VAUDE CSR-Report – Climate-neutral Business

Curbing climate change

In order to protect the climate and safeguard humanity from a major change to the foundation of life on earth, our economy and society must become climate-neutral. One climate conference after another is leading to an increase in awareness at a snail's pace, but not to rapidly measurable results. VAUDE isn’t sitting around waiting for laws to be enacted – we are taking on climate protection ourselves.

Climate-neutral at our headquarters

VAUDE's entire headquarters are climate-neutral. This includes our administration, Manufaktur, all material and energy consumption, waste, logistics and all goods transport originating from the production site, the daily commute of its employees, the maintenance department and the Kinderhaus childcare center.

How do you actually become climate neutral?

Every commercial activity that is based on the combustion and processing of fossil fuels causes greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to climate change. This greenhouse effect is leading to a significant shift in the earth's climate that is threatening mankind and the planet.

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“Climate neutral” means that unavoidable emissions are offset in another location with projects that reduce emissions by the same amount. Emissions are thus balanced and neutral.
To reduce emissions, all consumption – from electricity to paper to transportation – must be first recorded and measured. Then you start looking at what you can reduce: Many different types of consumption can be reduced with large and small projects. This not only saves money, it also helps us to reduce climate-damaging emissions.

Carbon footprint helps us fight climate change

Based on the resource consumption measured by VAUDE, the non-profit organization myclimate calculates an annual carbon footprint for VAUDE.

This gives us transparency as to which company divisions are responsible for our emissions. Over the years, we have already achieved significant emission savings by implementing a number of projects, both large and small.

We derive new targets and measures for further reducing emissions from the results of our carbon footprint. VAUDE compensates for all unavoidable emissions.

»Climate neutrality is an important component in our overall commitment to sustainability. Our carbon footprint helps us recognize our reduction potential.«

Dr. Antje von Dewitz / CEO

Compensation with a Gold Standard project in China

We have been compensating for all unavoidable emissions at the Tettnang location since 2012. With the annual compensation value from VAUDE, a gold standard climate protection project from the non-profit organization myclimate is supported in the eastern Chinese province of Shanxi, which contributes to the reduction of harmful emissions.

The project involves replacing coal consumption from traditional coal burning stoves with improved clean biomass (from corn waste) burning semi-gasifier stoves in rural household in the Shanxi Province. While cleaner-burning (yet nevertheless petroleum-based) fuels are becoming increasingly common in wealthier areas, at least 50 % of all households still depend on solid fuels like wood or coal as an important household fuel.

The combustion of solid fuels leads to air pollution and is responsible for 450,000 premature deaths in China every year, according to an estimate by the World Health Organization (WHO). Children in particular suffer from poor air quality.

By substituting coal fuel with biomass, it is possible to not only reduce CO2 emissions, but also improve indoor air quality, directly benefiting the health of families. Secondly, families spend less money on fuel when using corn cultivation waste. They can invest the money they save in their children's education.

Together with myclimate, VAUDE created a film about the project:

More information about the project here.

VAUDE calls for binding standards for climate reporting

As a result, VAUDE in Tettnang can call itself a "climate-neutral company". All products manufactured by VAUDE Manufaktur are also climate-neutral. Read more here.

It would be ideal if we could gradually extend the carbon footprint to all production processes, the entire VAUDE supply chain and all VAUDE products. So far, however, we have had far too little data on the consumption of upstream processes in the supply chain. Hopefully the Higg Index can remedy this in the future. Read more here.

On the other hand, however much it would like to, VAUDE cannot save the world. Actually, every company should prepare its own carbon footprint, reduce and offset its emissions. We therefore call for binding standards for climate protection and transparency and support the initiative of many companies on the German government's climate protection plan.

Additional climate compensation with BaumInvest

In addition to climate compensation via the myclimate carbon offset project, VAUDE is a founding investor in BaumInvest, a reforestation project in Costa Rica. Through this commitment, we offset 22 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents each year. Read more here

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