed worldwide. All other companies were able to confirm their previous year's results, thereby underpinning their quality standards in the areas of the environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. This commitment is supported by an established culture of sustainability. This was also promoted this year through campaigns such as "City Cycling" at the two major locations in Friedrichshafen and Achim, as well as through clean-up campaigns at Zeppelin locations worldwide.

Outlook

The year 2026 will be a year of important decisions for sustainability management. With the integration of the companies of PEPP Group B.V. in 2025, the sustainability report will also cover the newly added companies in the future and will be supplemented by a renewed double materiality analysis.

At the beginning of 2026, Zeppelin will also introduce an internal CO₂ pricing system for the first time.  In addition, sustainability targets will be included in management remuneration (long-term incentive program). This will promote climate-friendly decisions within the company, reduce long-term risks with regard to future CO₂ costs, and enable early preparation for possible future legal requirements. At the same time, Zeppelin is underlining its commitment to combining economic and ecological goals.