VAUDE CSR-Report – Glossary

A-Customers

A-Customers are our most important customers. Other customer groups are called B- Customers and C-Customers. "The criteria for revenue, revenue potential and the image factor are decisive for the classification."

AFW

Asia Floor Wage. The Asia Floor Wage Campaign, a global coalition of trade unions and NGOs that promote living wages in the textile industry. Living Wages were calculated for a few Asian countries – but only for the country as a whole and without taking regional differences into consideration. The FWF uses the AFW Living Wage as a benchmark.

http://asia.floorwage.org/

Audit

Designation for monitoring by external (or internal) experts regarding the fulfillment of requirements and guidelines.

B.A.U.M.

German abbreviation for German Association of Environmental Management e.V., an environmental initiative founded in 1984.

http://www.baumev.de/global/download/Netzwerkmappe_Engl___jk.pdf (B.A.U.M.)

Balanced Scorecard

A concept for measuring, documenting and monitoring the activities of a company or an organization in terms of its vision and strategy.

BAT

Best Available Technology, the term corresponds to the concept traditionally used in Germany of "Standes der Technik“ (SdT).

berufundfamilie

The berufundfamilie GmbH, (career and family) founded in 1998 by the Hertie Foundation, compiles all of the foundation’s activities in one area. http://www.beruf-und-familie.de (beruf-und-familie)

Better Work

Better Work is a Program of the ILO (International Labour Organisation) that provides assistance and training to production facilities in the textile and apparel industry for the improvement of working conditions.

http://betterwork.org/global/

Biodiversity Check of the EU Business & Biodiversity Campaign

Developed by the Global Nature Fund and other organizations. This audit serves as a first orientation to identifying impacts and dependencies of the different divisions of biodiversity. http://www.business-biodiversity.eu/ (Biodiversity Check)

Biogenic emissions

Biogenic emissions are emissions that emanate from nature. Examples: volcanoes emit sulfur dioxide, methane is produced in the digestion of cows.

bluesign® system

The world's strictest textile standard for environmental protection and consumer protection in textile production; VAUDE has been working with bluesign® since 2001.

http://www.bluesign.com/ (bluesign®)

Brand Performance Check

The Fair Wear Foundation annually assesses how well VAUDE is meeting its strict conditions for membership. To this end, the execution of the Works Plan and the results of the audits are evaluated using a point system. The BPC is published at the FWF’s website.

BSI

German abbreviation for Federation of German Sporting Goods Industry, which represents the interests of sporting goods manufacturers, importers and wholesalers in Germany. http://www.bsi-sport.de (BSI)

BSSL

Abbreviation for “bluesign® System Substance List ", a list of all substances prohibited or limited by the bluesign® system.

BUND

German abbreviation for the "Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany e.V.", an association founded in 1975 that is committed to the protection of nature and environment. http://www.bund.net/ueber_uns/bund_in_english/ (BUND)

CAP

Abbreviation for Corrective Action Plan; this records the discrepancies/complaints after an audit.

Category A species

German category for endangered species, usually isolate, mostly unstable or acutely threatened occurrences, for which conservation assistance is needed immediately.

CCC

Clean Clothes Campaign, an NGO founded in 1989 that advocates for the improvement of working conditions in the international textile and clothing industry and in the sporting goods industry. http://www.cleanclothes.org/ (Clean Clothes Campaign)

CE

The CE marking is the manufacturer's declaration that the product meets the requirements of the applicable EC directives and of free marketability in the European Economic Area.

CIR

Christian Initiative Romero e.V. is an association founded in 1981 with headquarters in Münster, which campaigns for labor rights and human rights in Central America.

http://www.ci-romero.de/start-en/ (CIR)

CO2e

Unit of CO2 emissions, pronounced “carbon dioxide equivalents.”

CoC

Code of Conduct, a set of rules for certain behaviors. As a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, VAUDE complies with their strict CoC.

CoLP

Code of Labour Practices, used by the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF).

Cost Break Down (CBD)

Cost breakdown is the systematic process of identifying the individual elements that comprise the total cost of a good, service or package.

Covenant

Refers to clauses and collateral agreements in credit agreements where the debtor is contractually committed during the contract period.

