ŠKODA set the course for sustainable and long-term growth in its 2025 Strategy, which comprises the strategic key areas of electromobility, the digitalisation of the company, internationalisation and new mobility services. The success of the strategy’s implementation can be seen in terms of sustainability too. Here, the ‘GreenFuture’ strategy provides the foundation and direction. In addition to the development of efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles, it also aims for the conservation of resources during production and eco-friendly operation at dealerships.
 
Environmental targets for vehicle production surpassed
The Czech car manufacturer succeeded in reducing its vehicle production’s strain on the environment by 56.1 per cent between 2010 and 2018 – 6 per cent points better than its target of halving the environmental impact of production-related factors by 2018. Water consumption per car produced was reduced by 38.2 per cent during the same period and the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that arise during painting fell by 48.9 per cent per vehicle. Recycling is also a key part of conserving resources at ŠKODA. All of the current ŠKODA models fulfil the latest EU requirements for the recyclability of materials; the ŠKODA SCALA is made from 85% recyclable materials.
 
Accolade for responsible conduct and sustainability-related accomplishments
In 2018, ŠKODA was named Top Responsible Large Company for its commitment and achievements. The non-profit organisation ‚Business for Society‘awards this to companies that sustainably and strategically act responsibly and that optimise their environmental footprint.
 
Comprehensive social commitment
The latest ŠKODA AUTO sustainability report also comprises detailed information on the company’s social commitment. The car manufacturer recognises and acts on its responsibility within society across the entire value chain and is proactive in both sponsorship as well as a variety of CSR activities. Examples include supporting the regions around the brand’s production sites or participating in other projects, including those relating to road traffic safety, technical training and barrier-free mobility as well as looking after children in need.
 
What’s more, since 2007, ŠKODA has planted one tree for every ŠKODA car sold in the Czech Republic. Since the programme began, more than 820,000 trees have been planted in an area equivalent to 260 football pitches. In addition to employees and their families, non-commercial organisations are involved in this initiative too. Since 2010, students at the company’s own vocational school as well as interns have also been taking part in the project and, in 2017, the initiative was open to the car manufacturer’s customers for the first time via ŠKODA dealerships.
 
Sustainability report fulfils international standard of the Global Reporting Initiative
Since 2005, ŠKODA has been providing information about its activities concerning sustainable corporate management every two years. The seventh sustainability report, which has now been published, complies with the Global Reporting Initiative’s Standards core option and thus with the international guidelines for transparent reporting.

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Christian Strube, ŠKODA Board Member for Technical Development, explains: “Our engineers continually work on further optimising the active and passive safety of our models. With the SCALA, for example, we introduced several new assistance systems to the compact class, which had previously been available exclusively for vehicles in higher segments. Achieving the highest five-star rating for the ŠKODA SCALA in the European reference test for vehicle safety is an acknowledgement of our daily work. All of our current model series have earned the top score in the Euro NCAP test – a great success.”
 
In addition to the overall five-star rating, the ŠKODA SCALA scored especially high in the Euro NCAP test assessments of adult occupant safety and cyclist safety. In the Adult Occupant Protection category, the roomy compact model received a score of 97 per cent of all possible points. This is one of the highest ratings in the history of the Euro NCAP.
 
Testers awarded the full six points for cyclist protection, reflecting the beneficial effect of the Front Assist with Predictive Pedestrian and Cyclist Protection and City Emergency Brake function included as standard. Lane Assist is another feature included in the standard equipment for the ŠKODA SCALA, while Side Assist, which alerts drivers to vehicles approaching from behind or in the car’s blind spot, is an optional feature resulting in a score of 3.5 out of a maximum of four points for this aspect.
 
The ŠKODA SCALA’s extremely stiff body with its large deformation zones and extremely robust occupant cell ensures superior passive safety, using an almost 70-per-cent share of high-strength, ultra-high-strength and specially hardened steels. In addition the compact model comes with up to nine airbags, including an optional knee airbag for the driver and optional side airbags at the rear. Additional safety features include the Multi-Collision Brake, the optional Crew Protect Assist proactive occupant protection system as well as ISOFIX and top-tether attachments on the rear seat bench and front passenger seat to protect the youngest passengers.
 
The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) was founded in 1997, with its current members including twelve transport ministries, automobile clubs, insurance associations and research institutes from eight European countries. The consortium is based in the Belgian city of Leuven. It conducts crash tests with current vehicle models and assesses their active and passive safety. Over the past few years, these tests have become ever more stringent and now comprise a number of different collision scenarios. While initially based solely on the results of the crash tests, final ratings today give a greater weighting to assessments of active safety systems and available driver assistance systems.

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The serial production of the new city SUV began at the main plant in Mladá Boleslav. Alongside the latest member of the ŠKODA model range, the OCTAVIA, FABIA, SCALA and KAROQ are also produced there.
 
