Press

Der diesjährige Lammsbräu Nachhaltigkeitspreis in der Kategorie „Familiengeführtes Unternehmen“ ging an den Outdoor-Ausrüster VAUDE. Mit großer Freude nahm Lisa Fiedler, Leiterin der VAUDE Academy für nachhaltiges Wirtschaften, die Auszeichnung von Franz Ehrnsperger, Senior-Chef der Neumarkter Lammsbräu, entgegen. Als Corona-Vorsichtsmaßnahme fand die Preisverleihung sowie auch das begleitende Fachforum digital statt und beides wurde per Live-Stream online ausgestrahlt.

Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE Geschäftsführerin, und Bundesentwicklungsminister Gerd Müller unterhalten sich am Firmensitz von VAUDE in Tettnang über ihre neu erschienen Bücher: „Mut steht uns gut!“ (Antje von Dewitz) und „Umdenken. Überlebensfragen der Menschheit.“ (Gerd Müller). Moderiert wird das Gespräch von Hendrik Groth, Chefredakteur der Schwäbischen Zeitung, der auch Fragen der Online-Community einbringt.

Ein Jahr ist es her, dass der Grüne Knopf als erstes staatliches Siegel für fair und ökologisch nachhaltig produzierte Textilien eingeführt wurde, dank des hohen Engagements von Bundesentwicklungsminister Gerd Müller. Seitdem gibt dieses Siegel Konsumenten eine wertvolle Orientierung, um verantwortungsbewusst einzukaufen. Zum 1. Jahrestag besuchte Gerd Müller den Outdoor-Ausrüster VAUDE in Tettnang, dessen Produkte größtenteils mit dem Grünen Knopf zertifiziert sind. „Mittlerweile beteiligen sich 52 Unternehmen, also fast doppelt so viele wie beim Start vor einem Jahr“, berichtet Gerd Müller stolz.

The outdoor specialist VAUDE has always set great store in ensuring that its products have the smallest ecological footprint possible and that they can be used and repaired over the long term. Now the outdoor outfitter is going one step further and systematically embedding reparability in its product development operations. To ensure that products are designed to be as easy to repair as possible from their very inception, VAUDE has introduced the Repair Index. "With our Repair Index, we are strengthening our focus on reparability and reaffirming our stance against a throwaway society. It shows that we are taking our claim seriously. Our products should have a long service life and be reparable," said Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO.

VAUDE joins the international #StopHateForProfit campaign that is encouraging Facebook to take stronger action against hateful, violent and racist content on its networks. The outdoor outfitter is suspending all paid advertising on Facebook and Instagram until further notice starting July 1. The campaign, which is calling on companies to boycott advertising on Facebook, was initiated by several American non-profit organizations such as the Anti Defamation League.

„Mut steht uns gut!“
Was passiert, wenn ein Unternehmen die Verantwortung für Mensch und Natur ernst nimmt? Wenn eine Unternehmerin Werte wie Nachhaltigkeit, Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf und Vertrauen zur praktischen Firmenphilosophie macht und selbst konsequent lebt? Antje von Dewitz hat sich und den VAUDE Mitarbeitenden diese Fragen bereits vor einigen Jahren gestellt und gemeinsam wurden bis heute viele Antworten gefunden. Antworten, die gerade jetzt in der Corona-Krise besonders aktuell erscheinen. „Nachhaltiges Wirtschaften macht krisenresistent“, so die Erfahrung von Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE Geschäftsführerin. Entstanden ist ein sehr persönliches und ehrliches Buch: „Mut steht uns gut!“ Es verbindet die Biographie von Antje von Dewitz mit der Geschichte von VAUDE verbindet und macht deutlich: Wir alle können zu einer gerechteren Welt beitragen.

Die Ladenschließungen stellen sowohl Sportfachhändler als auch Hersteller vor extreme Herausforderungen. Um den Fachhandel in dieser schwierigen Zeit tatkräftig zu unterstützen, hat VAUDE schnell reagiert und ein ganzes Paket an Maßnahmen auf die Beine gestellt. Ziel ist es, den Fachhandelspartnern trotz geschlossener Geschäfte zu Umsätzen zu verhelfen, sei es durch einen lokalen Lieferservice, durch Unterstützung beim Online-Geschäft oder durch einen kulanten Umgang mit Liefer-Vereinbarungen. Über eine neue Plattform auf der VAUDE Homepage ermöglicht VAUDE Fachhändlern und VAUDE Stores in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz einen lokalen Lieferservice für die Kunden anzubieten. Die Resonanz ist groß - innerhalb weniger Tage haben sich rund 100 Fachhändler dafür angemeldet.

2019 was a decisive year for the VAUDE Marketing Department which was restructured to create three new management positions with the goal of advancing the company’s digitization and internationalization. The new system established a female management ratio of 50 % in the marketing department, surpassing VAUDE’s company-wide ratio of 43 %.

VAUDE und eBay starten Upcycling Store
• Neuer Upcycling Store in Deutschland für hochwertige Restmaterialien aus der Textil-Produktion
• Kreative und Bastelfans können ihre Ideen mit Materialresten aus der VAUDE Manufaktur am Firmenstandort in Deutschland verwirklichen
• Der gesamte Erlös der Verkäufe kommt der Kinderrechtssorganisation „Save the Children“ zu Gute

Antje von Dewitz, VAUDE CEO, received a highly regarded international award on February 6th – the Vanity Fair Changing your Mind Award 2020. In attendance at the festive awards ceremony, which took place at the Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel in London, were 150 guests from the travel and tourism industry and the world of media. The Vanity Fair Changing Your Mind Awards are presented annually to five pioneers from around the world who have had the courage to break new ground and bring about positive change. Antje von Dewitz received the award for her commitment to sustainable business and to raising consciousness in society with an impact reaching far beyond VAUDE itself.

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.