Dear Joe Kaeser,
I’m writing to you in regard to your recent decision to go ahead with your involvement with the Adani coal mine. I would first like to express my sincere disappointment in this decision. I will certainly take this into account in any future purchases I make and avoid the brand Siemens.
I read your media statement in full and would like to comment on a few key points.
“Securing our planet for the future is not just about experts, this is mostly about leadership. We have enough scientists telling us about the problem already for quite some time – solutions need to be created by leaders solving the complexity of conflicting interests in the political and industrial world.”
I couldn’t agree more. The science is clear and unequivocal. And governments around the world have failed to provide leadership on this issue. And this is why it is moments like these, where leadership is so very important. Sadly, Siemens did not chose to be a strong leader for a transition to a more sustainable future. No matter how small you think Siemens’ contribution in this project is, the whole world was watching you and the only message you sent was that a respectable company supports this irresponsible project, that locks in the old path of fossil fuel based economy.
“At Siemens, we will apply performance-oriented goals that include environmental and social affairs and governance to our company’s Managing Board and our entire senior management. This is nothing to be particularly proud of, because environmental care should not be about money but about responsibility.”
Environmental care should not be about money, but about responsibility… then I really don’t understand why you made the interests of your shareholders, aka money, a priority over the futur of our global environment?
" I do know that we are far from perfect. And, we should have been wiser about this project beforehand. Now, we need to be a supplier, who sticks to its commitments as long as the customer stays on legal grounds, too."
I understand the sentiment that keeping your word and honouring your signed commitment should be a core value of a reputable company. But mistakes happen, and history will reflect on this decision to support a climate wrecking project far more badly than standing with the thousands of concerned people, young and old, across nations, and withdraw from an ill informed previous commitment and show leadership on the fight against climate change.
And finally, and not least, the fact that there are competitors, who would have possibly signed the contract if Siemens had withdrawn its involvement is no reason not to do the right thing. Doing the right thing, especially under difficult conditions, inspires and empowers others to do the same. Many of your competitors might well have followed your lead, if you had chosen to do the right thing by our global community.
Kind regards,