VAUDE Sustainability Report 2011

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2011 EMAS + ISO 14001 certified

Table of Contents

1 .............. VAUDE – working to make (y)our world a better place / Foreword from the Management .... 3

2 .............. What VAUDE stands for/ Company Portrait ................................................................... 42.1 ........... VAUDE Obereisenbach ............................................................................................... 5

2.2 ........... Unternehmensgeschichte: nachhaltige Meilensteine ..................................................... 6

3 .............. Social and Environmental Responsibility / Environmental Policy. ..................................... 9

4 .............. “Green Business” / Environmental Management at VAUDE. ...........................................11

5 .............. Why we are doing all this / Challenges / Our path / EMAS indicators. ..............................135.1 ........... Green Materials and Technologies / Green Shape .........................................................15

What are VAUDE’s Eco Claims? ..................................................................................17

Green, but not Green Shape: “On the Way” .................................................................19

Production Obereisenbach / Materials Efficiency TARPAULIN ....................................... 20

Waste Management in Obereisenbach .........................................................................21

5.2 ........... Clean Production / bluesign® .................................................................................... 22

5.3 ........... Sales, Marketing und Logistics ................................................................................. 23

Sales: Retail “Environmental Zones” ......................................................................... 23

Marketing: Advertising without Greenwashing ..............................................................24

Logistics: Product Transport Routes ...........................................................................25

5.4 ........... Sustainable Use & Service ....................................................................................... 26

5.5 ........... End of Product life ...................................................................................................27

5.6 ........... Renewable Energy ................................................................................................... 28

5.7 ........... Emissions ............................................................................................................... 29

5.8 ........... Business & Biodiversity ............................................................................................ 32

Biodiversity ............................................................................................................ 32

Water ..................................................................................................................... 33

5.9 ........... Partners & Networks ................................................................................................ 34

5.10 ......... Social Responsibility................................................................................................ 35

6 .............. Social and Environmental Responsibility– future goals / ................ Environmental Policy 2011/2012 ................................................................................ 36

7 .............. Any questions? / Executive Board Authorization. ...........................................................37

2

VAUDE – working to make (y)our world a better place Foreword from the Management

Dear Colleagues, Business Partners and Customers!

VAUDE is working to make y(our) world a better place... that is our promise, and what we

are working for day after day.

Following the fourth successful EMAS and ISO 14001 certification of our company head-

quarters in Obereisenbach, Tettnang since 2008, we can truly say that we are proud of our

progress.

Our goal is to become Europe’s most sustainable outdoor company by 2015, ‘Aren’t you

already?’ you might ask. It could be – but our own claim will not be fulfilled until at least

80% of the entire VAUDE Collection is verifiably “eco”.

We believe that customers today want to know how companies perceive their degree of

responsibility. Our commitment to social and environmental responsibility, therefore, is

transparent – inside the company and to those outside as well. And it is why we are happy

to put a name to the challenges that lie before us.

We are thankful for all constructive criticism about our activities and our sustainability

report.

Wishing you fun and inspiration while reading!

Antje von Dewitz

CEO

3

[fau ` de:] – is the German pronunciation of the company founder’s last

name, Albrecht von Dewitz, who founded the company in 1974, practi-

cally in his own backyard.

The company is 100% family owned and operated, now in the second

generation of the von Dewitz family.

VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG designs, produces and markets outdoor recreational products such as clothing, backpacks, sleeping bags,

tents, shoes, alpine equipment and accessories. With this product

palette the VAUDE brand stands for quality, functionality and innova-

tive technology in its three business segments: Mountain Sports, Bike

Sports, and Packs ’n Bags.

Economic, ecological and social sustainability of both the company as

well as its products are core values at VAUDE. Our goal of becoming

Europe’s (and someday the world’s) most sustainable outdoor company

is ambitious. Above all, because of our stress on “OBJECTIVE”: This

means “measurable” and “verifiable” and also “confirmed by indepen-

dent experts” wherever possible, through certification etc.

We recognize our role as an eco-trendsetter in the branch and gladly

accept the associated challenges.

VAUDE’s headquarters are located in Obereisenbach, a village in

southern Germany close to the bordering countries of Austria and

Switzerland. With a view of the Alps and Lake Constance, more than

490 highly motivated VAUDE employees work for the “Spirit of Moun-

tain Sports.” VAUDE has its own production facilities in Spain, China

and Vietnam. Altogether, nearly 1000 additional VAUDE colleagues

work at these sites. VAUDE is an exclusive supplier of retail stores and

does not engage in direct sales to end customers.

In addition to a team of permanent outside sales representatives in

Germany, VAUDE has distribution partners around the world. VAUDE

products are made in Obereisenbach, Europe, and the Far East.

2. What VAUDE stands for Company Portrait

44

2.1. VAUDE Obereisenbach

The entire Collection Development process takes place at our head-

quarters in Obereisenbach, Germany; from the initial product concep-

tion, material testing in our own on-site test laboratory, prototyping,

and down to the final design.

All facilities at our Obereisenbach location are environmentally certi-

fied by EMAS and ISO 14001. Naturally, this goes for the bluesign®

certified production of our waterproof bike bags and shoulder bags in

Obereisenbach as well.

VAUDE’s Administrative Offices are located in Obereisenbach. Along

with the executive managing board, you will also find the departments

for Accounting, Human Resources, Marketing, IT and, naturally, En-

vironmental Affairs. VAUDE’s central Logistics Department is directed

from Obereisenbach. You will find our Customer Service Department here as well, where we recondition used products for consumers in our

extensive repair shop.

VAUDE is especially proud of it central Logistics Department in

Obereisenbach. In a state-of-the-art warehouse, all products destined

for Europe arrive here, where they are checked, stored, packed and

distributed to retailers. Products destined for North America and Asia

are delivered directly from the production facilities to our distribution

partners in each country.

And last but not least, the VAUDE Kinderhaus Childcare Center (www.

VAUDE-kinderhaus.de) is located in Obereisenbach. There are current-

ly 31 children enrolled and this year it is celebrating its 10 year anni-

versary, as well as the public open air swimming facilities that VAUDE

saved from closing down by taking over the management is located in

Obereisenbach (www.freibad-obereisenbach.de)

Breakdown of VAUDE employees in Obereisenbach:

63% women

35% women in executive positions

50% part-time employees

3% in on parental leave

16 trainees

VAUDE was awarded the Zertifikat Audit Beruf und

Familie® (a career and family award) in 2001.

SUStAinABiLity REpORt 2011

55

1974 Albrecht von Dewitz founds the VAUDE company.

1991 As one of China’s first foreign companies, VAUDE founds

an independent production facility, Huade, where hardware

products are produced.

1994 The Ecolog Recycling Network is established; high tech

performance clothing can be 100% recycled for the first time.

2001 VAUDE establishes an on-site company childcare centre, and

receives the “Freedom and Responsibility” award from the

German Federal President, Johannes Rau, for social commit-

ment.

2001 VAUDE is the first outdoor gear manufacturer to produce a

percentage of its collection in compliance with the stringent

bluesign® Standard, guaranteeing maximal freedom from

harmful substances throughout the entire production process.

2002 The Baden-Württemberg Department of Trade and Ministry

awards VAUDE with third prize in the regional competition

“gleiche Chancen für Frauen und Männer im Betrieb“

(Equal opportunities for women and men at work.)

1974 1991 2001

2002 VAUDE enters an official partnership with the German Alpine

Club (DAV) for the protection of nature and environment.

2005 VAUDE receives the seal of quality “Certificate Audit Career

and Family” for its family friendly measures from the Federal

Minister of Family Affairs, Renate Schmidt, and the Federal

Minister of Economics, Wolfgang Clement.

2005 VAUDE is honored as one of the 35 most family friendly com-

panies in Germany in the national competition “Erfolgsfaktor

Familie 2005“ (Success Factor Family 2005) by the German

Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder.

2006 VAUDE acquires the climbing brand Edelrid (Edelmann +

Ridder GmbH & Co. KG, Isny i.A.), a German manufacturer of

high quality equipment including climbing harnesses, ropes

and helmets.

2.2. Company History:

Sustainability Milestones

Sustainably successful – an accurate description of VAUDE ever

since the company was founded. In the following section, milestones

associated with ecological or social commitment are listed. The many

awards that our products have won can be found in our milestones list

on our website.

PekingLanzhou

Yangzhou

Nanjing

Xian

Shanghai

66

1974 1991 2001

2006 Together with the local Bädlesverein, VAUDE saves the out-

door swimming pool in Obereisenbach from closing down by

taking on the management.

2008 VAUDE is honored by the Federal Minister of Family Affairs,

Ursula von der Leyen, in Berlin as being one of Germany’s

12 most family-friendly, mid-sized companies in the national

competition “Erfolgsfaktor Familie” (Success Factor Family).

2008 VAUDE is the first European Outdoor company to attain EMAS

and ISO 14001 certification. Minister President Günther

Oettinger personally presents the award at the OutDoor trade

show.

2008 VAUDE becomes an official member of the bluesign® Stan-

dard; the first European Outdoor company to convert the

manufacturing of all products, step for step, to the strict

bluesign® requirements.

2009 Antje von Dewitz takes over the company management from

her father, Albrecht von Dewitz

2009 VAUDE receives the OutDoor Industry Award in Gold:

• Category Sustainability: ecological sleeping bag Blue Beech

with bluesign® certification. EDELRID subsidiary wins the Silver

OutDoor Industry Award 2009.

• Category Sustainability: bluesign® certified rope production.

2009 Baden-Wurttemberg’s Minister of Economic Affairs and

Caritas awards VAUDE the title “Social commitment 2009” at

the LEA mid-size businesses prize.

2009 Second place for human resource management at VAUDE. 84

mid-sized businesses (including VAUDE) in southern Germany

took part in a study of “sustainable human resource manage-

ment.” The results: VAUDE employees rated the situation in

the company (voluntarily and anonymously) as very positive

and VAUDE was honored with second place!

2005 2006 2008


77

2008 2009 2010

2009 VAUDE receives the international design award Focus Open

2009 in silver for the mobile solar recharger VD 1500 which

successfully combines innovative technology, functional

design and sustainability. With this device, you can recharge

small electronic devices such as cell phones, MP3 players

and GPS receivers anywhere with clean electricity.

