6 questions for Dr. Rüdiger Recknagel
Our new Senior Expert for Environmental Protection in the Automotive Industry and Environmental Foundations.
1. What motivated you to become a Senior Expert at fors?
After my active career as Head of Environmental Protection in the automotive industry, I wanted to continue championing sustainability and environmental protection. I know and value fors thanks to joint projects from my time at Audi.
2. How long have you been active in the field of sustainability?
I have an intrinsic motivation for sustainability. This dates back to my university days, when I founded an environmental initiative at my student residence. Already then, the concept of "preserving Creation" resonated with me. The issues were similar, too—albeit on a smaller scale: encouraging students to close windows to save on heating costs, conserve water, or sort their waste.
After completing my doctorate, I was able to initiate and implement numerous environmental projects at Audi in various roles—for instance, as Head of the Paint Shop at the Ingolstadt plant. The topic really gained momentum for me in 2016, when I transitioned from managing the Ingolstadt paint shop (with a workforce of over 1,000) to the role of "Head of Environmental Protection for Audi Worldwide," leading a team of fewer than two dozen employees.
I thus entered this field—which became my dream job—relatively late in my career; it gave me greater leverage to initiate and support environmental projects and to implement them in collaboration with other departments.
I am thinking here, for example, of the Audi Mission:Zero environmental strategy, which we established for all plants. Together with fors, we carried out pioneering work on four core topics: decarbonization, water and resource consumption, and biodiversity.
Through Mission:Zero, for instance, we meticulously implemented net CO₂ neutrality across all plants between 2019 and 2025. Something no other automotive group had done before.
At the same time, as Managing Director of the Audi Environmental Foundation, I was able to support numerous projects, oversee events, and build an inspiring network
3. What are you most looking forward to in your role as a Senior Expert?
I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity to drive sustainable improvements and innovative developments, as well as to exchanging ideas with other Senior Experts and fors employees.
4. From a geopolitical perspective, where do you see the greatest opportunities and risks regarding sustainability?
I see the greatest opportunities in the global competition for effective solutions. If we look at China, for example, we see a country that views sustainability as an opportunity: the PV capacity newly installed in China in 2025 alone—315 GW—exceeds the total PV capacity installed in Europe to date. China is driving electromobility forward and has already surpassed the 50 percent mark for new electric vehicle registrations. At the same time, new technologies in software and battery development are emerging; these are creating a massive competitive advantage and putting German automakers, in particular, under pressure.
I view the two greatest risks to the preservation of the foundations of life on Earth as the power struggles between global powers—who do not shy away from armed conflict—and the human drive for ever-increasing prosperity, even when this comes at the expense of others.
5. Do you have a conviction, a guiding principle, or a credo regarding sustainability?
In 2019, I had the honor of giving a talk on the topic of "Passion and Profession" at the One Young World Summit at the Royal Albert Hall in London. I was asked the same question there, and I reflected on what message I could share with the 2,000 young talents and experts from business, politics, and humanitarian organizations—people who are developing solutions for global challenges in areas such as education, climate and environmental protection, and social projects.
I looked back at my own passion—tennis—and decided to share the credos of famous tennis legends: for me, Roger Federer embodies "Never stop being positive" and Rafael Nadal "Never stop fighting"; Boris Becker—against whom I had the pleasure of playing a year before his first Wimbledon victory—also served as an inspiration.
6. How can this be achieved—considering that Germany faces up to €38 billion in climate-related penalties because, according to the latest calculations by the German Environment Agency, it is set to miss its 2030 climate targets by an even wider margin than anticipated (with the transport and building sectors primarily to blame), and given the complex geopolitical situation?
Everyone can take action. Large companies offer greater opportunities and more significant leverage—just as I have at Audi. Doing nothing is not an option if we want to preserve the foundations of our lives. Moreover, your actions can set an example and motivate others to get active. Every beginning and every step counts—whether in your professional or private life.