CPSIA

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a U.S. law that regulates product safety.

CrVI

Chromium VI compounds can form in leather tanning and are considered allergenic, in higher doses as a carcinogen. With due diligence in the tanning process, chrome-VI compounds can be avoided.

CSR

Corporate Social Responsibility refers to the corporate responsibility for humans, society and nature with which we want to establish a healthy balance between our economic, environmental and social objectives.

Read more: VAUDE Green Shape

GRI

Global Reporting Initiative, an organization founded in 1997 promotes the use of sustainability reporting as a way for organizations to become more sustainable and contribute to sustainable development. https://www.globalreporting.org/ (Global Reporting Initiative)

GS

German abbreviation for Tested Safety. The GS seal certifies products that meet the requirements of the Product Safety Act.

GTZ

GTZ is used to calculate the heating requirements of a building during the heating season.

GWÖ

German abbreviation for Economy for the Common Good, a movement launched in 2010 that is an alternative economic system built on values that promote the needs of the entire population. It is a tool for economic, political, and social change – a bridge to a better future. https://www.ecogood.org (GWÖ)

Higg Index

An instrument for the apparel and footwear industry to assess the sustainability of products. It was established in 2012 by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a non-profit organization. http://www.apparelcoalition.org/higgindex/ (Sustainable Apparel Coalition).

High Risk Countries

Countries where there is a high risk of human rights abuses and poor working conditions.

i.O.

German abbreviation for OK.

IHK

German abbreviation for Industry and Commerce, professional bodies governed by public law, consisting of the companies in each region.

http://www.dihk.de (DIHK)

ILO

International Labour Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, which promotes social justice, human rights and labor rights.

http://www.ilo.org/berlin/lang--de/index.htm (ILO in Germany)

Inkota

INKOTA-netzwerk e.V., a development organization with headquarters in Berlin. http://www.inkota.de (INKOTA)

Input Stream Management

All the ingredients used in the entire manufacturing process of the fabric are examined for environmental and consumer safety prior to use. In particular, the upstream supply chain is taken into account in the production countries (not just the finished product). In contrast, only the pollutant concentrations are tested in the finished product for compliance with the limits of many other textile labels. With these labels, the impact on people and the environmental that arise during production are not taken into account.

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an intergovernmental organization with the goal of summarizing the state of science on climate for policy makers. http://www.ipcc.ch (IPCC)

ISO 14001

International environmental management standard that provides internationally recognized requirements for an environmental management system.

LCA

Life Cycle Assessment, analyzes the environmental impacts of products throughout their life cycle. http://www.lci-network.de/cms/content (German Network on Life Cycle Inventory Data)

Living Wage

A wage that is high enough to maintain a normal standard of living – often more than the minimum wage in effect in many countries.

LRA

German abbreviation for a Provincial Administrative Office.

MoU

Stands for "Memorandum of Understanding" – and refers to a signed and submitted declaration of intent between several negotiating partners.

Multi-Stakeholder-Initiative

Voluntary associations of public, civil society and private actors. Multi-stakeholder initiatives are designed to solve complex social problems in a cooperative way.

myclimate

A non-profit Swiss foundation that promotes climate protection on three levels - prevention, reduction and compensation. http://www.myclimate.org/ (myclimate.org)

n.i.O.

German abbreviation for “not OK”.

NABU

German abbreviation for Nature Conservation Association Germany, a German non-governmental organization founded in 1899, which is primarily dedicated to specific objectives of nature conservation at Germany and abroad. http://www.nabu.de (NABU)

Naturkapital Deutschland – TEEB DE

An interdisciplinary project, which aims to apply the issues and research approaches of the international TEEB study on the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services in Germany. http://www.naturkapital-teeb.de/ (natural capital Germany - TEEB)

NGO

Non-governmental organization

OEKO-TEX® Standard 100

An independent testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate materials and end products at all stages of processing.

https://www.oeko-tex.com/de/manufacturers/concept/oeko_tex_standard_100/oeko_tex_standard_100.xhtml

(OEKO-TEX ® Standard 100)

OIA

Outdoor Industry Association, was established in 1989 and is based in the U.S.; represents the interests of the international outdoor industry.

http://outdoorindustry.org (Outdoor Industry Association)

PBT Substances

Persistent (non degradable), Bioaccumulative (accumulates in the body), Toxic (poisonous) substances: Properties of particularly hazardous chemicals.