2010 VAUDE and Sympatex Technologies start a partnership for

the development of ecological textiles at the highest levels

of functional performance. VAUDE will adopt the PTFE-free

and completely recyclable Sympatex membrane in the Winter

2011/12 Season in its apparel lines of the Mountain Sports

and Bike Sports segments as well as in the Shoe Collection.

2010 VAUDE is the first European company to part in the EU

Business and Biodiversity Campaign, and is implementing

strategic measures for supporting biodiversity.

2010 VAUDE is honored with the Public’s Choice Utopia Award as

the most sustainable company in Germany.

2010 VAUDE underscores its Corporate Social Responsibility goals

of fair working conditions and transparency with membership

in the Fair Wear Foundation on 15 November. The FWF is an

independent non-profit organization working internationally as

a multi-stakeholder initiative for the improvement and super-

vision of socially acceptable working conditions in the textile

industry.

2010 VAUDE’s production facilities in Obereisenbach, Germany and

in Vietnam pass the bluesign® environmental standard’s strict

screening process.

2011 The WWF Germany and VAUDE seal a far-reaching cooperation

for environmental protection. In the future, 1% of all revenues

from Green Shape products will flow into WWF Germany pro-

jects for children and youth.

2011 VAUDE is honored as the most sustainable company at the

sporting goods trade fair ISPO in Munich with the Eco Res-

ponsibility Award. In addition, the environmentally friendly

Blue One Tent receives a product award in the category Acces-

sories.

2011 VAUDE is honored as the most sustainable company at the

sporting goods trade fair ISPO in Munich with the Eco Res-

ponsibility Award. In addition, the environmentally friendly

Blue One Tent receives a product award in the category

Accessories.

88

For years, VAUDE has been actively involved in environmental pro-

tection and sustainable development, working quietly but diligently

behind the scenes. Why? It runs in our blood: many VAUDE-ers are

avid outdoor men and women. Voluntarily investing their professional

energy in a continual optimization of processes and resources comes

naturally to them. Because the development of one’s own ideals is

actively supported at VAUDE, superior products emerge with ever

smaller ecological footprints.

We recognize our role as an environmental trendsetter in the outdoor

branch and are enthusiastic about filling it. This achievement is espe-

cially remarkable as VAUDE is operating as one of the few remaining

true mid-sized family businesses in the branch, in a competitive envi-

ronment dominated by financially strong capital investors.

Environmental protection has a strong foothold in the company’s

founding principles and is a significant component in the company’s

values, its vision, as well as in our tangible environmental policy.

Company Values: “What we stand for”

VAUDE stands for respect in all its interaction with others and the

nature around us. We have set our sight on becoming Europe’s most

environmentally friendly outdoor brand, so that sportsmen and women

of today, and those to come can enjoy nature to the fullest. We are

pioneers in this way, challenging convention and pushing the limits of

the possible.

VAUDE’s roots are in mountain sports. The passion we experience

on the ascent and the peace we find at the top are what drive us.

The mountains are our symbol for the high demands we place on our

products, and for the passion we hold for nature.

the Mission Statement

VAUDE has set its sights on becoming Europe’s most environmentally

friendly outdoor brand. And not just on paper, but also in objective

comparisons that are understandable to the average consumer.

We take on responsibility for everything we do. For our fellow humans,

for the environment and for the generations to come – with “best

available technology” from an ecological perspective.

The strength of our brand and the value of our products is our most

valuable resource. Therefore, we at VAUDE focus our defined values

across the board – and not on short-term profit maximization.

In order to freely follow this path in the long term, we are focused

on remaining financially independent. Therefore, it is important that

we distribute our resources intelligently and optimize what we have –

rather than engage in constant modernization.

We want be the first to take this path, staying ahead of the crowd and

leaving behind a sustainable trail.

3. 3 Social and Environmental Responsibility Environmental Policy


9

VAUDE Environmental policy:

VAUDE has an equal obligation to both economic and environmental

responsibility. As a mountain sports supplier, we believe that it is vital

to protect the “playing field” of our customers and our employees –

the great outdoors.

We are committed to the long-term, sustainable use of nature and to

active environmental protection.

At our company facilities

• by means of resource conserving economic activity in our

administrative department and production

• by using renewable energy and investing in the preservation

of biodiversity,

With our products and suppliers

• by using innovative, environmentally friendly materials and

by recycling

• by means of environmentally friendly production techniques

In the Outdoor industry and in the community

• by means of active environmental policies in professional

associations and collaborative environmental protection

projects

• by collaborating with environmental associations, academia

and public projects such as the German Sustainability Code

Our environmental activism reaches far beyond basic legal require-

ments. We are constantly expanding our environmental commitment.

Environmental management is a top priority at VAUDE.

10

4. “Green Business” Environmental Management at VAUDE

Doing good is a fine thing, but regular inspections by independent

experts is even better. Through annual inspections by an independent

environmental consultant, we guarantee that the “guard rails” of our

commercial activities are keeping us on track. Thanks to EMAS and

ISO 14001, all environmentally relevant processes at VAUDE as well

as the continuous improvement of our environmental performance are

anchored firmly within the company.

VAUDE is working to make y(our) world a better place – holistically and systematically.

The VAUDE Sustainability Concept is called the “VAUDE ecosystem”.

The VAUDE ecosystem is based on VAUDE company principles and

VAUDE Sustainability Philosophy. It consists of everything that VAUDE

does for more ecological and social sustainability. It includes the enti-

re life cycle of each VAUDE product as well as our corporate decisions:

• Green materials and technologies

• Clean production

• Environmentally friendly use and maintenance

• Responsibility for product end of life

• Renewable energy

• Business & biodiversity

• Eco partners & networks

• Social responsibility

All aspects of the VAUDE ecosystem will be explained in the following

sections.

Green Shape is VAUDE’s quality label for products

that feature special ecological manufacturing.

VAUDEGREEn SHApE

pRODUCtS

VAUDE CSR pHiLOSOpHy

VALUES

ViSiOn

pOSitiOninG

CLEAnpRODUCtiOn

REnEWABLEEnERGy

RESpOnABLEEnD OF

pRODUCt LiFE

GREEnMAtERiALS &tECHnOLOGiES

SUStAinABLEpRODUCt USE

& SERViCEBUSinESS&BiODiVERSity

SOCiALRESpOnSiBiLity

ECOpARtnERS&nEtWORKS

EnViROnMEntALMAnAGEMEnt

SyStEM

MADE OF >90%

BLUESiGnAppROVED

FABRiCS

MADE OF>90%

ORGAniCCOttOn

DyED WitHVAUDE

ECOLOUR

100% BLUESiGnCERtiFiED pRODUCt

MADE OF>90%

RECyCLEDMAtERiALS

MADE OF>90% GREEn MAtERiALS

WitH tEnCEL

MADE OF >90% GREEn

MAtERiALS WitH HEMp

VAUDE ECOSyStEM 1% for WWF}

SALES,MARKEtinG,LOGiStiCS


1111

Environmental representative Hilke Anna Patzwall is responsible for

the organization of EMAS and ISO 14001 regulations at VAUDE. She

reports directly to the board of directors and is a member of the inter-

departmental VAUDE Sustainability Team. International Sales Director

Jan Lorch represents the issue of sustainability within the company’s

executive management. He himself is one of the driving forces behind

VAUDE’s environmentalism and is personally very committed to the

continual improvement in its sustainability as well.

Hilke Anna Patzwall / Environmental representative:

“The greatest challenge for us in the VAUDE Sustainability Team is objectivity. That means we not only make our decisions based on the best of our knowledge and conscience, but seek out the advice of independent experts such as the WWF or Fair Wear Foundation.“

The Sustainability team is a very non-bureaucratic point of contact for

all employees and business partners; it sets priorities and coordinates

projects. The team members are well connected with professional

associations and working groups within and outside the Outdoor

Industry, with experts and academia. Team members act as sustaina-

bility ambassadors in their field. Frequent and regular team meetings

guarantee close coordination and timely implementation within the

company both “upward” and “downward”.

The involvement of all VAUDE colleagues in the continual environmen-

tal improvement process runs over three channels:

1. Direct contact with the Sustainability Team: Sustainability Team

members are often spoken to directly or notified of an issue by

email. They always have an open ear for concerns about sustain-

ability.

2. The employee’s own team: The VAUDE company is structured into

teams; each person at VAUDE is integrated into a specialized

team. At least once a year, one of the regularly scheduled team

meetings is dedicated to the issue of sustainability. In these me-

tings, colleagues can directly express their ideas for ongoing

improvements to their environmental management representative.

3. The VAUDE internal company suggestion plan – ”innovation@

vaude”: All eco-ideas, large or small, are

reviewed with an open mind. Many of

these are implemented – with a bonus for

the contributor. Our transition to 100%

fair trade, organic coffee in the adminis-

tration building in Obereisenbach was a

successful innovation@vaude idea! :-)

Additional Environmental Management System components at VAUDE:

• The environmental policy – defined by the company

management

• The environmental program with annual environmental goals

• The environmental handbook – includes which environmental

issues are regulated at VAUDE, how and what will be docu-

mented and which documenting procedures apply

• An annual review of compliance with current environmental

law

12

nACHHALtiGKEitSBERiCHt 2011

Why should a company that manufactures outdoor products be com-

mitted to environmental protection? What exactly is “the problem” and

what are the challenges we face? Do we have any real influence on

possible solutions or at least improvements?

Our position is clear: any company that “earns its livelihood” through

its customers enjoying the outdoors needs to be dedicated to its con-

servation and protection. In the face of the world’s rapidly advancing

climate change, the dramatic loss of biodiversity, the horrific events

in Japan in March 2011, and the glaring inequality in the distribution

of prosperity and education on this earth, it quickly becomes clear

that humanity faces enormous challenges if we wish to live in any way

responsibly, sustainably and in peace with one another. And yet, we

do not actually have a choice whether we “want to” or not. Every one

of us – and above all every company – must recognize and actively

assume its responsibility as quickly as possible. The goal must be to

help shape a cleaner, healthier and more just world. We not only owe

this to our outdoor “playground”, but to our children as well.

