GRI Index for the VAUDE Sustainability Report
Information on external verification
We want to present the success of our sustainability strategy objectively and transparently; verification of the data submitted by us by independent third parties is therefore very important to us.
The environmental data relating to our location in Tettnang-Obereisenbach is externally assured by an independent environmental verifier in accordance with EMAS and ISO 14001. Read more in the EMAS-Index. myclimate calculates the emissions that we cause. This information can be found in the GRI Index.
The data on social conditions in our production sites was collected by Fair Wear in audits. Read more in the Fair Wear Index.
Our annual financial statement is audited in accordance with legal requirements by the independent auditing firm, GmbH Schnetz, Buchmann, Michele Ravensburg.
The auditing firm, KPMG AG, provided external limited assurance on selected data and key figures for the first two Sustainability Reports (fiscal year 2013 and 2014). The 2017 and 2018 report was prepared using the same guidelines and criteria. This year we are not conducting a separate external audit.
General Standard Disclosures
General information
VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG
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Obereisenbach/Tettnang, Germany
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External Verification:
"Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft GmbH Schnetz, Buchmann, Michele Ravensburg"
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Integrated Sustainability Strategy
Our Goals in Detail
The VAUDE Ecosystem
Our challenges
Success with strong corporate values
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Management and Committees
CSR team as a driving force for sustainability
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There are no collective agreements for the employees of VAUDE.
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Dialog for further development and integration into the VAUDE community
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Our mission: fact-based, transparent reporting on all major sustainability issues
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No changes in scope and limits of aspects compared to the 2016 report
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specified in the GRI Index
About this Report
Management Approach
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specified in the index
Environmentally friendly use of materials
Textile production requires large amounts of water
Supply chain management – supportive and ambitioius
Transparent information for customers who want to make responsible choices
Sustainable working environments
Green Button – new government seal for sustainable textiles
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Given for each indicator
Environmentally friendly use of materials
Textile production requires large amounts of water
Supply chain management – supportive and ambitioius
Transparent information for customers who want to make responsible choices
Success with strong corporate values
We are facing our challenges and tackling them head ON
Fair Prices
Sustainable working environments
Green Button – new government seal for sustainable textiles
Post Growth
Standards and certificates
Programs for upgrading employee skills and transition assistance programs
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Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career development reviews
*Boundaries: "VAUDE" refers to our company, VAUDE Sport GmbH und Co.KG, including internal stakeholder groups such as employees, board of partners or subsidiaries. Outside VAUDE describes effects, which impact on our stakeholder groups, principally throughout our supply chain, but also on the local communities where our headquarters or our customers are based.
Specific Standard Disclosures: Economic
Economic Performance
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft GmbH Schnetz, Buchmann, Michele Ravensburg
Market Presence
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear during the brand performance check and audits.
Remarks:
We do not have the information about the standard starting wages for each department of our producers. We therefore use the "Wage Ladder" developed by FW to present wages.
In the Wage Ladders of FW, 3 wages are stated per production department (i.e. management and staff are not shown): The lowest salary paid in the department, the highest and the most frequently paid wage. For our evaluation we use the most frequently paid. Taking into account the number of workers per department, we then calculate the "average" per producer. This is then set as a percentage of the minimum wage and the Asia Floor wage and the average is calculated again for each country.
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear during the brand
Indirect Economic Impacts
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Procurement Practices
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Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear in audits.
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
Materials
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Green Shape Core Collection
Sustainable Design
Higg Index
Systematically better: bluesign® system
The best for your product: Function times responsibility
Mountains of rubbish and polluted beaches due to packaging
Never-ending responsibility
Focus on wastewater management
Microplastics at sea
Active climate protection: VAUDE works climate-neutrally
The best kind of energy is the energy that is not consumed
Environmentally friendly consumables
Transportation revolution? Not yet….
Water - Source of Life
Textile production requires large amounts of water
Environmentally friendly use of materials
Safety is paramount
Transparent product labeling for smart shoppers
EMAS and ISO14001
VAUDE Greenpeace Detox Commitment
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
none
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Making Apparel from Trees
0 % PVC – 100 % waterproof
Organic cotton. Better for you and the environment.
