CEO & Chairman of the Executive Board, GEA Group AG (parent), Gea Refrigeration
Search every verified Stefan Klebert interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Stefan Klebert, CEO of GEA Group, has emphasized the company's commitment to climate action and sustainability. In a March 2025 interview, he stated that GEA has integrated Scope 1, 2, and 3 emission reductions into executive board compensation, which he described as unique among German companies. He also noted that GEA was the first company in the DAX index segment to present a climate plan to its annual general meeting, receiving 98.4% approval from shareholders. Klebert stated that GEA aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, with a target of a 60% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2024 compared to 2019, and reported being at a 58% reduction. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Klebert expressed optimism about GEA's long-term prospects, arguing that people need to eat and drink regardless of economic conditions. He highlighted trends such as population growth, urbanization, and demand for healthier food as drivers for the industry. Klebert described sustainability as "a journey rather than a destination," noting GEA's work on products that consume less energy or operate with neutral wastewater. He also stated that GEA's business involves collaborating with customers to improve food safety, traceability, and shelf life while reducing energy consumption in transport and cooling.
“Wir haben Scope 1, 2 und 3 Reduktion in der Vorstandsvergütung drin. Da gibt's meines Wissens kein anderes Unternehmen in Deutschland, wo alle drei Scops mit drin sind.”
“Wir waren das erste Unternehmen im gesamten DAX-Index-Segment, der mit dem Klimaplan zur Hauptversammlung ging, zum Say on Climate, und wir haben 98,4% Zustimmung bekommen von unseren Gesellschaftern, dass wir diesen Weg so weitergehen sollen.”
“I have to remind you maybe what our key business at the end is we are delivering machines where our customers are producing food and beverages and I mean it if there is Corona or not people need to eat and drink and as more people are staying at home as more it might increase the demand for processed food so if people...”
“We have set ourselves midterm target for 2022 and we confirm them today despite the temporary challenges posed by the corona virus outbreak because we remain fully confident about the future growth prospects of GEA thanks to its healthy fundamentals and its strong positioning within an attractive and generally growing...”
“I'm very optimistic because there is a need to feed the world. That's very clear population is growing and there is also a trend to more healthy food and there is a trend of urbanization so there are many challenges we have in this industry and we are working very much together with our customers how can we make food s...”
“Sustainability is a big issue nowadays and sustainability has a lot to do with environment but also with economy and we with with many many things and for us it's it's rather a journey than a destination so we always try to become better in providing products for our customers which consumes less energy or we also have...”
This key global gathering is an unparalleled opportunity for GEA to exchange views with customers and decision-makers from all over the world about the challenges and needs of the future.
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