First, our challenge is to develop sustainable products. Secondly, we

are dedicated to achieving sustainability throughout the entire compa-

ny and in all business operations and decisions. Here we differentiate

between locations: our headquarters in Obereisenbach, Germany,

our own production facilities in Asia, and our suppliers’ production

facilities.

Our business activities at our Obereisenbach site have direct, measu-

rable environmental impacts. These depend to a large extent on

how VAUDE continues to develop at this location – for example, how

many additional employees will be hired, how much merchandise is

produced, stored or dispatched from this location, how many company

vehicles are operated.

5. Why we are doing all this / Challenges / Our path EMAS indicators

The indirect environmental impacts have an even greater significance

for VAUDE. They either do not arise at the Obereisenbach site and/

or we have no direct influence on them. For example, the millions of

products that we manufacture and sell each year have an enormous

environmental impact in their life cycle. Therefore, our focus within

the VAUDE ecosystem is on all VAUDE products and their production

worldwide. Consequently we are setting international standards with

the VAUDE Green Shape Collection, and are pioneers for “best practi-

ce” in the outdoor industry.

Our VAUDE ecosystem and the EMAS and ISO 14001 certification

help us to holistically and systematically recognize which environmen-

tal aspects result from our business operations, to assess how relevant

they are and what influence can we have on them, and then ultimately

to decide how to address these challenges.


13

Life cycle stage- / Area of the VAUDE ecosystem

Relevant environmental aspect Direct Measured as Indirect Eco-relevance / Impact Details see page …

Green Materials & Technologies Product Development / Green Shape x High / High 15

Clean Production Bluesign® x High / Middle 22

Production Obereisenbach/ Materials Efficiency

x Annual mass flow rate of various material components (tons) 20

Waste Management Obereisenbach x Annual waste accumulations based on type (tons) 21

Sales, Marketing, Logistics Sales Areas & Trade Fairs x High / High 23

Communications x Middle / High 24

Transport of Products x Middle / High 25

Environmentally-friendly use and service

Product Guarantee and Longevity x High / High 26

Product Maintenance & Repair x High / Low 26

Behavior in Nature x High / Low 26

Electronics & Batteries x High / Low 27

Mobility x High / Middle 27

End of Product Life Returns & Recycling x High / Middle 27

Renewable Energy Energy Efficiency x Annual overall electricity use (KWh)

Ratio of energy from renewable sources to annual electricity consumption (%)

Heat energy (KWh) per m3 building volume

28

Business & Biodiversity Location Obereisenbach / Biodiversity x Land consumption in m2 built up area 32

Location Obereisenbach /water & waste water

x Annual water consumption in m3 Waste water

33

Partners & Networks x High / High 34

Social Responsibility x (High / High) 35

Emissions Location Obereisenbach / Emissions x Annual overall emissions from greenhouse gases (CO2, tons)

CO2 (t) per employee

CO2 (t) per output production (t)

29

Overview of Environmental issues:

1414

Life cycle stage- / Area of the VAUDE ecosystem

Relevant environmental aspect Direct Measured as Indirect Eco-relevance / Impact Details see page …

Green Materials & Technologies Product Development / Green Shape x High / High 15

Clean Production Bluesign® x High / Middle 22

Production Obereisenbach/ Materials Efficiency

x Annual mass flow rate of various material components (tons) 20

Waste Management Obereisenbach x Annual waste accumulations based on type (tons) 21

Sales, Marketing, Logistics Sales Areas & Trade Fairs x High / High 23

Communications x Middle / High 24

Transport of Products x Middle / High 25

Environmentally-friendly use and service

Product Guarantee and Longevity x High / High 26

Product Maintenance & Repair x High / Low 26

Behavior in Nature x High / Low 26

Electronics & Batteries x High / Low 27

Mobility x High / Middle 27

End of Product Life Returns & Recycling x High / Middle 27

Renewable Energy Energy Efficiency x Annual overall electricity use (KWh)

Ratio of energy from renewable sources to annual electricity consumption (%)

Heat energy (KWh) per m3 building volume

28

Business & Biodiversity Location Obereisenbach / Biodiversity x Land consumption in m2 built up area 32

Location Obereisenbach /water & waste water

x Annual water consumption in m3 Waste water

33

Partners & Networks x High / High 34

Social Responsibility x (High / High) 35

Emissions Location Obereisenbach / Emissions x Annual overall emissions from greenhouse gases (CO2, tons)

CO2 (t) per employee

CO2 (t) per output production (t)

29

5.1. Green Materials and Technologies /

Green Shape

Why is the development of outdoor products an environmental theme

at all? The choice of materials and processing technologies are the

first stage in the life cycle of a VAUDE product. We require the highest

quality from our products and top functionality. They should offer

reliable protection from the elements, improve athletic performance

and be your favorite gear, day in and day out, for years to come.

In addition to technical design, the materials and technologies used to

make the products play a key role in these criteria. At the same time,

these technical materials and technologies also have a drastic direct

and indirect impact on the environment.

It goes without saying that our product managers have to deal with

key environmental challenges such as resource consumption, material

efficiency, recycling and potentially hazardous chemical substances in

products, and at production facilities, water and energy consumption,

wastewater and residual waste.

How do you decide whether a material, process or product is “eco”? Especially when there are no worldwide standards, no operating evalu-

ation systems, and no international or uniform “certificates” to go by?

VAUDE is a pioneer in this area and has developed its own evaluation

system: the Green Shape Pyramid. This is the company’s own system

for evaluating products with eco benefits. The pyramid combines the

evaluation of eco-friendly materials and eco-friendly manufacturing

processes into one schematic system.

For this system, we use the world’s strictest eco-standard: bluesign®.

For eco-friendly materials and technologies that bluesign® does not

cover, we have established other Eco Claims.

The higher a product is in the pyramid, the greater its eco benefits.

We rate every new collection individually for its area of the pyramid

using our data processing system. Based on this rating, VAUDE agrees

on ambitious goals for continued development of the Green Shape

Collection with product

bluesign® approved & Eco Claim

Eco Claim bluesign® approved

bluesign® product & Eco Claimbluesign® product

“ON THE WAY”


15

Our goal was to increase the percent of the Green Shape Collection in

Summer 2012 to at least 28% overall and at least 43% in Apparel.

We surpassed this goal. It is foreseeable that we will not be able to

keep up this pace of development. Formidable challenges lie before

us, especially in our hardware department, as the choice of “green”

materials and technologies is more limited than for apparel.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 1: increase the percentage of Green Shape products to 50% of all VAUDE products in the Summer 2013 Collection.

Green Shape is VAUDE’s quality label for products

that are environmentally friendly.

VAUDE has the strictest criteria in the entire outdoor branch:

Only products that are made of at least 90% “green” materials (organic cotton or recycled polyester or polyamide, tencel® or hemp), colored using the eco-friendly VAUDE ecolour dye process or made to conform to the world’s most stringent textile standard, bluesign®, earn the Green Shape quality label.

Within the entire VAUDE collection, the percentage of the Green

Shape Collection has risen from 16% (Summer 2011) to 43.5% (Sum-

mer 2012). In the Apparel Collection, the Green Shape percentage

for Summer 2012 is 73%. In the Hardware Collection, (backpacks,

sleeping bags, tents, shoes, accessories) the percentage for Summer

2012 is 21%.

VAUDE Summer 2012 total

43,5%Green Shape

57%Conventional

Apparel total

27%Conventional

73%Green Shape

Hardware total

21%Green Shape

79%Conventional

Development of the Green Shape Collection (all product segments) in %

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

7.8 %

16.4 % 15.6 %

30.4 %

43.5 %

S10 W10 S11 W11 S12

16

VAUDE Eco Claims have a significant ecological benefit compared to

conventional fibers and/or production processes. An explanation of

each claim follows.

What are VAUDE’s Eco Claims? Recycled materials – why are they environmentally friendly?

Everybody is talking about recycling – but

how do you make new outdoor products

out of used “plastic”?

VAUDE makes use of a variety of recycled

raw materials such as polyester and poly-

amide. Used PET bottles are also made

into new products.

Used PET plastic bottles are collected, cleaned, ground and pro-

cessed into granulate, which is then melted and spun into fiber. This

creates high quality polyester that requires up to 50% less energy to

make, and produces approx. 50% less CO2 emissions. Absolutely no

fossil fuel petroleum based raw materials are used.

Used textiles are generally recycled using a chemical process. First

fabric is cut into small pieces. The shredded fabric is then granulated

and formed into small pellets. The pellets are broken down, polyme-

rized and turned into polyester chips. The chips are melted and spun

into new filament fiber used to make new polyester fabrics. This not

only reduces landfill waste, it also completely bypasses the need for

petroleum in the reclamation of polymers.

VAUDE products that are made of at least 90% recycled materials

bear the Green Shape label. This percentage is currently 4.1% of the

entire VAUDE Collection.

We use recycled materials in a great number of our products; however,

unless they include at least 90% recycled materials, they do not fulfill

our own strict criteria for a Green Shape product and therefore do not

bear the label.

Why does VAUDE use organic cotton?

Conventional cotton production accounts

for the use of 25% of all insecticides

and 11% of all pesticides in the world,

although it only covers 2.4% of the world‘s

cultivated land use (Source: Pestizids-

Aktions-Netzwerk e.V. PAN). Conventional

cotton is a relatively “dirty” affair – not

least of all for the cotton farmers themsel-

ves and the residents who live near cotton

plantations.

Organic cotton is cultivated following strict

ecological standards. The use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers

is eliminated. Also taboo: genetic engineering of the seed supply.

Cultivating organic cotton uses significantly less water than conventi-

onal cotton cultivation and maintains natural soil fertility through crop

rotation.

It increases the self-sufficiency of small farmers who are primarily

organized into cooperatives, and allows them to set a higher price for

their organic cotton, independent from the price set by raw material

suppliers on the world market. By purchasing organic cotton, VAUDE

contributes to the sustainable development of small farmers and inci-

dentally, to the retention of species diversity in the growing areas.

VAUDE products that are made of at least 90% organic cotton may

bear the VAUDE Green Shape quality label. 10% of these products

may include other fibers, such as elasthane, which benefits product

maintenance and increases the lifespan of the product.