Dr Michael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Production and Logistics, said, “For us, the start of production for a new ŠKODA model is always a special time. Over the past few months, we have made all of the provisions in production and logistics to successfully launch the KAMIQ in the city SUV segment. We are convinced that – in typical ŠKODA style – the KAMIQ too will impress our customers with its excellent quality and many practical features.”
 
ŠKODA has invested approximately 100 million euros in the manufacturing of the KAMIQ in Mladá Boleslav. The production line for the MQB27 platform has been adapted; new press tools have also been produced. In the paint shop, body shop and final assembly, not only were fundamental changes made, but details were also modified to facilitate the assembly of the new split headlights with LED technology, for example. 400 new KAMIQs leave the Mladá Boleslav plant each day.
 
The new ŠKODA KAMIQ is based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform and wows with state-of-the-art assistance and infotainment systems, an emotive design and a wealth of Simply Clever features. Its generous amount of space makes it the perfect companion for families and lifestyle-oriented customers in equal measure.
 
At 4,241 mm long, the KAMIQ offers a copious amount of space for all passengers and luggage. Thanks to its modern assistance systems, a selection of efficient, economical engines and the latest connectivity solutions, it is perfectly tailored to suit the requirements of a younger, urban target group. Offering the new city SUV exclusively with front-wheel drive, ŠKODA caters to the desires of customers in this vehicle segment in terms of drive too.

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Dr Michael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Production and Logistics, said, “This figure of 12 million transmissions is proof of the level of commitment exhibited by our staff in component production, who play a very important role at ŠKODA. We have manufactured more than one million gearboxes for ŠKODA and other Group-brand vehicles at our plants for the fifth year in a row.” 

ŠKODA AUTO makes three different types of gearbox for Volkswagen Group at its Mladá Boleslav and Vrchlabí plants. In addition to the MQ 200s, MQ/SQ 100s are also built at the main plant in Mladá Boleslav. ŠKODA AUTO has been producing DQ 200 direct-shift transmissions (DSG) in Vrchlabí since 2012. 

In 2018, ŠKODA AUTO manufactured 371,700 MQ 200s, 231,300 MQ/SQ 100s as well as 538,759 units of the DQ 200 dual-clutch transmission. In total, more than 1,141,700 gearboxes rolled off the ŠKODA production line last year. The total figure made per day across all transmission types is approximately 4,800 units. 

The company’s first gearbox was installed in the Voiturette A – the first car manufactured under the Laurin & Klement brand in 1905. It was positioned in the middle of the car and provided rear-wheel drive using a shift gate. 

The MQ 200 has been made in Mladá Boleslav since as early as 2000, and is installed in petrol-engine cars with a cylinder capacity of between 1.0 and 1.6 l. It is used in ŠKODA cars as well as in models from the Group brands Volkswagen, Audi and Seat. To date, ŠKODA has produced a total of 7,210,300 units of this transmission. Currently more than 1,600 MQ 200s roll off the line every day. 

The MQ 100 / SQ 100 gearbox was originally designed for use in Volkswagen Group’s New Small Family models (the ŠKODA CITIGO, VW up! and Seat Mii) and has been built in Mladá Boleslav since 2011. The MQ 100 / SQ 100 also transfers power in the ŠKODA FABIA and other small cars from Volkswagen Group, in each case in combination with a 1.0-litre petrol engine. In June 2019, ŠKODA produced the two-millionth unit of this type and currently more than 900 are manufactured every day. 

The DQ 200 automatic 7-speed dual-clutch transmission has been made at the Vrchlabí plant since 2012 and is one of the most modern gearboxes of its kind. With a current rate of 2,200 units per day, ŠKODA AUTO has already built a total of 2,749,800 DQ 200s. This 7-speed DSG is used in ŠKODA cars as well as in models from other Group brands. In production, ŠKODA AUTO is systematically turning to technology from Industry 4.0, such as collaborative robots. They help the employees with one of the most sensitive tasks in mechatronics assembly: inserting the clutch piston. 

The Vrchlabí plant is consistently being aligned with the principles of Industry 4.0 
As part of a profound transformation, ŠKODA AUTO converted the Vrchlabí site from a vehicle factory into a state-of-the-art component plant in 2012. In just 18 months a new factory building was constructed and the existing production halls were fully modernised. Today, Vrchlabí is one of the most up-to-date production facilities within Volkswagen Group. 

The Vrchlabí site has also already been given numerous awards for its use of collaborative robots and other technologies in line with the principles of Industry 4.0. For example, the so-called handling robot, which supplies dozens of machines with parts and brings empty containers back to the warehouse. In 2015, the production site was awarded one of the most prestigious prizes in the European manufacturing industry and received the title of ‘Factory of the Year’. 

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