The WILD Group‘s CO2 rucksack has shed a lot of weight. The focus has now shifted to the major levers in the supply chain.

In high-tech manufacturing, the ecological footprint has become hard currency. This is an area where WILD has achieved measurable success: From 2023 to 2024 alone, the Group’s CO2 emissions declined by 26%. This is the result, among other things, of energy reduction projects, more efficient machinery and the conversion to a local pellet heating system. All Austrian sites now obtain 100% of their energy from renewable sources.

More importantly, though, is the following realisation: ”Our in-depth monitoring shows that our production processes themselves – with the exception of power generation – hardly produce any CO2. At 85%, the largest share of the company‘s CO2 rucksack comes from indirect emissions in the upstream and downstream supply chain“, explains Corporate Environmental & Sustainability Manager Mario Girstmair.

In future, this is where the greatest lever lies. ”Although, as a contract manufacturer, we largely depend on the nature of the customer products, we use every available opportunity to reduce the footprint within these requirements in an economically reasonable manner“, says Girstmair. In-depth knowledge about its own CO2 drivers allows the company to eliminate emissions already during the concept phase, through targeted material selection and smart production design. ”True to the motto ‚a network of ideas is stronger than a single thread‘, we actively involve our supplier network and promote recycling and sustainable  materials.“ The result: There is a measurable decrease in the ecological baggage of the final product.

Inside the Group, WILD intends to achieve significant effects by using efficient ventilation systems including heat recovery, or by expanding its fleet of electric vehicles. ”As of mid-2027, our electricity will come exclusively from renewable energy sources“,  stresses Girstmair, who has been at the helm of environmental management since the beginning of 2026. He is building on the strong foundation created by his predecessor, Alfred Michalek, who successfully established the environmental management system and will be advising Girstmair during an intensive transition phase until his retirement in the summer.

QUALITY PLEDGES WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION
As part of its multi-site audit in April 2026, the WILD Group will be incorporating sustainability in its core operating business. The joint recertification of quality management (ISO 9001), medical devices (ISO 13485) and environmental management (ISO 14001) combines ecological responsibility with technological precision. Customers are thus given the certainty that highest standards go hand in hand with resource-efficient processes. ”We push decarbonisation through technology but the key is awareness in each and every one of us“, Girstmair believes. ”After all, every contribution towards a better world for future generations counts.“