Currently, 58% of all VAUDE cotton products are Green Shape organic

cotton products.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 2: 100% organic cotton for all VAUDE cotton products by 2015.


1717

performance from nature

Tencel® is a natural fiber made from wood pulp cellulose that conser-

ves resources. It is extremely comfortable thanks to a silky smooth

surface that transports moisture quickly away from the body and

inhibits bacterial growth.

Apparel produced with Tencel® does not require additional finishing

chemicals to ensure the product’s high functionality.

Tencel® is produced in a closed production cycle in which emissions

are reduced to a minimum. Solvents and water are recovered com-

pletely and reused in the process.

The raw material for Tencel® fibers is cellulose from eucalyptus trees

harvested from sustainable forestry. Eucalyptus is a fast growing tree

that requires no fertilizers or irrigation.

VAUDE products that are made from at least 35% Tencel® and a total

of at least 90% from Eco Claim fibers bear the Green Shape label.

Currently, 45% of all VAUDE shirts are Green Shape Tencel® products.

Hemp: A versatile, sustainable raw material

Hemp has been cultivated for thousands of years; in recent years, its

wonderful properties for textiles have been rediscovered. The plant is

not only useful for its fibers; hemp seeds contain the perfect balance

of essential amino acids for sustaining good health and they taste

great as well.

Hemp cultivation requires no pesticides and no herbicides, and does

not require irrigation. The plants have extremely long roots, which

loosen compacted soil. With its dense foliage, it provides shade for

arid soil and prevents desertification. Hemp is an excellent plant for

preparing inferior soil for later use (i.e. for grain cultivation).

More information on hemp at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp

We will use hemp in a variety of textile products starting with the

Summer 2012 Collection.

Eco-friendly dye with VAUDE ecolour

VAUDE ecolour is an environmentally friendly

dye process in which the pigments are added

during the spinning process. Unlike the new

ecolour process, in conventional bath dyeing,

yarn is first spun in its natural state and

then colored in several rounds of dyeing and

rinsing.

VAUDE’s ecolour process reduces CO2

emissions of the dye process by 62%. In ad-

dition, up to 90% less water is used than in

conventional dyeing processes, because the

numerous rinsing processes are eliminated.

Because color pigments are not rinsed out using the ecolour method,

63% less pigment chemicals are needed. And by eliminating the

numerous rinses, 63% less energy is needed as well.

Of course, products dyed with the ecolour process bear the VAUDE

Green Shape quality label.

VAUDE ecolour is available for a limited selection of colors and yarns.

We use this dye technology for bags and backpacks.

1818

Green, but not Green Shape: “On the Way”

VAUDE has many products in its collection that are “more ecological”

than conventional versions, but that do not automatically fulfill our

own strict Green Shape criteria:

• Products with less than 90% organic cotton, recycled materials or

fiber blends with Hemp or Tencel®. Of course, anything is better than

nothing, but they do not qualitfy for Green Shape.

This hydrophilic, non-porous membrane is extre-

mely flexible, very thin and extremely windproof

and waterproof. It is 100% PTFE-free, made

from recycled polyester such as PET bottles,

and biodegrades without producing toxic wastes. The Sympatex

membrane is bluesign® approved. A high performance eco membrane

alone, however, does not make a Green Shape product. In addition,

for example, outer materials must also be bluesign® approved or made

from recycled materials.

Antibacterial performance thanks to activated

carbon particles from coconut shells. This fiber

does not require chemical finishing treatments (i.e.

nano silver), however, the percentage of activated

carbon particles spun into the polyester or polyamide fibers overall is

too small (approx 1%) for the fabric to be accepted as a Green Shape

product.

PVC (polyvinylchloride) is a very stable and long lasting

material. However, it often contains phthalate plasticizers

that are suspected of causing cancer. “PVC free” at VAUDE

means that these products are made 100% without PVC. One examp-

le: our Hot Couture fashion bags. Just as waterproof, but with eco-

friendlier materials. This all, of course, is good. But it’s not enough for

the Green Shape criteria.

Produced in our own EMAS, ISO 14001 and bluesign®

certified production facilities in Obereisenbach. Never-

theless, a Made in Germany product must fulfill other

Green Shape criteria before it is given the Green Shape

label.

Why don’t we make all of our products here in Germany?

Read more about it at:

http://www.vaude.com/de_DE/was-ist-made-in-germany.asp

* What’s the problem with ptFE anyway? Many companies use PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) for

the production of water-repellent functional textiles.

PTFE has been criticized increasingly in recent years,

because the fluorine compounds that are used for

producing PTFE are suspected to be harmful or even

carcinogenic. Perfluorinated compounds can also be

released into the environment during the burning or

disposing of PTFE. Therefore, they can accumulate due

to their long-life cycle.

The Sympatex membrane is PTFE-free. It is made of po-

lyether and polyester and therefore represents no health

hazard while being 100% recyclable.

Source and more information at:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTFE or

http://www.sympatex.com/oekologie/sympatex-membran/ptfe-frei_1


19

production Obereisenbach / Materials Efficiency tARpAULin

Our waterproof bike bags and “Made in Ger-

many” shoulder bags are manufactured in

Obereisenbach. Product components are die

cut from a variety of rolled goods tarpaulin

materials.

Logos are printed onto products, and small parts for buckles, at-

tachment systems, etc. are prepared using a hot press. The die cuts

are welded together using an emission-free, high frequency welding

process for a waterproof bond. Hardback panels – a VAUDE innovation

– are riveted on to stabilize the bags. The last step is a stringent, final

quality control and the bags are then packaged.

Andreas Reimann, Head of Manufacturing Obereisenbach:

“Conventional canvas bags are manufactured from PVC canvas. We are gradually converting to PVC-free materials, which is a huge challenge. So I’m all the more proud of the enormous success of our PVC-free model: the Hot Couture Collection is already completely PVC-free.”

The problem with PVC is that it contains phthalate plasticizers that

prevent the material from becoming brittle. Phthalates are suspected

of being carcinogenic. There are strict limits on the use of PVC (RE-

ACh), although these standards are currently in effect for children’s

products only. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pvc

Because there has not been an optimal alternative to PVC before now,

VAUDE continues to use PVC in its own products. This PVC is, howe-

ver, a phthalate free version that meets the strict limits. The percent-

age of PVC-free models is currently at 80%.

Our PVC-free claim means that these products are already manufac-

tured with absolutely no PVC. Some examples: Hot Couture fashion

bags or our waterproof bike bags. They look like tarpaulin bags and are

just as waterproof, but are made of a PU (polyurethane) coated textile

fabric instead of PVC.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 3: 100% pVC-free by 2015

Material efficiency in the Obereisenbach fabrication increased from

94% to 96%. The large success of our Made in Germany products led

to a 33% increase in output in one year, allowing us to create 10 more

permanent jobs at this location.

0 20 40 60 80 100

Raw materials for production Obereisenbach

20

08

20

09

20

10

input Raw materials Output Article Efficiency Input/Output

47,3 Tonns

45,0 Tonns

95%

53,5 Tonns

50,2 Tonns

94%

69,1 Tonns

66,6 Tonns

96%

20

Waste Management in Obereisenbach

Worthless rubbish or valuable secondary raw materials? “Rubbish” is

a key environmental problem. Limited raw resources are wasted and

potentially hazardous substances end up in the environment.

At VAUDE Obereisenbach, waste is a directly measurable environ-

mental aspect. We separate, dispose of and calculate the amounts

produced for the following categories:

• Paper Board

• Office Paper

• Lamination

• Styrofoam

• Wood

• Waste for disposal

In addition, we separate and dispose of the following items, without

calculating amounts:

• Organic Waste

• Glass

• Metal

• Electronic Waste

• Batteries

• Lightweight packaging

The largest category and, at the same time, the most “aggravating”

is residual waste. Aggravating because residual waste is not recycled

but rather “thermally utilized” – that is, in the best-case scenario, it is

burned for industrial thermal energy.

At VAUDE, residual waste quantities are relatively high due to scrap

waste (nearly 5% of materials) produced in bag manufacturing in

Obereisenbach. These materials are a variety of plastic coated textiles

for which we are continuing to search for a recycling option.

We also have PE material waste. At the end of 2010, however, we

finally found a company that will accept this material for recycling,

which will reduce our quantities of residual waste. Figures for material

recycling using this option will be announced for 2011.

After reducing our residual waste figures in 2009 from 43 tons down

to 30 tons (thanks to better separating of rubbish), our figures for

2010 increased due to the newly constructed warehouse and a major

de-cluttering action throughout our faculties. We not only failed to

meet our goal of reducing residual waste figures by 10% compared to

2009, we have had to reformulate the goal due to increasing pro-

duction volumes and the ongoing search for new recycling of plastic

coated textiles.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 4: Reduce waste by 10% in relation to 2010 in kg per employee.

VAUDE does not produce substantial volumes of hazardous waste

(less than 200 kg per year); therefore, it is not quantified. Service

companies collect and dispose of used oil from machines. Dyes, paint,

solvents etc. are fully utilized and any excesses (small amounts) are

disposed of using the local hazardous waste collection service.

There was a significant increase in laminate and cardboard packaging

waste. This can be explained by 1) a higher turnover of merchandise

in Logistics, 2) a higher percentage of palettes wrapped in plastic. We

are in the process of implementing a “Green Logistics” project that

will include revising the entire logistics concept in view of packaging

with the goal of environmental optimization in this segment as well.

Waste fraction 2008 2009 2010 +/- from previous year

2009

+/- from basic year

2008

Paper board (t) 159,7 198,6 249,00 +25% +56%

Mixed paper (t) 25,0 21,7 29,1 +34% +16%

Plastic wrapping (m3) 94,7 161,5 277,0 +72% +192%

Styrofoam (m3) 6,0 5,0 7,0 +40% +17%

Scrap wood (t) 15,0 18,0 13,2 -27% -12%

Waste of disposal (t) 43,7 30,1 53,1 +76% +21%

Total 344,1 434,9 628,4 +44% +83%

Waste for disposal per employee (kg)

127,7 76,1 119,8 +57% -6%


2121

5.2. Clean Production / bluesign®

Responsible industry? Just like almost all consumer goods worldwi-

de, outdoor products today are manufactured industrially. “Industry”

tends to conjure up images of barren industrial parks, smog and

hazardous waste – a stark contrast to our idyllic images of outdoor

recreation.

