The German Sustainability Code

The German Sustainability Code outlines the minimum requirements for reporting on non-financial performance of companies. It is supervised by the office of the German Council for Sustainable Development, which works on behalf of the German government. More about the Code.

In 2011, VAUDE was the first company in the outdoor industry to create a declaration of conformity with the Sustainability Code. We have updated this declaration for the reporting year 2015, creating greater transparency and comparability in terms of our sustainability performance. VAUDE Compliance Statement

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German Sustainability Code

VAUDE Entsprechenserklärung

DNK Index
	Criteria	Links and Content
General Information	Business Purpose, Services and Products:	VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG develops, produces and sells outdoor gear from the VAUDE brand: functional apparel for outdoors, backpacks and bags, sleeping bags, tents, shoes, camping accessories. Sustainable Business is Worthwhile Creating Added Value through Commitment
	Additional Remarks (e.g. indication of external audit):	External Verification for the GRI Sustainability Report 2015
Strategy	1. Strategic Analysis and Action	Corporate Philosophy Our Sustainability Strategy The VAUDE Ecosystem Our Goals bluesign Standard bluesign Materials Green Shape Concept Audits of External Producers EMAS Index
	2. Materiality	Material Aspects Materiality Analysis The VAUDE Ecosystem Our Goals CSR-Team Environmental Management System
	3. Objectives	Our Goals EMAS-Index
	4. Depth of the Value Chain	Our Supply Chain Our Sustainability Strategy Suppliers Audits of External Producers Reliable Partnerships for Producers bluesign Materials Green Shape Concept Higg Index
Process Management	5. Responsibility	The VAUDE CEO, Antje von Dewitz, is responsible for sustainability at the company. She shapes the company's vision, values, agenda and long-term goals and defines the normative framework. As a member of the Executive Board for Sales & CSR, Jan Lorch assumes responsibility at the strategic level. The CSR Team works at the operational level; it consists of experts in the fields of management, environmental management, quality management, business development, material development, product development, production, sales and communications. The CSR team is the contact point regarding sustainability issues for all employees and business partners. The team makes decisions regarding priorities and coordinates projects in bi-monthly meetings. Depending on the issue being addressed, other experts from related departments are brought into the team as well. CSR-Team Leadership
	6. Rules and Processes	Sustainability strategy implementation is ensured by the internal management process. The executive management defines specific business goals that are systematically directed to the departmental, divisional, team and individual levels in meetings and employee discussions. Measurable sustainability goals can be found at each level. In addition to internally defined objectives, the Environmental Management System (in accordance with EMAS and membership in the Fair Wear Foundation and bluesign) is a binding framework for our sustainability performance. Concrete EMAS environmental objectives also create structures that lead to sustainable solutions in purchasing, production (procurement and use of environmentally friendly materials and technologies), logistics / transport (e.g. emission reduction measures, mobility concept), marketing and sales (e.g. using ecological POS materials, ecological trade fair concepts etc.) and R&D (ensuring high-quality products at high ecological value). For more information on these indicators, see our Sustainability Report. Corporate Philosophy Economy for the Common Good Our Goals
	7. Control	Our Goals Index EMAS-Index Fair Wear Foundation-Index Economy for the Common Good
		Performance Indicator G4-56 Describe the organization’s values, principles, standards and norms of behavior such as codes of conduct and codes of ethics: Corporate Philosophy
	8. Incentive Systems	Measurable business goals are defined in meetings and employee discussions. These are monitored and evaluated semi-annually. Sustainability goals are fully integrated into the company's goals. Company goals are systematically directed to the corporate, departmental, divisional, team leader and employee levels. They are periodically monitored and evaluated in regularly scheduled meetings. Every employee, therefore, has sustainability goals anchored in his or her personal employee goals and strives to implement them as best possible. The CSR team is available to employees in an advisory role for all sustainability issues. In a top-down process, the formation of business-wide and employee-specific sustainability goals is structurally anchored. Within the framework of annual employee interviews, executive bonuses are determined with each manager and are paid out if goals are met. The executive management is excluded from this system. For these employees, target evaluations take place every six months by the advisory board as well as a management report to the board by the executive management. Nondiscrimination Our Goals
