VAUDE sets itself an ambitious goal: climate-neutral production throughout its global supply chain

The outdoor outfitter VAUDE from Tettnang will once again be actively participating in today's global climate strike #NeustartKlima of the Fridays for Future movement: VAUDE employees are joining forces to take part in regional demonstrations near the company's headquarters in southern Germany to draw attention to the climate crisis. Under the motto "Act now!" VAUDE is calling on companies to take action and make a contribution to climate protection. VAUDE shows that this is feasible: The company has been climate neutral at its Tettnang location since 2012 – and now it is taking a major step forward. VAUDE has set itself ambitious, science-based targets for the future climate-neutral production of all its products worldwide. With science based targets (SBT) VAUDE intends to do its part toward limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees in accordance with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

VAUDE is one of some 680 companies worldwide and 29 companies in Germany that have joined the Science Based Targets (SBT) initiative. This international initiative is committed to ensuring that the corporate sector contributes to the climate targets adopted in Paris. Companies voluntarily commit themselves to science-based climate targets that are in line with the requirements of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 °C or well below 2 °C.

VAUDE now has two years to develop a comprehensive target with corresponding objectives, which will be regularly reviewed by the initiative. "As a co-initiator of the initiative, we are delighted that VAUDE is setting itself an even more comprehensive, globally-based target. We need allies such as these who are setting a good example and providing motivation for other companies," said Alexander Liedke, Senior Manager Sustainable Business & Markets at WWF Germany.

"In order to counteract the climate change that is threatening mankind, we must succeed in limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius in accordance with the Paris Agreement.  This will only succeed if action is taken worldwide. Initiatives like the SBT, which are promoting a new economic paradigm, are required. We at VAUDE want to make our contribution and have set ourselves the goal of climate neutral manufacturing for all of our products. In order to verifiably achieve this, we are working with SBT to gradually reduce our CO2 emissions in the global supply chain," said Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO.

VAUDE Climate Goals

With the SBT, VAUDE is significantly expanding its climate strategy and setting itself the goal of climate-neutral manufacturing for all of its products worldwide. The VAUDE company premises in Tettnang and its “Made in Germany” products manufactured there have been climate-neutral since 2012. The use of 100 % green electricity from renewable energy sources – partially through our own photovoltaic systems, the conversion to LED lighting and a comprehensive mobility concept – are just a few of the measures that have already been successfully implemented to minimize the company’s climate footprint. VAUDE is now committed to defining science-based climate targets for its global supply chain. These are made measurable and verified in accordance with the most internationally recognized scientific methodology, the Science Based Targets initiative. Using a step-by-step plan, VAUDE will first record the energy consumption of its 45 producers in the global supply chain, including upstream production of materials, and then successively reduce CO2 emissions. The focus here is on the transition to renewable energies and the use of resource-conserving materials in the manufacturing process. "For climate-neutral product manufacturing, we will first optimize our supply chain processes from material production to the finished product to ensure maximum resource conservation and high material and energy efficiency, and then compensate for unavoidable emissions," explained Hilke Patzwall, CSR Manager at VAUDE. VAUDE has already set its first concrete objectives. By 2024, at least 90 % of all VAUDE products will have a biobased or recycled material content of greater than 50 %. VAUDE is following the principles of a closed-loop economy: Through the use of renewable raw materials and the recycling of materials, fossil resources will be conserved and CO2 emissions in the production of materials will be significantly reduced.

VAUDE joins the climate strike

At the September 20th global Fridays for Future climate strike, 70 VAUDE employees joined the 1.4 million people worldwide demonstrating for ambitious climate protection. "Taking to the streets together and being a part of this worldwide movement was a powerful experience. You could feel both our collective strength and the importance of each individual. That's why we decided to participate again on November 29th", said Jan Lorch, VAUDE Sales & CSR Management, who spoke on the podium with a moving appeal. VAUDE is once again giving its employees the opportunity to take part during regular, paid working hours and travel to the nearest demonstrations in Ravensburg or Wangen using climate-friendly e-bikes or e-cars.

The Science Based Targets initiative

The Science Based Targets initiative mobilizes companies to set science-based climate targets to help them comply with the Paris Climate Change Accord. It is a collaboration between the CDP (Disclosure Insight Action), UN Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).