Industrial manufacturing, however, really depends on how much

responsibility a manufacturer is willing to take on. VAUDE has three

company-owned production factilities and numerous independent

suppliers. We are striving daily to make sure that our entire supply

chain operation is as ecological and socially compatible as possible.

The production of outdoor products has a very high environmental

relevance. Why? Because valuable resources are consumed in the pro-

duction of functional apparel and gear (i.e. materials, energy, water).

Because the chemicals required have a negative effect on people and

the environment. Because we are responsible for production “left-

overs”, such as wastewater and air emissions.

The degree of influence that we have at our own three production

facilities in Obereisenbach, China and Vietnam is much greater than at

the many independent companies that manufacture VAUDE products

in contract for us. At all locations, however, we depend on one inde-

pendent authority to evaluate and optimize the production processes:

the bluesign® standard. www.bluesign.com).

VAUDE has been working with bluesign® Technologies AG for over 10

years, and was the first company in the Outdoor industry to produce

an entire base-layer clothing line certified by bluesign®.

bluesign® is the world’s strictest textile standard for environmental

protection, consumer protection and occupational safety. All relevant

production aspects are closely monitored and optimized: water and air

emissions, noise levels, energy and material use, as well as working

conditions related to dangerous materials.

The bluesign® Standard tackles the problem at its roots:

through the analysis of all raw materials and chemical com-

ponents via an intelligent Stream Management system, which

guarantees that potentially hazardous substances are excluded

from production (instead of focusing on finished product testing).

with the optimization of all materials, water and energy for maxi-

mal resource productivity throughout the entire production chain

– from the manufacturer of chemical substances to processing to

branding the finished products.

The bluesign® standard differentiates between two levels in its system:

At least 90% of the textile surface of the

product must be bluesign® certified, especially

inner and outer materials and all prints. The re-

maining 10% may not come into direct contact

with the skin, and must fulfill the criteria and prescriptive limits of a

bluesign® Restricted Substance List.

At least 95% of the textile surface of the

product must be bluesign® certified, especially

inner and outer materials and all prints. In

addition, at least 30% of all other components

must be bluesign® certified (zips, buttons, embroidery, etc). All other

product components may not come into direct contact with skin and

must fulfill the criteria and prescriptive limits of a bluesign® Restricted

Substance List.

22

VAUDE Green Shape products are manufactured in both categories.

The percent of models that meet the bluesign® Standard in the entire

Summer 2012 Collection is 35%. In the Apparel Collection, it has

already reached 61%.

We are especially proud of the fact that our product developers have

developed backpacks, sleeping bags and tents that meet the strict

bluesign® standards. In our backpack segment, the percentage of

bluesign® backpacks is already at 23% of the entire collection.

At the International sport trade fair ISPO 2011, VAUDE introduced the

world’s first bluesign® backpacks and the world’s first bluesign® tent.

Our “Blue One Tent” was honored with the ISPO Eco Responsibility

Award, and our overall commitment to sustainability was recognized

with the ISPO Ecolution Award.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 5: As a bluesign® member, we have committed ourselves to conver-ting our entire textile Collection to bluesign® manufacturing. Specifically, our goal is to produce at least 80% of apparel under the bluesign® standard by 2015; 100% of the Children’s Collec-tion will be bluesign® by 2015.

This goal continues to be a true challenge; bluesign® certified sup-

pliers and materials worldwide is still in its infancy. The percentage of

bluesign® certified suppliers for apparel fabrics and components rose

from 51% to 60% from the Summer 2011 Collection to the Summer

2012 Collection.

Our production facilities in Obereisenbach and in Vietnam are blue-

sign® and ISO 14001 certified.

Bluesign® guarantees that no ”substances of very high concern”

(SVHC) as listed in the REACh-regulations (Registration, Evaluation

and Authorization of Chemicals) are included in our products.

5.3. Sales, Marketing und Logistics

Sales:

Retail “Environmental Zones”

Our environmental activism is only truly sustainable when we are

economically successful and can sell our products well. Above all,

in sales it’s about raising customers’ awareness, because only an

informed, aware customer is able and willing to take on responsibility

with his/her purchases. The indirect environmental aspect “Sales”

is an interface between retail and the customer. Therefore, it has a

high degree of environmental relevance, and we have a high degree of

influence over it.

As a pioneer in the branch, VAUDE was successful in making

“Sustainability” a distinct theme in retail by giving it a separate sales

area. Like the organic food aisle in a grocery store, “Sustainability”

and our Green Shape Products are readily visible to pre-sensitized

target groups as well as average customers who had previously been

indifferent.

VAUDE supports retailers with a whole range of measures – first in

line are naturally the Green Shape products themselves. But we also

provide deco material, information brochures, posters, displays, etc.

Our own sales employees are well versed in the subject and stand fully

behind our Green Shape products. That’s how we create a win-win

situation for everyone concerned: the market, retail, end customers

and the environment.


23

Office MaterialsVAUDE has also committed itself to the responsible purchasing of

other office materials and production equipment. We want to use our

influence as a purchaser, to take on responsibility for the environ-

ment and to support those companies who, like we here at VAUDE,

promote sustainability as a company philosophy. Therefore, we make

our purchases of office materials, cleaners, coffee, furniture, etc. as

eco-friendly as possible.

public Relations / AdvertisingVAUDE works closely together with the “competition”, as well as with

other “sustainable” sports and outdoor retailers. Together we design

concepts for promoting products that are more eco-friendly and for

promoting the overall theme of ecological and social responsibility in

retail, for end-customers and in the media.

This includes a comprehensive online marketing strategy. At VAUDE’s

website, Responsibility and Products are presented on equal footing.

You can read in-depth information about all aspects of our company’s

environmental and social responsibility online.

Marketing:

Advertising without Greenwashing

“Do good and talk about it”: VAUDE is clearly positioned as a sustai-

nable company.

This fact governs all of our company communications, both within the

company and outwards. Their environmental relevance should not be

underestimated, because we, as a company committed to environmen-

talism, have a role model and muliplicator effect on other companies,

on our customers and on outdoor-loving people. In respect to all

environmental aspects, we value these communications as “a means”

to an end.

Our influence on this issue, and on the fact that categorically, no

“greenwashing” is included in VAUDE marketing, is high. By this we

mean that we do not find it necessary to make our brand image “gree-

ner” through special marketing efforts. We abstain from paying for

highlighting individual sustainability activities or successes. Instead,

we comply with the EMAS principals of being responsible, authentic,

innovative and transparent, in our marketing practices as well.

paper and VAUDE print products Together with our partner WWF Germany, we have developed a

prioritization process for all of our paper purchases. While we cannot

immediately change every single paper product automatically to

recycled paper*, we are working step by step on this process,

including everything from toilet paper to office paper to magazines,

information brochures and hangtags:

1. Choice: Recycling paper with Blue Angel certification

(primarily available in Germany)

2. Choice: Recycling paper with FSC certification

3. Choice: FSC paper ”100%“

(= up to 100% sourced from sustainable forestry)

4. Choice: FSC paper ”Mixed Sources“

In addition, we take the EMAS and/ or ISO 14001 certification of a

production facility into consideration.

* Why use recycled paper?

Germany is a world champion in paper recycling: about

80% of used paper is recycled. If you collect used pa-

per, we believe you should make use of recycled paper

products as well. Using recycled paper products rather

than virgin pulp paper reduces emissions associated

with paper manufacturing, reduces water consumption,

reduces wastewater and conserves forests. Recycled

paper is also very low in pollutants.

Source and more information: www.Blauer-Engel.de.

Blue Angel is the world’s first environmental label.

More info on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC):

www.fsc.org

24

internal CommunicationsThe VAUDE Academy, our program for advanced training

for employees and executives, offers a wide range of

activities related to sustainability, from fuel-reduction

training to new eco-friendly materials in product

development, to how VAUDE implements social responsibility in its

manufacturing.

Every month, the VAUDE Sustainability Team sponsors a “film night”

featuring a film about the planet or a human issue with lively dis-

cussions following.

In the lobby of our headquarters in Obereisenbach, a monitor

informs employees and visitors not only about the current data of

the on-site photovoltaic installation (kWh current, kWh accumulated,

CO2-savings), but also about other sustainability issues at VAUDE.

Logistics:

product transport Routes

We live and work in a global world. Our products are transported long

distances accounting for the production of CO2 before they end up at

a customer’s doorstep. The majority of our products travel primarily by

container ships. And although we still do not have a full calculation of

a fractural carbon footprint for our products, in general, textiles make

up about 10% of our overall CO2 footprint (baseline study of green-

house has emissions in the textile process chain, system consultation

2009).

The following three transport routes must be differentiated:

transport of Components and Materials to ManufacturersWe have a low level of influence on the transport of materials to our

manufacturers. Nevertheless, we try to find production facilities that

are as close as possible (and vice versa), and advocate environmen-

tally friendly means of transportation. This also applies to our own

factories in China and Vietnam.

transport of products from Manufacturers to VAUDEAbout 95% of our products sold within Europe are transported by ship

from the manufacturer to Hamburg, and from there by railway / truck

to Obereisenbach. Transport via ship and train is ecological and makes

the most sense. Custom laws and regulations permitting, goods are

shipped directly from the manufacturer in Asia to the recipient country

without passing through Obereisenbach; for example, within Asia.

Nevertheless, airfreight is sometimes necessary in order to deliver

our products to our customers on time. Sometimes, organizational pro-

blems are a reason for this and we are constantly working on improve-

ment in this area.

We are on our way, together with our logistics service providers, to

reorganize our Supply Chain Management in terms of sustainability

and management. In addition to transport, sales and packaging from a

logistics standpoint are also included in this reorganization effort. Up

until now, we have not put the influence we have on these environ-

mental aspects to enough use.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 6: Reduce airfreight of products of the Summer 2013 Collection by 30% based on Summer 2011 Collection figures.

products from VAUDE to its Customers Our own warehouse in Obereisenbach provides us with a high degree

of influence on this indirect environmental aspect. It has, however,

already been largely optimized: shipping from the central warehouse

Obereisenbach to our customers (retailers) includes volume optimiza-

tion of box packaging and collection per truck.