		Performance Indicator G4-51 a. Remuneration policies - Report the remuneration policies for the highest governance body and senior executives for the below types of remuneration: Not included, as this is not a part of the core GRI G4 Report. Nondiscrimination
		Performance Indicator G4-54 Report the ratio of the annual total compensation for the organization’s highest-paid individual in each country of significant operations to the median annual total compensation for all employees (excluding the highest-paid individual) in the same country. Not included, as this is not a part of the core GRI G4 Report. We have reported on this in our Common Good Report.
	9. Stakeholder Engagement	Corporate Governance Stakeholder in Detail CSR-Team
		Performance Indicator G4-27 Report key topics and concerns that have been raised through stakeholder engagement, and how the organization has responded to those key topics and concerns, including through its reporting. Report the stakeholder groups that raised each of the key topics and concerns. Material Aspects Materiality Analysis
	10. Innovation and Product Management	The VAUDE Ecosystem Green Shape Disposal Suppliers Merchandise Logistics Product Use and Care Product Guarantee Management of Harmful Substances Environmental Management System Human Rights
		Performance Indicator G4-EN6 Reducing Energy Consumption: Electricity Fuel Heating Mobility Lotto Commuting Environmental Emissions Product Use and Care Business Travel Higg-Index
Environment	11. Usage of Natural Resources	Water Water in the Supply Chain Biodiversity Biodiversity Check Headquarters in Tettnang Biodiversity Projects Energy Management Energy Conservation Electricity Fuel Heating Environmental Emissions Data on Emissions Waste and Wastewater Waste Material Consumption
	12. Ressource Management	Our Goals Electricity Environmental Emissions
		Performance Indicator G4-EN1 Materials used by weight or volume: We have no analysis options for the total weight or volume of materials used to manufacture the products that are made outside of Tettnang-Obereisenbach. Green Shape Concept Packaging Tencel PVC Organic Cotton Materials Consumption bluesign Material Higg-Index Wool Down Water Repellent Materials
		Performance Indicator G4-EN3 Energy consumption within the organization: Electricity Fuel Heating Higg-Index
		Performance Indicator G4-EN8 Total water withdrawal by source: We have no data from the supply chain. Water Higg-Index
		Performance Indicator G4-EN23 Total weight of waste based on type and method of disposal: We have no data from the supply chain. Waste Higg-Index
	13. Climate-relevant Emissions	Environmental Emissions Link: On this page there is the carbon footprint for download) Our Goals
		Performance Indicator G4-EN15 Direct greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1): We have no data from the supply chain. Data on Emissions Higg-Index
		Performance Indicator G4-EN16 Indirect energy-related greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 2): We have no data from the supply chain. No Scope 2 emissions were generated. Data on Emissions Higg-Index
		Performance Indicator G4-EN17 Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 3): We have no data from the supply chain. Data on Emissions Higg-Index
		Performance Indicator G4-EN19 Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions We have no data from the supply chain. Environmental Emissions
Socieity	14. Employee Rights	VAUDE in Germany Training and Professional Development Employee Satisfaction Career and Family Health Promotion Sustainable Company Remodeling Audits of external Producers Human Rights
	15. Equal Opportunities	Defined VAUDE values include the respectful treatment of people and the environment as well as partnership-based business practices. There is no differentiation based on gender, race, religion or other categories of diversity. In cases of conflict or discrimination, there is a defined process: executive managers are available to all employees for clarification of the incident. In individual cases, the incident can be escalated upward by the individual’s direct manager. If dialogue between the manager and concerned parties does not lead to clarification, Personnel Management becomes involved and develops a conflict resolution strategy with the concerned parties. Conflict resolution progress is then checked in regularly held individual meetings. When no progress is made, there may be a written warning and VAUDE reserves the right to initiate employee termination if necessary. Diversity and Nondiscrimination Human Rights Forced Labor Freedom of Association Culture of Trust VAUDE in Germany Equal Opportunity in the Supply Chain Our Goals Work and Private Life
