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2019 Sustainability Report
published 2020/08/01

VAUDE Greenpeace Detox Commitment

With the VAUDE Greenpeace Detox Commitment, VAUDE clearly acknowledges its responsibility for the entire life cycle of its products, which also includes clean and safe production in our supply chains.

The VAUDE Detox Voluntary commitment involves three major challenges:

1. Releasing no harmful chemicals into the environment

2. Actively contributing to new, responsible business models with more sustainable products and consumption

3. Transparent public reporting on all results, progress such as challenges and unresolved issues.

Read on to find out how far we have come with the 1st and 2nd challenges. The entire Sustainability Report covers the 3rd challenge.


1. Publish a list of all producers and suppliers (primary fabrics and linings) - by 01.08.2016:

suppliers


2. Dispatch of new VAUDE MRSL with accompanying letter to all producers and suppliers – by 01.10.2016:


Management of harmful substances 


3. Revise purchasing conditions for producers and suppliers – by 31.12.2017:

VAUDE has revised its Vendor Management and will present it at the Vendor Meeting in Tettnang in June 2018, in which all applicable producers and suppliers will participate. 

 
Our supply chain


4. Phase out of APEO: performance and preparation of tests within the scope of the Environmental Stewardship Project - by 01.12.2016

The issue of APEO is still a major challenge for us due to inadequate legal regulations in many production countries. APEO is used as a detergent in the textile manufacturing process and is usually washed out directly in the factory before the finished product is sold. Although they are not detectable in the product, they cause enormous environmental damage during the manufacturing process.


We are currently working intensively with our supply chain on a substitution and have already started to make progress.

Management of harmful substances


5. Perform and publish MRLS tests for at least 80 % of our suppliers using wet-chemical processes (by volume of primary fabrics and linings)


As part of the VAUDE Environmental Stewardship Project, we have been conducting wastewater tests in accordance with MRSL since 2015 and know the wastewater quality of 95 % of our suppliers. 


We are discussing the publication of the test results on the IPE platform with our suppliers and some have already used it to upload their results. However, many have reservations about the platform. An alternative to the IPE could be the ZDHC Gateway, which is increasingly becoming a new standard tool in the industry. VAUDE is also working with the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines in the supply chain and using the ZDHC Gateway.


Management of harmful substances

suppliers


6. VAUDE will set itself clear time targets for phasing out additional hazardous chemicals in addition to the 11 priority groups of substances - by 31.12.2016


VAUDE initially concentrated on the work on the 11 priority substance groups from the Detox Commitment. We have therefore not yet formulated any binding timetables for further exit plans.


Due to the action we took in our supply chain and our partnerships such as that with the bluesign system or our collaboration with the ZDHC, we have no longer been able to detect 7 of the 11 priority substance groups in wastewater tests and therefore assume that these have been successfully substituted.  


Management of harmful substances

Suppliers


7. Publication of case studies on the withdrawal from the nine priority substance groups in addition to PFC and APEO and their substitution by safer alternatives

PFC: 

Water repellent materials


Other substances:
Management of harmful substances


ZDHC Impact Report:

The first ZDHC impact report is launched


8. Phase-out of fluorocarbons - by 2020


With the Summer 2018 Apparel Collection, VAUDE has succeeded for the first time in completely eliminating the use of fluorocarbons.


Water repellent materials


9. Include VAUDE licensees in the VAUDE Detox Commitment, set measures, monitoring, deadlines - by 31.12.2016
Since the VAUDE Detox Commitment was signed, we have been talking to our licensees to raise their awareness of environmental and social issues. Thus far, however, we have initially focused on our own direct supply chain. We will keep working on this and include the issue in future reports.


10. Cooperation with competitors
VAUDE is always open to constructive cooperation, even with direct competitors. We have actively approached other brands in the industry for the continuation of our Environmental Stewardship project. Unfortunately, a follow-up project could not be started because some brands had to cancel their participation due to capacity reasons. VAUDE will now use the resources provided to push ahead with its own supply chain projects from 2019 onward. We will continue to report on this.

Suppliers

1. Product analysis and evaluation of pre-consumer product waste and post consumer returned product waste

  • For the VAUDE Manufaktur, we already show the material efficiency as an EMAS indicator. More information and EMAS core indicators for download here:

Emas index


  • We process material waste from the Manufaktur in the VAUDE Upcycling workshop. Read more about it here:

upcyceled by VAUDE


  • For all other producers that are not VAUDE's own companies, we are currently working on recording and optimizing material efficiency for the manufacture of our products. We will report on progress here.


  • All (used) products donated by VAUDE to FairWertung are assessed annually according to type, quantity and value. FairWertung informs us annually about all products that our customers donate to FairWertung in the VAUDE stores and outlets. More about working with FairWertung here: 

Second hand and donations


2. Introduction of a return system for used VAUDE products
VAUDE already had its own return system for products over 20 years ago – the VAUDE Ecolog Recycling Network. Read here to find out why it didn’t work: 

Never ending Responsibility


Instead, we have been working with FairWertung in Germany and Gift your Gear in the UK since 2012. Read more about it here:

Second hand and donations


We also intend to enter into collaborations of this kind in other European countries. We will report back here.


3. Initiate at least two new ownership models for products such as 2nd hand platforms, rental or upcycling

  • Rent VAUDE products with iRentit by VAUDE:

Irentit


  • Use 2nd hand VAUDE products:

Second hand and donations


  • VAUDE Upcycling Workshop:

upcyceled by VAUDE


  • VAUDE Repair Service and cooperation with iFixit:

Repair, don’t replace


4. Promotion of circular design and recyclable product development to slow and close material and production cycles

  • More about it in the VAUDE Product Philosophy:

Design


Greenshape concept


  • Another component in our VAUDE efforts is the VAUDE Repair Index, which we are currently working on. We will report on this in the next CSR Report.

5. Publish detailed instructions for sustainable use, maintenance and repair of VAUDE products in order to extend the service life as far as possible:

  • 31 sets of instructions and special spare parts kits for VAUDE products at iFixit: 

https://de.ifixit.com

  • Lots of tips & tricks for use, maintenance and repair in the VAUDE Help Center, approx. 40,000 contacts annually: https://help.vaude.com/


  • Collaboration between VAUDE and Repair Cafés:

Repair, don’t replace

  • Over 100 spare parts sets for VAUDE products in stores.

6. Raising awareness of the general public and among all stakeholders
VAUDE CEO Antje von Dewitz and nearly all members of the VAUDE CSR team are sought-after speakers for technical lectures, workshops and panel discussions.
Here are just a few examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtJYrzjLDAw

https://www.animalfair.at/ee-eintraege/vaude/


https://www.zdf.de/politik/frontal-21


https://www.marktundmittelstand.de/personal/frauen-sind-mindestens-genauso-erfolgreiche-chefs-wie-maenner-1270431/


https://www.swr.de/landesschau-bw/pendeln-im-suedwesten/


https://www.vaude.com/de-DE/Unternehmen/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/


https://nachhaltigkeitsbericht.vaude.com/gri/news.php


In addition, we are currently setting up a VAUDE Sustainability Academy in order to be able to communicate the various sustainability topics more effectively and in a more target-group-oriented manner.