2525

product Maintenance and Repair Outdoor products get sweaty and dirty – of course washing is necess-

ary. We recommend an eco-friendly approach – at 30° C, with as little

cleaning agent as possible and without using a dryer. We recommend

Nikwax products for cleaning and maintenance. They are environmen-

tally friendly because they are waterbased, solvent-free and fluorocar-

bon-free. Nikwax products do not need to be heated in a machine to

develop their waterproofing values, saving energy and increasing the

longevity and performance of your VAUDE products.

VAUDE is proud of its high quality and tough products. They are

dependable, day after day, and are manufactured for intense use.

Unlike the usual product return procedure in the outdoor sporting

goods segment (retailer exchanges or refunds customers for their

returned item on the spot, disposes of the product, and in exchange is

reimbursed by the manufacturer for a percentage of their total order

value), which contributes its part to a wide-spread throw-away menta-

lity, VAUDE operates a large customer service and repair department

at its Obereisenbach location. Retailers and end consumers can send

in their products to be repaired.

Use in the Outdoors “Am I a responsible outdoor person?” Anyone who works or plays in

the outdoors should be asking themselves what they can personally do

to help conserve the planet. We at VAUDE try to set a good example,

by offering outdoor training courses, and by choosing partners that we

can support to promote environmental accountability in the outdoors

(such as the WWF Germany, the German Alpine Club and the Associa-

tion of Nature and Forest Kindergartens).

5.4. Sustainable Use & Service

VAUDE has limited influence on how customers use our products in

the outdoors and on their way to the mountains, let alone how they

wash their gear at home. However, the greatest percentage of an out-

door product’s CO2 footprint (nearly 50%) originates during this usage

phase! (see Eco-Concept Etudes based on ADEMS´s life cycle assess-

ment of jeans database, final report 2006 Bio Intelligence Service, or

the baseline study of greenhouse gas emissions in the textile process

chain, Systain Consulting 2009)

We can, however, influence our customers by informing them and

raising awareness of what they themselves can do. One way we can do

this is through our website.

product Guarantee and product Life Products are the most sustainable when their quality is high enough to

keep them functional to the longest extent possible before they need

to be replaced by a new product.

VAUDE is traditionally well-known for its long-lasting products. This is

sometimes jokingly referred to as a marketing disadvantage as our end

consumers simply do not buy any new products as long as their old

“favorite pieces” are still fully functional (even after 10 to 20 years).

We use high quality materials and best production technologies.

Quality, durability and design are the cornerstones of our product

development. We make products that are enjoyed over a long time and

that you can depend on. It’s a source of pride for us.

VAUDE apparel has a two-year guarantee, all other products and gear

have a three-year guarantee. As a matter of course, with appropriate

use and regular maintenance, our products hold up for much, much

longer.

26

Electronics and Batteries These days, nobody wishes to do without their electronic gear, even

in the mountains. GPS, mobile phones, and cameras are standards

of modern outdoor equipment, not only for personal comfort, but for

more safety in “the wild” as well. With VAUDE’s mobile solar chargers,

you can recharge batteries using renewable sun energy. When they are

used up, batteries should be disposed of with hazardous waste – they

do not belong in the environment.

MobilityGet outdoors – naturally! Your eco-friendliest option – by bike or train.

Always asking yourself whether you can get something done without

using the car – or by carpooling – pays. Of course, this applies to the

commute to work as well. You can read about what VAUDE is doing

along these lines under section 5.7 Emissions.

5.5. End of Product Life

What actually happens to a product when i’m finished with it?

The “Life End” of a product is a natural part of the product’s life

cycle. What our customers do with their products when they are fini-

shed with them is an indirect environmental aspect over which VAUDE

has almost no influence. Because of our awareness of this issue,

and because we want to do the right thing when it comes to product

end of life, VAUDE has been a pioneer in the “green movement”: we

launched the “Ecolog Recycling Network” in 1994 as the first recyc-

ling system of its kind in the outdoor industry for pure sort polyester

products. Ecolog products were technically designed so that they

could be returned without difficulties into polyester fiber circulation

and the Ecolog Recycling Network offered the necessary infrastructure

to make it possible.

Unfortunately, the Ecolog system did not bring in enough recyclable

polyester materials from end-consumers for recycling to make eco-

nomic sense. From a variety of studies, we now know that you have

to have sufficient amounts to compensate for the logistical effort of

recycling. On the other hand, we know that individual brands with

individual recycling systems can only ever fill a niche. And in the large

picture of textile recycling, it does not make a large difference in the

consumption of raw materials.

VAUDE is therefore working together with the Sustainability Working

Group of the European Outdoor Group (EOG) industry association

on a mutual, branch wide solution for the life end of products. The

ideal option for the “End of Life” of products is naturally reusing the

materials.

In general, we would like to see a societal shift that keeps textiles out

of landfills and in the textile fiber circulation system. More info at:

www.europeanoutdoorgroup.com

One other aspect that is important to a products’ end of life should be

noted here: because we do not use PTFE membranes, our products

can be safely disposed of or recycled (details also in section “Green,

but not Green Shape”, See page 19).


27

5.6. Renewable Energy

Now that Germany has liberalized its energy market, indivi-

dual households and businesses can choose which energy

source they will use for their own power consumption. VAU-

DE has relied exclusively on renewable energy since 2009.

In 2010, VAUDE consumed a total of 613,365 kWh (100%

renewable). The increase of just under 25% compared to

2009 was primarily due a significant increase in bag pro-

duction (+33%) and logistics (+10%).

When the new warehouse opened at the end of 2009, the

department changed over to natural gas heating.

This explains the increase in natural gas consumption and

the reduction of heating oil consumption. For natural gas,

2010 will serve as the base year for future comparisons.

New electric forklifts (100% renewable energy) have signifi-

cantly decreased our use of propane.

It is encouraging to note that our fuel consumption overall

has decreased by 1,100 liters. Because we do not have com-

plete data for km driven in 2010 to use as a reference value,

we will base fuel consumption figures on fuel consumed per

100 km driven.

Last year we partially updated our company vehicle fleet

and now only purchase low-emission vehicles. All drivers

of company cars receive periodic training in reducing fuel

consumption.

ConsumptionUnit

(Consumption) kwh+/- from

basic year 2008

Unit(Consumption) kwh

+/- from basic year

2008


+/- from basic year

2008

+/- from previous

year 2009

Power production photovoltaic (kwh)

- full operation began in 2009

71.516 71.516 - 157.466 157.466 +120% 143.528 143.528 +201% +91%

Electricity consumption (kwh) 489.596 489.596 100% 495.806 495.806 +1% 613.365 613.365 +25% +24%

Heating oil (liters) 60.692 608.741 100% 96.390 966.792 +59% 50.113 502.633 -17% -48%

Natural gas for heating (m3)

- 0 - 1.676 14.782 - - 359.296 - -

LPG consumption for forklifts (m3)

766 4.902 100% 1.072 6.863 +40% 421 2.779 -43% -60%

Petrol (m3) 4.993 45.290 100% 6.396 58.012 +28% 7.899 71.644 +58% +23%

Diesel (liters) 158.219 1.594.845 100% 169.747 1.711.054 +7% 167.137 1.684.741 +6% -2%

Total Consumption 2.743.373 100% 3.253.308 +19% 3.234.458 +18% -1%

Share of renewable energy in electricity consumption (kwh)

42% 207.623 100% 67% 329.788 +57% 100% 613.365 +236% +150%

Share of renewable energy in total energy consumption (kwh)

8% 207.623 100% 10% 329.788 +34% 23% 734.879 +300% +224%

Photovoltaic share of electricity consumption

Number of employees (Annual average)

Electricity consumption (kwh) per employee

100% -13% -3% +11%

Total energy consump-tion per employee 100% +2% -9% -11%

m3 enclosed space 100% +47% +47% 0%

Heating oil and natural gas (kwh) per m3 enclosed space

100% +10% 9,29 -3% +88%

2008 2009 2010

15% 32% 23%

342 396 443

1.432 1.252 1.385

8.022 8.215 7.301

63.291

9,62

92.766

10,58

92.766

2828

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 7: Reduce fuel consumption of company vehicles by 5% for every km driven based on 2008 figures by 2013.

VAUDE is proud of operating one of the largest photovoltaic facilities

in all of Upper Swabia (158 Kwpeak). The percentage of company

produced solar energy compared to the total energy consumption in

2010 (a summer with relatively little sunshine) was 23%. Because the

energy produced is fed into the public grid and cannot be used direct-

ly by VAUDE (as per EEG regulations), we indicate this percentage of

renewable energy separately.

in total, 100% of electricity consumption comes from renewable energy.

The ratio of renewable energy to the total energy consumption is 23%.

For these calculations, we have taken into account (in addition to

power obtained from renewable sources) a bioethanol percentage of

5% benzene and 7% in diesel.

Energy efficiency is an important direct environmental aspect for our

Obereisenbach location.

As of 2011, the power consumption data for Administration, Logistics,

Workshop and Production is being calculated separately. Our goal

is for each divisional manager to take on responsibility for his/ her

department’s power consumption and to mutually agree upon obliga-

tory reduction goals.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 8: Reduce electric power consumption by 10% in all departments at the company headquarters in Obereisenbach by mid 2012 based on the number of picks (logistics), tons of output (manufacturing) and the number of employees (administration).

5.7. Emissions

VAUDE is well on its way to a resilient “Corporate Carbon Footprint”.

As an EMAS core indicator, we publish the annual emissions of carbon

dioxide (CO2) in tons and relate this to the number of employees and

to the number of articles produced at our Obereisenbach location (in

tons).

Other greenhouse gases are not relevant at VAUDE.

For emissions, we are currently looking at our overall energy consump-

tion and compensation measures. For a full Corporate Carbon Foot-

print, we are still missing: emissions generated by product logistics,

materials used in fabrication, business trips and the complete data

for employee commuting. We are working on obtaining these figures

and, in the future, being able to publish a complete Corporate Carbon

Footprint.

