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Vaude

Creation :

1974

Founder :

Albrecht von Dewitz

Activities :

Production de vêtements, sacs, chaussures et accessoires outdoor

Group membership :

Production volumes :

1 Million pieces/an

Turnover :

50-99 M€

Number of employees :

450-999

Web site :

www.vaude.de/hps/client/vaude/public/hxfront/index.hbs

Workplace wellbeing: Free shuttle buses, 8 electric bicycles (e bikes) , parking grounds for car-pooler and online platform available for carlift sharing , Bike to Work facilities with showers, changing rooms and special bike clothing. In 2011, 43000 km by bike and every week, there is a mobility lottery to reward employees using “green ways” to come to work. Coffee is free, fair trade and organic and milk comes from a regional creamery. Among all choices (meals or places) employees have to eat, they can eat organic food with their kids at the on-site- kindergarten. On-site childcare center since 2001, flextime and part time available (47% part-time employees) and telecommuting, academy programm with courses like yoga for free, open-air swimming pool, mountaineering, snowshoeing, etc…VAUDE was awarded for compatibility of career and familiy. 65% of females / 38% of females in leading positions.
Education & information: The Code of labour practices is published on the website as well as the yeraly sustainability report which in 2012 also includes a social report : working on several items like QR codes on the products by which customers can get transparency about the products eco and social qualities.
Supply chain: Member of the Fair Wear Foundation since 2010. Some suppliers are certified SA8000 and WRAP. Quality control team which realize audits and implement corrective actions plans issued by Fair Wear Foundation. Factories have an evaluation sheet to fulfil. In 2011, 35 % of the total purchase volume of VAUDE was audited by Fair Wear Foundation. By the end of 2012, 60 % will be audited. 90 % of all purchase volume has to be monitored by the third year of membership (2013). The Vaude code of conduct focuses on: wages, working hours and working conditions, ethical and fair treatment. 100% of suppliers signed it.
CSR: VAUDE was one of the first companies that signed the German Sustainability Codex in April 2012 which reports according to GRI / EFFAS. (The German Sustainability Code arose by virtue of an innovative process of dialogue among the stakeholders). Contract work with local schools and homes for disabled people in order to support them earn money and school skills (e.g. assembling first aid kits, labelling, etc.).Cooperation with the charity organizaton FairWertung in order to encourage customers to donate Vaude products once they don’t use them.
Support for local communities: Vaude has its own production site located in Germany. VAUDE implemented a biodiversity concept worked out by a team of independant experts following their participation in the EU Business & Biodiversity Campaign : several measures to cultivate and enhance nature around Vaude’s workplace as different flowering grass lands, nesting boxes as well as two ponds that are maintained as habitat for animals and plants.

Environmental site management: Sorting of wastes (paper, compost, glas, plastics, metals, electronics,etc…) and videoconferencing. Solar panels which supply 1/3 of the electricity and the rest is 100% renewable energy since 2009. The headquarter is climate neutral per May 2012. Green procurement policy for all office equipment, furniture, company cars,etc… CSR and eco trainings : webinars, newsletters or lectures via powerpoints. Currently working on the implementation of the GRI.
Education & information: Special hang tags to inform consumers and dealers about environmental labels. Trainings for dealers focusing on environmental issues.
Supply chain: Some suppliers have ISO 9000 or ISO 14001 certifications.
Certifications: ISO 14001 (since 2008) and EMAS (since 2008) for the headquarters and the production site based on Germany which represents 10% of the production. Theses certifications include waste management ,energy efficiency , water consumption,etc…All figures are available on the sustainable report.
GHG emissions: Datas of GHG emissions as well as information on used energy, marerial, water, waste, electricity production of solar panels etc. are available in the sustainability report. The complete climate footprint was calculated by myclimate. Perimeter includes the entire administration with 486 employees, production, maintenance, the childcare center, and all of the materials needed for production and product logistics. The amount of money is reinvested in climate protection projects.
Environmental commitments: 1% of turnover from Green Shape products (40% of the collection) is donated to WWF Germany. Vaude is the official partner for the National Association for Nature and Forest Kindergartens in Germany and is a member of the EOG Association for Conservation. Every year employees get two days holidays to plant trees if they wish to take part in the Deutscher Alpenverein "Schutzwald" project. 3 people attended to this project in 2011.

Durability: All products have a two to three year guarantee. A repair service is available for all Vaude products with a strong link to the R&D department.
Global Eco design process :Implementation of the Eco-Index of the Outdoor Industry which benchmark and measure environmental footprint, allowing to identify areas for improvement and make informed sourcing and product life cycle decisions.
German Sustainability award in 2011 and nominated in 2012, VFS Ethics award in 2011, Dr. Antje von Dewitz receives the B.A.U.M.-Umweltpreis (award for environmental commitment) in 2012.

VAUDE owns a large research and development lab (with a climate chamber) where products can be tested before they go into production.

Publication of eco-profiles and mark on products that fulfill Bluesign standards, which represents 38% of products and the same accounts for Green Shape Products.

- In 2012 : 74% of apparel collection is Green Shape and 22% of hardware collection. The aim is that 80% of total product line fullfill the Green Shape criteria by 2015.

To be labelled Greenshape, a product has to for example contain 90% of an ecological material.

- Work with institutes like TU München or Hohenstein institute and also with companies from the chemical industry (e.g. bluesign Technologies) to find better and environmentally friendlier ways of production.
Ecodesign Actions: The company uses Bluesign certified materials, organic cotton, recycled PET and Tencel as well as an environmentally friendly way of coloration. Packs ´n Bags collections Hot Couture are 100 % PVC free.
End of life & recycling: Vaude used to run a product recuperation & recycling programme called Ecolog, but the quantities were too small. - Vaude’s is currently working on cooperation with FairWertung and EOG Sustainability Working Group end of life group to implement a Cradle to Cradle recycling system.
Non toxicity: Some products are Bluesign approved in 2012 : 56% of appareal, and 18% of hardware. All components that are not Bluesign certified are OEkotex certified. Organic cotton is GOTS certified .
Packaging & logistics: 95% of products travel by ship and then by train - from Asia to the warehouse in Germany. Vaude strated direct deliveries from the port in Hamburg to customers. Introduction of a shoebox completely free of glues in 2009. Green Logistics project which includes green procurement as well as packaging : the aim is to use as little packaging as possible and adapt ecological packaging for products. Use of recycling carboard boxes and all hangtags and product packaging are in recycling paper.