Schaeffler AG – Lobbying Governance & Transparency

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Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Strong	Schaeffler demonstrates a strong governance framework for aligning its lobbying activities with its climate strategy, notably through the establishment of an “internal task force on the European Green Deal” that is charged with developing “aligned positions on the various climate change-related topics under the European Green Deal and to assure consistency of these positions with the overall Schaeffler climate change strategy.” This task force, comprising representatives from “the central sustainability department, energy management & purchasing, plant management and governmental affairs,” is responsible for communicating decisions within their respective global functions and for ensuring these positions are “represented unilaterally within the different working groups of trade associations Schaeffler participates in, and in the engagement with policy makers,” thereby covering both indirect and direct lobbying channels. The company further maintains “a regular exchange between the department governmental affairs and the sustainability department on current and upcoming sustainability and climate related legislation,” indicating an ongoing management process. We found no evidence of a publicly available climate-lobbying audit or review, nor does the company identify a specific senior-level executive or board committee that formally signs off on or oversees these climate lobbying activities. View Sources	B

Overall Assessment

Analysis

Score

Strong

Schaeffler demonstrates a strong governance framework for aligning its lobbying activities with its climate strategy, notably through the establishment of an “internal task force on the European Green Deal” that is charged with developing “aligned positions on the various climate change-related topics under the European Green Deal and to assure consistency of these positions with the overall Schaeffler climate change strategy.” This task force, comprising representatives from “the central sustainability department, energy management & purchasing, plant management and governmental affairs,” is responsible for communicating decisions within their respective global functions and for ensuring these positions are “represented unilaterally within the different working groups of trade associations Schaeffler participates in, and in the engagement with policy makers,” thereby covering both indirect and direct lobbying channels. The company further maintains “a regular exchange between the department governmental affairs and the sustainability department on current and upcoming sustainability and climate related legislation,” indicating an ongoing management process. We found no evidence of a publicly available climate-lobbying audit or review, nor does the company identify a specific senior-level executive or board committee that formally signs off on or oversees these climate lobbying activities.

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Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Comprehensive	Schaeffler AG provides a highly transparent picture of its climate-policy lobbying. It names three distinct EU files it worked on—the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation, the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act, and the Renewable Energy Directive Delegated Act on Green Hydrogen—clearly identifying the specific legislative instruments and their European scope. The company also explains how it engages and with whom, stating that it acts "within CLEPA, BDI and directly with policy makers and administrations in Brussels and nationally," sends "messages…towards business associations and national administration," and maintains "communications with the European Commission and national lawmakers." Finally, Schaeffler sets out concrete policy objectives: it urges "rapid and more dense infrastructure development" to accelerate hydrogen and zero-emission vehicle uptake under AFIR; it calls for the Taxonomy to recognise automotive suppliers by "creating a dedicated category for components in the Automotive sector (3.18)"; and it seeks "a rapid decision and manageable entry barriers to the green hydrogen market in Europe and Germany," criticising stringent additionality and correlation rules. By detailing the measures, the channels and targets of engagement, and the precise outcomes it advocates, the company demonstrates a comprehensive level of transparency on its climate-related lobbying activities.	A