In our current emissions observations, it is noticeable that through

our use of 100% emissions-free renewable energy and the reduction

of heating oil consumption, emissions have been reduced by over one

third!

With these measures, we could reduce our CO2 footprint per employee by nearly 40% and 48% per ton of articles produced in Obereisen-bach.

See next page for data and facts.


ConsumptionUnit

(Consumption) kwh+/- from

basic year 2008


+/- from basic year

2008


+/- from basic year

2008

+/- from previous

year 2009

Power production photovoltaic (kwh)

- full operation began in 2009

71.516 71.516 - 157.466 157.466 +120% 143.528 143.528 +201% +91%

Electricity consumption (kwh) 489.596 489.596 100% 495.806 495.806 +1% 613.365 613.365 +25% +24%

Heating oil (liters) 60.692 608.741 100% 96.390 966.792 +59% 50.113 502.633 -17% -48%

Natural gas for heating (m3)

- 0 - 1.676 14.782 - - 359.296 - -

LPG consumption for forklifts (m3)

766 4.902 100% 1.072 6.863 +40% 421 2.779 -43% -60%

Petrol (m3) 4.993 45.290 100% 6.396 58.012 +28% 7.899 71.644 +58% +23%

Diesel (liters) 158.219 1.594.845 100% 169.747 1.711.054 +7% 167.137 1.684.741 +6% -2%

Total Consumption 2.743.373 100% 3.253.308 +19% 3.234.458 +18% -1%

Share of renewable energy in electricity consumption (kwh)

42% 207.623 100% 67% 329.788 +57% 100% 613.365 +236% +150%

Share of renewable energy in total energy consumption (kwh)

8% 207.623 100% 10% 329.788 +34% 23% 734.879 +300% +224%

Photovoltaic share of electricity consumption

Number of employees (Annual average)

Electricity consumption (kwh) per employee

100% -13% -3% +11%

Total energy consump-tion per employee 100% +2% -9% -11%

m3 enclosed space 100% +47% +47% 0%

Heating oil and natural gas (kwh) per m3 enclosed space

100% +10% 9,29 -3% +88%

2008 2009 2010

15% 32% 23%

342 396 443

1.432 1.252 1.385

8.022 8.215 7.301

63.291

9,62

92.766

10,58

92.766

29

Emissions caused by / reduced by: (Unit) kw h CO2 (t)

+/- from basic year 2008 (Unit) kw h CO2 (t)


+/- from basic year 2008

+/- from previous year

2009

Power production photovoltaic

(kwh)

71.516 71.516 -49 * 157.466 157.466 -108 100% 143.528 143.528 -99 * -9%

BaumInvest (Hektar) 3,17 - -48 100% 3,17 - -48 0% 3,17 - -48 0% 0%

„VAUDE rides Bike“ (km) - - - *** 25.257 ** -3,8 *** 24.050 ** -3,6 *** -5%

Electricity Consumption (kwh) 489.596 489.596 188 100% 495.806 495.806 190 +1% 613.365 613.365 0 -100% -100%

Heating oil (liters) 60.692 608.741 188 100% 96.390 966.792 299 +59% 50.113 502.633 155 -17% -48%

Natural gas (m3) - - - 100% 1.676 14.782 3,4 *** 34.548 359.296 82 *** +2331%

Liquid gas (m3) 766 4.902 1,1 100% 1.072 6.863 1,6 +40% 421 2.779 1 -43% -60%

Petrol (liters) 4.993 45.290 12 100% 6.396 58.012 16 +28% 7.899 71.644 19 +58% +23%

Diesel (liters) 158.219 1.594.845 427 100% 169.747 1.711.054 459 +7% 167.137 1.684.741 452 +6% -2%

Total Emissions 2.743.373 720 100% 3.253.308 808 +12% 3.377.986 559 -22% -31%

CO2 (t) per employee 100% -3% -40% -38%

CO2 (t) per Tonne Output Manufacturing OEB (t)

100% +1% -48% -48%

Number of employees 342 396 443

2,1

16,0

2,0

16,1

1,3

8,4

2008 2009 2010

* full operation began in 2009 ** 150 Grams CO2 saved per kilometer *** from 2009

3030

VAUDE is a founding member of BaumInvest, a sustainable and

innovative forestation model project in Costa Rica that combines the

ecological reforestation of 560 hectares of fallow forest with sus-

tainable operations, humane working conditions and an economically

sustainable perspective for native smallholder farmers. 90 percent of

the acreage is reforested with teak trees and endemic precious woods.

Spices, fruits and herbs are cultivated between the rows of trees.

At least 10% of the acreage will consist of a nature reservation to

guarantee a protected habitat for rare species of plants and animals.

By allocating micro-credits, indigenous smallholder farmers are able

to lease a section of land, manage it independently and market the

products cultivated with the support of BaumInvest.

Greenhouse emissions are compensated for by BaumInvest refores-

tation in Costa Rica. Each newly planted tree binds harmful carbon

dioxide and contributes to the reduction of CO2 concentration in the

earth’s atmosphere. BaumInvest uses special cultivation methods to

reach particularly high levels of carbon dioxide bonding; growing fo-

rests and precious wood in particular, retains this gas for long periods.

These methods make it possible to bind 48 tons of CO2 per hectare

of tropical forest per year. The renewable biomass compensates for

approx. 27 tons of printing paper annually.

Already in its third year, VAUDE employees bike at least 25,000 km

to work annually. Despite the rainy summer of 2010, we biked 24,050

km saving 3.6 tons of CO2. At our bike-season Kick-Off event for all

employees in mid April 2011, we not only launched our fleet of new

eBikes that are available for loan to all employees, VAUDE also upped

employee motivation for biking by renovating the company showers,

opening a repair workshop, making a parking area for bikes and offe-

ring bike courses, repair courses and weekly bike tours.

We were extremely pleased to note that by the date of our EMAS

recertification on June 15, 2011, our employees had already bike-

commuted 15,441 kilometers! :-)

In comparison: for the same time period for 2010, the figure was only

6,300 km.

In 2010, VAUDE was honored as

a bicycle-friendly employer by the

German Environmental Manage-

ment Association B.A.U.M. e.V.

The award: two more eBikes for our

heavily used bike pool.

VAUDE Environmental Goal nr. 9:Bike commute of at least 25,000 km in 2011, reducing CO2 out-put by at least 3.8 tons.


Emissions caused by / reduced by: (Unit) kw h CO2 (t)





2009

Power production photovoltaic

(kwh)

71.516 71.516 -49 * 157.466 157.466 -108 100% 143.528 143.528 -99 * -9%

BaumInvest (Hektar) 3,17 - -48 100% 3,17 - -48 0% 3,17 - -48 0% 0%

„VAUDE rides Bike“ (km) - - - *** 25.257 ** -3,8 *** 24.050 ** -3,6 *** -5%

Electricity Consumption (kwh) 489.596 489.596 188 100% 495.806 495.806 190 +1% 613.365 613.365 0 -100% -100%

Heating oil (liters) 60.692 608.741 188 100% 96.390 966.792 299 +59% 50.113 502.633 155 -17% -48%

Natural gas (m3) - - - 100% 1.676 14.782 3,4 *** 34.548 359.296 82 *** +2331%

Liquid gas (m3) 766 4.902 1,1 100% 1.072 6.863 1,6 +40% 421 2.779 1 -43% -60%

Petrol (liters) 4.993 45.290 12 100% 6.396 58.012 16 +28% 7.899 71.644 19 +58% +23%

Diesel (liters) 158.219 1.594.845 427 100% 169.747 1.711.054 459 +7% 167.137 1.684.741 452 +6% -2%

Total Emissions 2.743.373 720 100% 3.253.308 808 +12% 3.377.986 559 -22% -31%

CO2 (t) per employee 100% -3% -40% -38%

CO2 (t) per Tonne Output Manufacturing OEB (t)

100% +1% -48% -48%

Number of employees 342 396 443

2,1

16,0

2,0

16,1

1,3

8,4

2008 2009 2010

* full operation began in 2009 ** 150 Grams CO2 saved per kilometer *** from 2009

31

5.8. Business & Biodiversity

Biodiversity

Bio... what?! What does that have to do with us?

The loss of biodiversity is just as big of a threat to our planet as

climate change. Everyday, approximately 100 species become extinct!

Biodiversity includes

• Species diversity

• Biotope diversity (Habitat diversity)

• Genetic diversity within species

As a company whose products are made specifically for use in the

outdoors, we take our responsibility for biodiversity very seriously.

VAUDE is the very first company to

undergo the biodiversity-check of the EU

Business & Biodiversity Campaign and

is gradually implementing the measures

that resulted from the assessment. Some

examples: wild flower zones and nesting

boxes on our company property in Tettnang, as well as sensitivity

training of our employees and business partners.

Our company headquarters and production facilities in Obereisenbach,

Germany, are both expansive and green. Here we have all kinds of

opportunities – directly at our own doorstep – to positively contribute

to biodiversity and the health of ecosystems. EMAS uses the surface

area in square meters of built-up space as a core indicator for this

direct environmental aspect. 72% of our Oberseisenbach location

(34,696 m2) is either sealed (paved) or covered by buildings. This

leaves nearly a hectare of land area unpaved which we maintain with

the help of a landscape architect specialized in biodiversity from the

Ravensburger BUND.

The majority of the VAUDE parking lot is gravel rather than asphalt.

Rainwater is collected in two ponds on the company premises creating

a biotope for amphibians and a pleasant outdoor break space for

employees. These ponds are also a favorite destination for the children

from the VAUDE childcare center for observing tadpoles.

Our commitment to promoting biodiversity is an integral part of our

EMAS certified environmental management system because we are

convinced that even corporate sectors without an obvious link to

biodiversity can have a large impact, such as product development (for

details- see section 5.1 Green Materials & Technologies / Green Shape

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 10: Renew and expand the facade greenery on company buildings.

32

Water

Another core indicator, together with biodiversity, is water consump-

tion.

Water is used exclusively for sanitary purposes and is drained into

the community sewage system. We do not water any lawns or other

features outdoors.

