TÜV NORD GROUP calls for and develops ideas for a secure and sustainable energy supply

Among other things, he spoke out in favour of a National Energy Council. Energy services were an innovative growth field for the TÜV NORD GROUP in 2021. In contrast to pandemic-related travel and contact restrictions, the TÜV NORD GROUP grew significantly last year. Group revenue was up 8.3 percent and stood at EUR 1.37 billion.

Decades of experience, together with the broad knowledge of TÜV NORD around planning, testing and inspections, form an important basis for a quick conversion of energy systems and the German energy transition. “We need fresh ideas for the energy transition. Security of supply, climate protection and affordable energy always have to be considered together”, Dirk Stenkamp, Chairman of the Board of Management of the TÜV NORD AG, remarked at the annual press conference in Hanover. He spoke out in favour of a National Energy Council. Comprised of representatives in politics, business and science, this independent body would pragmatically and knowledgeably consider all energy measures proposed. Such an energy council could be modelled after the Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment set up by the German federal government to guide the phase-out of coal. 

A survey commissioned by the TÜV NORD GROUP and conducted by Forsa found that a broad majority expects costs to rise as a result of the energy transition. In all, 87 percent of respondents believe that energy prices will become more or even much more expensive. Only a small minority of German citizens (11 percent) expect energy prices to fall. At the same time, a majority of survey participants expressed concern over energy security in Germany. For 56 percent of respondents, the security of the energy supply is currently rather low or very low. Only 42 percent assume a high or very high level of energy security. Meanwhile, the younger generation in particular expects to see growing acceptance of the energy transition. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of 14- to 29-year-olds are of the opinion that a majority of Germans are more willing to accept renewable energy production in future than before – even, for example, if wind turbines are located closer to housing estates, or a major power line is located in close proximity to a city. Around 59 percent of all survey participants took this view. Forsa surveyed a total of 1,005 people all across Germany on March 23 and 24.

For Stenkamp, people’s willingness – and determination of the younger generation in particular – to shoulder greater future burdens for the energy transition comes as a sign to all those involved to significantly accelerate planning processes and approval procedures. As the results of the survey also made clear, the cost of the energy transition is an important factor for many people. This is why an open debate on the costs involved is considered necessary. “Consumers alone will hardly be able to shoulder the necessary investments for the conversion on their own”, Stenkamp pointed out. According to him the investments planned by the German federal government are an important step towards an independent, secure and climate-friendly energy supply by 2026.

A great many steps need to be taken in the years and decades ahead. According to Stenkamp, in many cases this will also present missions for TÜV NORD GROUP. “Importing and transporting liquefied natural gas requires terminals with safe technology and high-performance gas lines. We as a company contribute our expertise to this effort, together with a globally recognised certification system for hydrogen.” Stenkamp pointed out that TÜV NORD is already making valuable contributions towards efficient and climate-friendly mobility.

Jürgen Himmelsbach, CFO, highlighted the encouraging business performance in 2021: “Many areas were affected by bans on travel and contact as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But we still experienced gains across relevant key performance indicators throughout the Group. Organic revenue growth of more than eight percent attests to the great performance of our employees and service offers.” Himmelsbach emphasized that the TÜV NORD CAMPUS in Essen was inaugurated in 2021 with state-of-the-art laboratory and testing technology. ‘Last year alone, the TÜV NORD GROUP invested almost 60 million euro. We are in a perfect position to expand our testing and expert-report capabilities with regard to renewable energy sources.”   

The leading financial key performance indicators (compared to 2020):

• Group revenue: EUR 1,369.3 million (EUR 1,265.6 million)
• Operating profit (EBIT): EUR 73.1 million (EUR 47.8 million)
• EBT: EUR 73.3 million (EUR 31.9 million)
• Employees (full-time, FTE): 11,959 (11,658), 3,850 of these outside Germany

With a view to the war in Ukraine, Astrid Petersen, Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director, expressed her thanks for the great voluntary commitment. “We offer all colleagues who accomodate refugees at home or are otherwise involved a day off.” The business units have swiftly initiated job and training opportunities with the aim of integrating people from Ukraine into the labor market, quickly and unbureaucratically.

According to Astrid Petersen, the Group has used the Corona pandemic to further develop the new flexibility in the world of work. A home office arrangement, which allows employees to work from home on two days on average and other offers, promote a contemporary, trusting corporate culture. ‘We are establishing new workplace concepts with which we want to increase the attractiveness for applicants.’ Petersen highlighted the independent meta-study LEADING EMPLOYERS, in which the TÜV NORD GROUP ranked 37th out of 160,000 companies participating nationwide: “In a regional comparison, we even achieved the top spot in the state capital of Hanover, and second place in the state of Lower Saxony!”  

The Annual Report for 2021 in German is available here on our website. (English version coming up soon.)