Environmentally-friendly Use of Materials
Systematically better: bluesign® system
Higg Index
Wool to feel well
Heat storage as light as a feather
Waterproof without fluorocarbons
Packing problem: single-use plastics
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We have no evaluation options for the total weight or volume of materials used to manufacture products manufactured outside the Tettnang-Obereisenbach site.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
none
External Verification:
in part RDS, RWS, GOTS
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Fishing nets, coffee grounds, PET bottles
Higg Index
Environmentally Friendly Use of Materials
Packing problem: single-use plastics
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
none
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Outdoor adventures leave a trace behind
Second Use – as good as new
Packing problem: single-use plastics
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We do not take back products and packaging materials, therefore we cannot give any information on the number of products and packaging materials taken back. Evaluation is carried out using report Liquidation types.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
none
Energy
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VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
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Starting the Energy Revolution Ourselves: 100% Green Electricity Since 2009
Electricity or biomass instead of diesel?
Thermal energy from sugar beets
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VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
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Electricity or biomass instead of diesel?
Active climate protection: VAUDE operations are climate neutral
Repair, don't replace
One third of all emissions come from business travel
Remarks:
Since 2011, we have had a complete carbon footprint prepared for the Tettnang site. All upstream and downstream processes contained therein are taken into account for the emission calculation. We have no energy consumption for all processes not contained therein.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
included in G4-EN3 and G4-EN 4 respectively.
Remarks:
Since 2011, we have had a complete carbon footprint prepared for the Tettnang site. All upstream and downstream processes contained therein are taken into account for the emission calculation. We have no energy consumption for all processes not contained therein.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Specific Standard Disclosures: Environmental
Water
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Water – the Source of Life
Textile production requires large amounts of water
Colorful yet still green
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VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Biodiversity
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Pioneer in Biodiversity Check
Flowering meadows instead of parking spaces
Supporting nature conservation projects
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
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Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Emissions
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures (OEB) have been validated by the EMAS audit and the myclimate calculations.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures (OEB) have been validated by the EMAS audit and the myclimate calculations.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures (OEB) have been validated by the EMAS audit and the myclimate calculations.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures (OEB) have been validated by the EMAS audit and the myclimate calculations.
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Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Waste and Wastewater
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Remarks:
We only have partial data on the quality of wastewater discharges from the supply chain, partly through our own 3rd party samples, partly through ZDHC Gateway.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures (OEB) were validated by the EMAS audit. The figures from the supply chain were determined by external testing institutes, but not further validated.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
No hazardous waste is produced.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures (OEB) were validated by the EMAS audit. The figures from the supply chain were determined by external testing institutes, but not further validated.
Remarks:
We only have generally accessible information from the supply chain. IPE and ZDHC platform and statistics from EPA
Environmental Sustainability
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
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Legal compliance as a top priority
VAUDE did not pay any fines or other non-monetary penalties in 2016 for non-compliance with environmental regulations.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Supplier Environmental Assessment
Environmental Grievance Mechanisms
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Specific Standard Disclosures: Social
Working practices and dignified employment
Employment
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Time spent at work is also time spent living
A balance between professional and private life
Culture of Trust
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VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
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Satisfied employees are committed and motivated
Legal employment for all employees
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We do not report the total number and rate of newly hired employees.
There are no breakdowns by gender or age group.
We do not differentiate by region (OBE, locations of the German outlets Wadgassen / Metzingen)
We have no data on newly hired employees at our producers and the fluctuation rate.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Remarks:
We do not report the total number of employees entitled to parental leave by gender. We cannot calculate the retention rate.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear in audits.
Labor-Management Relations
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A Culture of Trust
A Good Balance Between Professional and Private Life
Time spent at work is also time spent living
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Remarks:
At VAUDE, we do not have a formally defined notification period; therefore, we do not have a report on the notification period.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Occupational Health and Safety
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Remarks:
We do not have figures for the percentage of the total workforce represented in formal employer-employee committees and at what level within the organization each formal employer-employee committee for occupational safety and health protection typically operates. Instead, we report on findings from the FW audits on the subject.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Remarks:
Since we only consider the location Obereisenbach-Tettnang, we do not differentiate by region.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Training and Education
Limits:
VAUDE
Remarks:
There are no figures on external training courses that are not organized and budgeted by our VAUDE Academy training program. Up to now, only those (usually internal) training courses have been recorded that are organized and budgeted via our VAUDE Academy training program.
Limits:
VAUDE
Diversity and Equal Opportunity
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
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Diversity in a world that’s worth living in
Equal opportunity in the supply chain
Remarks:
Minorities and other diversity factors are not separately recorded at VAUDE. Age groups have not been separately recorded.
A differentiated statement on "control bodies in the supply chain" is not possible; the audit reports of the FW only differentiate between "Management & Staff" and "Production workers". Moreover, data are only available for the diversity category "gender" and not for the categories "age group" and "minorities".
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear in audits.
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Diversity in a World that’s Worth Living In
Equal opportunity in the supply chain
Remarks:
We do not report details of salary distribution in our function groups (which do not meet official standards but are internally defined categories). We make a summary statement about the average equality of male/female salaries, the most current basis for this is a detailed evaluation of function levels 6-10.
We have no information on the wage ratio female-times in the supply chain. If the FW notices something in the payrolls, it is brought up in the audit report under "Analysis of Wage Ladder": "Are there any conclusions to be drawn on differences between male and female dominated departments?" "Are there any conclusions to be drawn on differences between the lowest and highest paid wage in a department, or on differences between different departments?" This information is then evaluated and a summary statement is made.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear during audits.
Social Evaluation of Suppliers
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Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
Some of the figures given were collected by Fair Wear during the brand performance check and audits.
Remarks:
We do not check the new producers, but the number of producers audited in the year under review (initial audit) + their share of the total FOB volume in the year under review. We are committed to long-term cooperation with our producers, and an audit prior to the commencement of the contract would not be possible. However, there is a checklist to assess the producers on their first visit.
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
Some of the figures given were collected by Fair Wear during the brand performance check and audits.
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Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
Some of the figures given were collected by Fair Wear during the brand performance check and audits.
Human Rights
Human Rights Analysis
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
Some of the figures given were collected by Fair Wear during the brand performance check and audits.
Non-discrimination
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Diversity in a world that’s worth living in
Equal opportunity in the supply chain
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Diversity and Equal
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Limits:
beyond VAUDE
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear in audits.
Child Labor
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Limits:
beyond VAUDE
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear in audits.
Forced or Compulsory Labor
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Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear in audits.
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
Supplier Assessment
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Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
The figures given were collected by Fair Wear in audits.
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Remarks:
We do not audit the new producers but the number of producers audited in the year under review (initial audit) + their share of the total FOB volume in the year under review. We are committed to long-term cooperation with our producers, and an audit prior to the commencement of the contract would not be possible. However, there is a checklist to assess the producers on their first visit.
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
Limits:
beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
Some of the figures given were collected by Fair Wear during audits.
Society
Public Policy
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
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VAUDE does not support political parties with donations.
We get involved and take a position
Socio-political issues: our points of contact and our position
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Socio-economic Approach
Limits:
VAUDE did not pay any fines or other non-monetary penalties in 2016 for non-compliance with environmental regulations.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
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Legal Compliance as a Top Priority
VAUDE did not pay any fines or other non-monetary penalties in 2016.
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Product Responsibility
Customer Health and Safety
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We are proactive in our fight against hazardous substances
Environmental credentials you can count on
Remarks:
Data were compiled internally on the basis of available individual test reports, data basis based on volume of material consumption per season
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
External Verification:
Data has not yet been externally checked
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Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Marketing and Labeling
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Transparent product labeling for smart shoppers
Customers Satisfaction as the highest goal
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
Limits:
VAUDE and beyond VAUDE