Consumption Consump-tion

+/- from basic year

2008Consump-

tion

+/- from basic year 2008 Consump-

tion



2009

Water (m3) 1.480 100% 1.868 +26% 1.913 +29% +2%

Employee

m3 per Employee 4,33 100% 4,72 +9% 4,32 0% -8%

Liter per Employee per working day (230 working days a year)

18,82 100% 20,51 +9% 18,78 0% -8%

2008 2009 2010

342 396 443


33

5.9. Partners & Networks

For all of our social and environmental responsibility, we can not do

it alone. We are not, after all, an environmental protection agency but

rather a business. Particularly when it comes to how our products are

used by end consumers, we have little influence – and this accounts

for over 50% of the product climate footprint! See here also segment

5.4 Sustainable Use & Service.

Therefore, we evaluate partners and networks as an indirect environ-

mental aspect with high environmental relevancy over which we have

a high degree of influence. We seek out cooperation partners who

we can support to promote environmentally friendly behavior in the

outdoors.

VAUDE is committed to conserving nature and protecting it for the

outdoor experience, and has found the ideal partner to further this

cause: the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). This association is one

of Germany’s largest independent environmental conservation organi-

zations and also one of the most active.

1% of revenues generated from the VAUDE Green Shape Collection in

Germany and Austria (approx 60% of sales), Czechia, Slovenia, Slova-

kia flows directly into WWF projects for children and teens. WWF-

VAUDE Alpine Camp for outdoor-loving kids and youth will kick off the

partnership. They will experience the beauty of the Alps, as well as the

threat posed to this unique natural habitat in Germany, Austria and

Slovenia up close and personal.

VAUDE outfits the WWF-Team with apparel and gear for use outdoors.

In addition, as a partner, the WWF also serves as an expert advisor to

VAUDE on key environmental issues. This, for example, has led to the

development of a joint paper policy in which VAUDE has pledged to

only use recycled paper or FSC certified paper.

VAUDE has been an official outfitter for the German

Alpine Club for years – the only sports association

that is also officially recognized as an environmental

protection association.

VAUDE employees taking part in the “DAV Forest

Protection Initiative” are released to 50% from work in order to parti-

cipate. During this activity that takes place every year, members and

friends of the DAV plant hundreds of trees and bushes in the Alps to

help prevent soil erosion and reduce avalanche danger, making an im-

portant contribution to the preservation of the sensitive alpine ecolo-

gical balance and the diversity of species. In addition, they learn more

about eco-friendly behavior and the expert use of outdoor products.

VAUDE is a partner of the Bundesverband der Natur- und

Waldkindergärten (German National Association of Forest

Kindergartens): committed to raising kids close to nature

(and the ongoing, hard-core testing of VAUDE products).

VAUDE executive and leader of the VAUDE Susta-

inability Team, Jan Lorch, works on the executive

committee of the European Outdoor Conservation

Association (EOCA, formerly AFC). Each year, this association initiates

a highly remunerated competition for environmental protection pro-

jects. Two environmental protection projects submitted by the chari-

table trust EURONATUR have already been honored by the EOCA with

100% of the winnings going to the projects – (a trans-border hiking

trail in Albania/ Macedonia, and a brown bear project in the Cantabri-

an Mountains in Spain.)

34

VAUDE is both a founding member and active member

of the board of directors of the Sustainability Working

Group of the European Outdoor Group, the European

branch association for the Outdoor Industry. In this

group, the branch works together for solutions and “best

practices”. In addition to important issues such as inter-

national environmentally legal parameters and “End of Product Life”,

we have developed an Eco Index for outdoor products:

www.ecoindexbeta.org. At this time, manufacturers are using this

instrument for voluntary internal evaluation of their products and are

in the process of intensive further development.

Kuratorium Sport und naturVAUDE supports the “Kuratorium Sport und Natur” that actively sup-

ports environmentally sound sports and encourages outdoor sports.

More info at www.Kuratorium-Sport-Natur.de

As a board member of the German CSR Forum,

VAUDE co-organized the debate on social and

environmental sustainability in Germany.

Rat für nachhaltige Entwicklung

VAUDE actively co-developed the German Sustainability Code that will

come into effect for German companies in the future.

5.10. Social Responsibility

Of course, social responsibility is not literally an “environmental

aspect”. Nevertheless, we see it as an “indirect sustainability aspect”

with high relevance over which we have a high degree of influence.

We are on a continuous path of optimization, not only ecological but

also in maintaining high international working standards and fair wor-

king conditions worldwide. This is not something that can be accom-

plished by the push of a button. We have a long tradition of part-

nerships, accountable and personal business relationships with our

(primarily) longterm suppliers. VAUDE is proud of its product palette

“Made in Germany” A large percentage of our merchandise, however,

is produced outside of Germany, much of it in Asia.

VAUDE has been a member of the Fair Wear Foun-

dation since November 2010. This membership

assures that fair working conditions are in effect in

our production facilities. As a multi-stakeholder initi-

ative, the Fair Wear Foundation verifies the progress

that we, together with our foreign business partners,

achieve for improved working conditions.

As a requirement for membership, VAUDE together with the Fair Wear

Foundation developed a plan for the responsible withdrawal of our pro-

duction facility in Burma. Our Taiwanese business partners will work

with these facilities for a transitional period until the end of 2012,

producing high quality rainwear there. Under the current military go-

vernment, the Fair Wear Foundation cannot make independent audits;

therefore, the FWF does not allow Burma as a production location for

members. We want to withdraw responsibly; abrupt withdrawal would

worsen the situation for the employees there significantly.

As a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, we have committed our-

selves to the Code of Labour Practices:

No use of forced labor

No discrimination against employees

No use of child labor

Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining

Payment of a living wage

No excessive hours of work

Safe and healthy working conditions

Legal labor contracts

Interesting background information at www.fairwear.org.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr.11:Fair Wear Foundation audits of at least 60% of our production volumes by the end of 2012.

VAUDE offers our entire team many elements to unify career and

private life, “at home” at our Obereisenbach location as well. Some

examples: the VAUDE Kinderhaus child care center, part time jobs,

home offices, health and prevention including climbing and yoga cour-

ses, a gear lending pool and much more. VAUDE was honored in 2001

and 2004 in this area and independently certified by the Audit Familie

and Beruf® (Family and Career).


3535

We are on a rewarding journey of continual improvement and incre-

ased sustainability. It’s the reason for the ambitious environmental

goals we set for ourselves each year with concrete and measurable ob-

jectives. Each department at VAUDE is responsible for the fulfillment

of these goals with the active support of the VAUDE Sustainability

Team. In part, goal achievement is recognized with bonuses.

In addition, goals are audited annually by an independent EMAS

environmental consultant.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 1: Increase the percentage of Green Shape products to 50% of all

VAUDE products in the Summer 2013 Collection.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 2: Use 100% organic cotton for all VAUDE cotton products by 2015.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 3: Be 100% PVC free by 2015.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 4: Reduce waste by 10% based on 2010 figures in kg per employee.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 5: As a bluesign® member, we have committed ourselves to converting

our entire textile Collection to bluesign® manufacturing. Specifically,

our goal is to produce at least 80% of apparel under the bluesign®

standard by 2015; 100% of the Children’s Collection will be blue-

sign® by 2015.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 6: Reduce airfreight of products of the Summer 2013 Collection by

30% based on Summer 2011 Collection figures.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 7: Reduce fuel consumption for company vehicles by 5% for every

100 km based on 2008 figures by 2013.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 8: Reduce electric power consumption by 10% in all departments at the

company headquarters in Obereisenbach by mid 2012 based on the

number of picks (logistics), tons of output (manufacturing) and the

number of employees (administration).

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 9: Bike commute of at least 25,000 km in 2011, reducing CO2 output

by at least 3.8 tons.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 10: Renew and expand the facade greenery on company buildings.

VAUDE Environmental Goal Nr. 11: Fair Wear Foundation audits of at least 60% of our production

volumes by the end of 2012.

6. Social and Environmental Responsibility – future goals Environmental Policy 2011/2012

Here is a compellation of our environmental goals for 2011 / 2012.

Explanations and background information (including whether the goal

was taken over from previous years) can be found in the preceding

sections of this report.

36

7. Any questions? Executive Board Authorization

nACHHALtiGKEitSBERiCHt 2011

To the best of our knowledge, this report accurately reflects our activities for more sustainability. We are proud of it – it shows that we are

working on the challenge of constant improvement. Credibility, transparency and authenticity – inside the company and out – are the recurring

themes you will find at VAUDE. So we are pleased to be able to present the public with this sustainability report.

Obereisenbach, 15. June 2011

Antje von Dewitz, CEO

Hilke patzwall, Environmental Representative

Help us to become even more sustainable – drop us a line!

VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG

Hilke Anna Patzwall (Environmental Representative)

VAUDE-Straße 2, 88069 Tettnang

Email: [email protected]

www.vaude.com

VAUDE publishes a Sustainability Report annually.

The next consolidated EMAS Sustainability Report will be published by June 2014.

ppa. Jan Lorch, International Sales Director &

Head of Sustainability Team


37

Confirmation of validation

The undersigned, Dr. Udo Ammon, EMAS Verifier with registration number DE-V-0259 accredited or licensed for areas 14 and 32.2 (NACE

Code Rev. 2) confirms that he has reviewed whether, as claimed in the consolidated Environmental Statement, VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KG’s

site meets all the requirements of Regulation (EC) No. 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the

voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS).

By signing this statement, he confirms that

• the review and validation have been carried out in full compliance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No. 1221/2009,

• the results of the review and the validation confirm that there is no evidence of non-compliance with the applicable environmental regulations,

• the data and information provided in the organisation’s/site‘s Environmental Statement/the updated Environmental Statement convey a

reliable, credible and truthful picture of all of the organisation's/site's activities in the areas indicated in the Environmental Statement.

This Statement cannot be equated with an EMAS registration. The EMAS registration may be obtained only from a Competent Body, as specified

in Regulation (EG) No. 1221/2009. This Statement may not be used as a stand-alone basis for informing the public.

Nuremberg, 15 June 2011

Dr. Udo AmmonEnvironmental Verifier

3838


39

VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co. KGVaude-Str. 288069 TettnangTel.: 07542 – 53 06 0Fax: 07542 – 53 06 60Email: [email protected]

VAUDE Sustainability Report 2011

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