	16. Qualification	Training and Professional Development Sustainable Company Remodeling Our Influence at our Headquarters Career and Family Diversity and Nondiscrimination
		Performance Indicator G4-LA6 Type of injury and rates of injury, occupational diseases, lost days, and absenteeism, and total number of work-related fatalities, by region and by gender: Because we only consider our Obereisenbach-Tettnang location, we do not differentiate by region. Occupational Safety Gesundheitsförderung
		Leistungsindikator G4-LA8 Gesundheits- und Sicherheitsthemen, die in förmlichen Vereinbarungen mit Gewerkschaften behandelt werden: Berichten wir nicht. Wesentliche Aspekte VAUDE in Tettnang
		Performance Indicator G4-LA9 Average hours of training per year per employee by gender, and by employee category: There are no figures available for external professional development that is not organized and budgeted through our VAUDE Academy continuing education program. To date, only the training (usually internal) that is organized and budgeted through our continuing education program VAUDE Academy has been recorded. Training and Professional Development
		Performance Indicator G4-LA12 Composition of governance bodies and breakdown of employees per employee category according to gender, age group, minority group membership, and other indicators of diversity: Minorities and other diversity factors are not recorded separately at VAUDE. Age-based categories are not recorded separately, therefore only executives are represented. Diversity and Nondiscrimination
		Performance Indicator G4-HR3 Total number of incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken: Equal Opportunity in the Supply Chain
	17. Human Rights	Human Rights Audits of External Producers Production in Risk Countries Freedom of Association Legally Binding Employment Child Labor Payment of a Living Wage Forced Labor Equal Opportunity in the Supply Chain Working Hours
		Performance Indicator G4-HR1 Total number and percentage of significant investment agreements and contracts that include human rights clauses or that underwent human rights screening: Not covered. See Materiality Analysis.
		Performance Indicator G4-HR9 Total number and percentage of operations that have been subject to human rights reviews or impact assessments: Not covered. See Materiality Analysis.
		Performance Indicator G4-HR10 Percentage of new suppliers that were screened using human rights criteria: We do not monitor new producers, but rather the number of producers that have been audited in the reporting year (initial audit) whose share of the total FOB volume in the reporting year. We rely on long-term partnerships with our producers. In addition, audits before the start of production are not possible. However, there is a checklist for assessing producers during initial visits. Human Rights
		Performance Indicator G4-HR11 Significant actual and potential negative human rights impacts in the supply chain and actions taken: Human Rights Production in Risk Countries
	18. Corporate Citizenship	Made in Germany Our Influence at our Headquarters
		Performance Indicator G4-EC1 Direct economic value generated and distributed: For competitive reasons we do not publish the absolute sales figures. Sustainable Business
	19. Political Influence	The preservation of our independence is very important to us. Therefore, we do not support political parties or political organizations. In addition, we have received no financial support from political actors in 2016 nor in previous years. Instead, we rely on constructive dialogue on sustainability issues to shape developments. (Partners and Networks) Engagement in Initiatives
		Performance Indicator G4-SO6 Total value of political contributions by country and recipient/beneficiary: VAUDE does not support political parties with donations.
	20. Conduct that Complies with the Law and Policy	A systematic approach to the prevention of unlawful action in the sense of a compliance management system does not currently exist. An internal system of budgetary control is presently a preventive measure against corruption. Another measure to avoid corruption is our multi-level system of invoice verification as well as the separation of functions within the process. More content on this indicator can be found in our Sustainability Report Legal Compliance
		Performance Indicator G4-SO3 Total number and percentage of operations assessed for risks related to corruption and the significant risks identified: The GRI Indicators G4-SO3 and SO2 on corruption have been excluded from our Materiality Analysis.
		Performance Indicator G4-SO5 Confirmed incidents of corruption and actions taken: Not covered. See Materiality Analysis.
		Performance Indicator G4-SO8 Monetary value of significant fines and total number of non-monetary sanctions for non-compliance with laws and regulations: In 2015 VAUDE had no fines or other non-monetary penalties. More content on this indicator can be found in our Sustainability Report. Legal Compliance

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