Press

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.

On Friday, September 20th VAUDE participated in the Fridays For Future global climate strike. The company has long assumed social and ecological responsibility in its own economic activities and welcomes the Fridays For Future movement, which is committed to effectual change in climate policy. In response to the #climatestrike call to action, which addresses not only a multi-generational audience but also business enterprises, some 70 employees from the outdoor supplier VAUDE took to the streets in Friedrichshafen. As a supporter of the Entrepreneurs For Future initiative, VAUDE sent a strong signal from the business community to politicians who on that same day were making decisions on future steps in climate policy.

On September 9th, the German Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, Gerd Müller introduced the Grüner Knopf textile seal in Berlin. This is the first state-monitored seal identifying products that were made following social, ecological and sustainable guidelines. Minister Gerd Müller presented the new seal together with Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO, Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Regional Bishop of the Evangelical Church in Bavaria, and Thomas Linemayr, Tchibo CEO, at a federal press conference in Berlin. The program has been launched with 27 companies that have successfully passed the textile seal’s strict requirements. From its inception, the outdoor outfitter VAUDE from Tettnang in southern Germany has been campaigning for a comprehensive, independent seal.

Antje von Dewitz is Deputy Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU). The CEO of the outdoor outfitter VAUDE, who has been a member of the DBU Board of Trustees for more than five years, has now been elected as deputy chairwoman for a further five years. As one of the largest foundations in Europe, the DBU supports environmental protection projects with a foundation capital of approximately € 2.2 billion, taking small and medium-sized enterprises into special consideration. The DBU also awards the German Environmental Award, the most lucrative environmental prize in Europe.

Der TRIGOS ist Österreichs renommiertester Preis für verantwortungsvolles Wirtschaften. Im Jahr 2019 erhält Dr. Antje von Dewitz, Geschäftsführerin von VAUDE, den internationalen Ehrenpreis für ihr nachhaltiges Wirtschaften. Durch die Unternehmensplattform Resp-Act wird der Preis dieses Jahr bereits zum 16. Mal vergeben. Neben sechs Kategorien wird auch ein internationaler Ehrenpreis verliehen. Die Award Verleihung fand am Dienstagabend 12.06.19 im Marx Palast in Wien statt.

On May 21, the outdoor outfitter VAUDE received the 2019 Brand Award, one of Germany's most prestigious marketing honors. VAUDE was thrilled to be awarded 1st place in the category "Best Sustainability Strategy". Ralf Geiger, Head of Consumer Marketing, and Manfred Meindl, Head of International Marketing, accepted the award at a grand gala celebration in Düsseldorf. The "Absatzwirtschaft", a German trade journal for marketing, and the German Marketing Association (DMV) award this prize annually for excellent achievement in brand management.

On May 21, Baden Württemberg’s Prime Minister, Winfried Kretschmann, and Minister of Social Affairs and Integration, Manne Lucha, awarded the state’s first Integration Prize in Stuttgart. The entrepreneur initiative “Bleiberecht durch Arbeit" was honored with the recognition award in the category "Companies and Associations. Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO and founding member of the initiative, accepted the award together with other entrepreneurs. With this award, the state government is honoring the activism of various initiatives that are committed to integration and cohesion in Baden-Württemberg.

VAUDE has achieved the highest rating for a 1st place finish by the international comparison portal Rank a Brand for their Outdoor Ranking 2019. Within the assessment, 14 outdoor brands were examined on the basis of a catalogue of questions relating to climate protection, environmental protection and fair working conditions. VAUDE demonstrated a high level of commitment in all areas and scored highest in the ranking. "VAUDE sets the standard", was the conclusion of Rank a Brand. "We are really delighted about this fantastic rating, because Rank a Brand raises awareness and provides orientation for end consumers. A growing number of people want to know the conditions under which products are manufactured before they buy them. Rank a Brand contributes significantly to this goal," said Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO.

In the nationwide ranking of sustainability reports, VAUDE achieved 1st place in the category "small and medium-sized enterprises" (SMEs). The outdoor supplier, which achieved an excellent result with 671 out of 700 points, was honored for best transparency regarding sustainability. Jan Lorch, Sales & CSR Manager at VAUDE, accepted the award on February 21 at the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) in Berlin. The independent ranking supported by BMAS is carried out by the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) and the business association "future – verantwortung unternehmen". In this 10th ranking, more than 100 reports were evaluated and a total of six companies received awards.