Pestizids-Aktions-Netzwerkes e.V. PAN

"PAN Germany" is a nonprofit organization that provides information on the negative consequences of the use of pesticides, is committed to environmentally sound and socially just alternatives and acts as part of the "Pesticide Action Network" (PAN). http://www.pan-germany.org (PAN Germany)

PFC

Abbreviation for per or poly fluorinated chemicals, also known as fluorocarbons, practically non-degradable, toxic chemicals, which are used for waterproofing.

Phthalates

Phthalates are used as plasticizer. Phthalates can be found in food, drinking water, the air and objects. Some phthalates such as diethylhexyphthalat (DEHP) are considered teratongenic and toxic to human fertility.

Preventative Approach

Or even Preventative Principle, an essential part of the environmental and health policy in Europe should be reduced or avoided by the impact on people and nature in advance.

Preventative Principle

Or even Preventative Approach, an essential part of the environmental and health policy in Europe should be reduced or avoided by the impact on people and nature in advance.

QC

Quality Control

REACH

Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, an EU regulation. REACH compliant means that the product complies with EU legislation.

Responsible Down Standard (RDS)

A voluntary industry standard for animal welfare in the harvesting of down. VAUDE uses 100% RDS-certified down in all down products. www.responsibledown.org

Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)

A voluntary industry standard for animal welfare in the production of wool. www.responsiblewool.org

RP

German abbreviation for a regional council: state intermediate safety authority that mediates between ministries and district offices, cities and communities.

RSL

Abbreviation for Restricted Substances List, a VAUDE list of substances whose use is strictly regulated or banned altogether because of their potential harmfulness.

Scope 1

GHG emissions generated by a company’s own activities.

Scope 2

GHG emissions resulting from purchased energy.

Scope 3

GHG emissions resulting from upstream and downstream activities.

Shanxi

A province in China, in which VAUDE supports climate protection projects.

Shrink-wrap

Shrink wrapping of polymeric plastics, which is very closely wrapped around the pallets to protect the items during transport.

SMART

EU funded project to improve working conditions in the garment industry in Myanmar; http://www.smartmyanmar.org/

Stakeholder

Refers to people or groups who have a legitimate interest in a company.

Supply Chain

The sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity.

Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)

Worldwide association of textile and shoe manufacturers that has the goal to reduce the environmental impacts of production and to improve social situation. http://www.apparelcoalition.org (Sustainable Apparel Coalition)

SWOT

"Strengths - Weaknesses - Opportunities - Threats" is a tool for strategic analysis and planning, with which scenarios based on these parameters are investigated.

TEEB

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a global initiative focused on drawing attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity including the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. http://www.teebweb.org (TEEB)

THG (GHG in English)

German abbreviation for Greenhouse Gas, a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation.

Tier 1

Tier 1 denotes the first upstream stage of the value chain, manufacturing of the product.

Tier 2

Tier 2 denotes the second upstream stage of the value chain, manufacturing of raw materials.

VAUDE Material Policy

Internal guidelines that give the VAUDE product developers clear guidance for the selection of materials and processes.

Wage Ladder

An instrument of Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) to compare paid wages at production sites with different benchmarks such as minimum wage and a living wage.

WEP

Workplace Education Program – A training program of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) to educate workers and management with respect to the contents of the Code of Labor Practices (CoLP), laws and complaint system.

WRI

World Resources Institute, a global research institution, which is now working with more than 450 employees in more than 50 countries to conserve natural resources.

http://www.wri.org (World Resources Institute)

WWF

The World Wide Fund for Nature, founded in Switzerland in 1961 – the largest conservation organization in the world. http://www.wwf.de (WWF Germany)

ZDHC

The ZDHC is an association of textile and shoe manufacturers who have set themselves the goal of completely eliminating pollutants from their production.

http://www.roadmaptozero.com (Roadmap to Zero)