Focus on climate strategy: VAUDE acts for climate protection and aims to achieve Net Zero by 2040
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The climatic conditions under which we will live in the future depend heavily on what we do today to protect the climate - climate scientists tell us this very clearly. That's why we at VAUDE are acting consistently and pursuing a scientifically sound climate strategy with the goal of achieving Net Zero by 2040.
It is crucial to reduce emissions to a large extent
In the current discussion about climate protection and sustainability, one term is central: Net Zero. For us as a company, this means continuously reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions through various measures. The aim is to achieve a global balance between the greenhouse gas emissions caused and the reduction of these climate-damaging emissions that are released into the atmosphere. This state of net zero emissions is referred to as net zero.
Antje von Dewitz, Managing Director of VAUDE, announces:
" We want to do our part to limit man-made global warming to 1.5 °C. This means that we have to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions year after year in order to achieve Net Zero as a company by 2040. We are putting all our energy, courage and pioneering spirit into this. "
Antje von Dewitz
The two most important VAUDE climate targets: 50% fewer emissions by 2030 and Net Zero by 2040
We want to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and by 90 % by 2040 - in each case compared to the base year 2019. Once we have achieved this long-term goal, the remaining 10 % of emissions will be offset by nature-based climate protection. This means that we will create a permanent balance by binding CO2 from the atmosphere through natural processes. We are focusing on restoring natural ecosystems, for example by rewetting moors or building up humus. These measures bind large quantities of CO2 in the soil and make a significant contribution to reducing emissions.
This is how we as a company achieve our goal with all our products: Net Zero.
VAUDE is taking a systematic and transparent approach to Net Zero
Creating a carbon footprint - every year anew
How many resources do we consume? And which of them are avoidable? Since 2019, all direct and indirect emissions that affect our company and the manufacture of our products have been recorded in our carbon footprint. It is the starting point for all our climate protection measures and with the help of this analysis we can define and annually review our climate targets. More about the VAUDE carbon footprint.
Setting scientifically sound climate targets
What can we do as a company to make an effective contribution to climate protection? And what does this mean in concrete terms for the manufacture of outdoor products? One thing is clear: greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced. By what percentage and by when? We have calculated that.
We joined the international Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) back in 2019 and defined specific short and long-term climate targets and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a scientific basis. We want to reduce our emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040. The SBTi officially verified VAUDE's Net Zero climate targets in August 2024. Read more about VAUDE's far-reaching climate targets here .
By 2026, 45 % reduction in emissions from vehicle fleet and heating (Scope 1)*
By 2030, 50 % reduction in emissions for purchased goods and services (Scope 3)*. At least 90 % of all VAUDE products consist of at least 85 % recycled or renewable materials.
By 2040 Net Zero in the entire value chain 90 % reduction in emissions (Scope 1+3), continue to use 100 % green electricity annually (Scope 2), offset the maximum 10 % residual emissions through nature-based climate protection*
*The percentage reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) relate to the base year 2019.
Reducing emissions - in all areas
There is only one way to Net Zero and that means minimizing all resource consumption. We have already implemented many measures, e.g. in the area of energy consumption by using 100% green electricity and switching to electric vehicles at our German company site. This is good and very important.
However, the greatest potential for savings, and at the same time the most challenging, lies in the choice of materials for our products and the use of energy in the supply chain. It is therefore particularly important to reduce the emissions generated during the production of the fabrics for our clothing, backpacks, sleeping bags and tents, e.g. during dyeing processes.
Outdoor products made from recycled and renewable materials
We have long been on the path to gradually switching to recycled and renewable materials for our products. This allows us to conserve fossil resources and significantly reduce emissions in material production. In the collection for summer 2024, two thirds of our products already consist of more than 50% recycled materials such as recycled polyester, polyamide from used tires or renewable materials such as organic cotton. Find out more about recycled and renewable materials.
Switching to lower-emission energy sources in the supply chain
In order to reduce emissions in global supply chains, we need strong partnerships. This is about team sports, which is why we have formed a strong alliance within the outdoor industry. Together with competitors and our suppliers, for example, we are investing in the switch from coal to renewable energy sources and have already achieved enormous C02 savings. In 2023, we already caused 30% fewer CO2 emissions compared to 2019. More on energy savings in the supply chain.
VAUDE has already achieved a lot because we have been actively committed to climate and environmental protection for a long time
2008 EMAS certification
2009 100% green electricity at the German headquarters
2019 Science-based climate targets adopted and complete carbon footprint created.
2022 More than half of all products are made predominantly from recycled and/or renewable materials
2023 Decoupling emissions from sales growth (-30% emissions compared to 2019 with +32% sales)
2024 Net zero climate strategy verified by 2040
Learn more about climate protection at VAUDE here
Der VAUDE Umweltstandard Green Shape - eine Erfolgsgeschichte in Sachen Nachhaltigkeit