On December 4, the German mountain sports supplier VAUDE was recognized with the “Environmental Award for Businesses 2018”. At the official award ceremony in the Neuen Schloss in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg's Environment Minister, Franz Untersteller, presented the prestigious award to Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO, and her colleagues. "We are delighted to receive this distinguished award, as it serves to encourage companies to join efforts in the face of major global challenges. It is important to us to show that sustainable management not only works, but is also a critical factor towards success and the future," Antje von Dewitz stated. VAUDE won the award in the category "Industrial businesses with more than 250 employees". VAUDE will use the €10,000 award money for future corporate environmental protection measures. "With our award, we honor companies that provide inspiration and implement ideas for environmentally friendly business practices," as the Minister said. "In this way, award winners will also show other businesses the opportunities that exist in aligning their operational processes and economic success with the conservation of natural resources".

Die Unternehmer-Initiative „Bleiberecht durch Arbeit“ hat bei einer Pressekonferenz in der Vertretung des Landes Baden-Württemberg in Berlin konkrete Vorschläge präsentiert, um Geflüchteten mit einem festen Arbeitsplatz eine sichere Aufenthaltsperspektive zu gewähren. Dafür soll es klar definierte Kriterien geben, die überprüft werden: Die Geflüchteten müssen sich am Arbeitsplatz bewähren, sichtbaren Integrationswillen zeigen, ihre Identität klären und sie dürfen nicht straffällig werden. Eine Lösung, die für alle Seiten große Vorteile hätte: Die Geflüchteten können ihren Lebensunterhalt selbst verdienen, die Sozialsysteme werden entlastet, die Unternehmen können ihre dringend benötigten Arbeitskräfte fest einplanen und für die Behörden verringert sich der Bearbeitungsaufwand. Die Unternehmen fordern die Bundesregierung auf, die entsprechenden gesetzlichen Rahmenbedingungen dafür zu schaffen.

Die Unternehmer-Initiative „Bleiberecht durch Arbeit“ gewinnt zunehmend an Fahrt, auch auf politischer Ebene. Am 26. September trafen sich Vertreter der Initiative zu einem Gespräch mit Staatsministerin Annette Widmann-Mauz, Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Migration, Flüchtlinge und Integration im Kanzleramt. Annette Widmann-Mauz lud die Unternehmen ein, um sich ein Bild von der aktuellen Situation geflüchteter Mitarbeiter zu machen. Die Unternehmen machten deutlich, welch tiefgreifende wirtschaftliche Auswirkungen drohen, wenn wertvolle, gut eingearbeitete Mitarbeiter abgeschoben werden. Sie plädieren für eine Änderung der gesetzlichen Rahmenbedingungen, um Geflüchteten in Ausbildung und Arbeit eine Bleibeperspektive zu ermöglichen. Die Unternehmen schilderten ihre Ziele und zeigten konkrete Ideen und Vorschläge auf, die in Form eines Positionspapiers an die Staatsministerin überreicht wurde. Neben Forderungen an die Politik, machten die Unternehmen auch ein konkretes Angebot, wie sie die Integration unterstützen.

Im August veröffentlichte VAUDE zum zweiten Mal die Textilbündnis Roadmap. Darin berichtet der Outdoor-Ausrüster umfangreich über seine Maßnahmen für faire Sozialstandards, Umweltmanagement sowie umweltfreundliche Materialbeschaffung und setzt sich im Einklang mit seiner Unternehmensstrategie erneut ambitionierte Ziele. Außerdem veröffentlichte VAUDE einen freiwilligen Fortschrittsbericht mit Zielerreichungen des vergangenen Jahres. So soll die Umsetzung international anerkannter Umwelt- und Sozialstandards in der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette verbessert werden. Im Zuge dessen unterstützt VAUDE auch das Vorhaben des Bundesentwicklungsministers Gerd Müller, ein staatliches Metasiegel für faire Kleidung einzuführen.

VAUDE has long been committed to high ecological and social standards throughout its global supply chain. Now the outdoor outfitter is taking another step forward. VAUDE recently launched a comprehensive supplier management program, also known internationally as Vendor Management. VAUDE created the program to offer its international producers and material suppliers comprehensive support in order to guarantee high ecological and social standards and increase awareness of good working conditions. This is one of the major themes in VAUDE’s new Sustainability Report that has been online since August. VAUDE provides comprehensive, transparent information and key figures on the company and a wide variety of sustainability issues on this platform. VAUDE publishes this report annually in accordance with the international Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard.