Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time so Vaude has made climate protection a top priority throughout the company, both at the Tettnang site and in global production. “We want to do our part to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. This means that we are reducing our greenhouse gas emissions year on year in order to achieve net zero as a company by 2040. We are putting all our energy, courage and pioneering spirit into this,” said MD Antje von Dewitz.
Vaude on the way to Net Zero
Based on the global carbon footprint, Vaude has now drawn up a long-term climate strategy validated by the SBTi with the aim of achieving ‘Net Zero’ across the entire value chain by 2040 – thus meeting the 1.5 degree target. Net zero means achieving a balance between man-made greenhouse gas emissions and the reduction of these climate-damaging emissions that are released into the atmosphere. “In order to have a well-founded roadmap, the global data was collected and the next step was to calculate what level of emissions must be reduced and over what period of time,” said Hilke Patzwall, Head of Sustainability Management at Vaude.
Two major goals came from this:
By 2030: 50% fewer emissions (compared to the base year 2019)
By 2040: 90% fewer emissions (compared to the base year 2019)
After achieving the net zero target, the remaining 10% that cannot be avoided despite all efforts will be offset through nature-based climate protection. As a result, Vaude as a company would meet the high Net Zero requirements with all products. “Through renaturation measures such as the rewetting of moors, we ensure that CO2 is bound in nature and at the same time protect other planetary boundaries such as biodiversity and water. This is very important to us,” added Patzwall. With the goal of achieving Net Zero by 2040, Vaude is ahead of climate policy targets, which the company fully supports. For comparison: Germany wants to achieve Net Zero by 2045; the European Union has agreed as part of the Green Deal to emit no more net greenhouse gases by 2050.
What milestones has VAUDE already achieved?
The latest carbon footprint for the 2023 financial year, recently published in the new Sustainability Report, shows that Vaude has already been able to significantly reduce its emissions. It succeeded in reducing total emissions by 30% in 2023 (compared to 2019), while sales increased by 32% in the same period. For example, emissions from the vehicle fleet and heating were reduced by 36% compared to 2019. The use of 100% green electricity at the company’s German headquarters also makes an important contribution. However, the greatest and most challenging potential for savings at Vaude lies in the choice of materials for products and the use of energy in the supply chain.
By switching from fossil raw materials to recycled and renewable materials, Vaude has already achieved enormous savings. In the current summer collection, 75% of products have a recycled or renewable material content of over 50%. Vaude has set itself a new, even more ambitious goal to further reduce the use of fossil raw materials in material production. By 2030, 90% of all products should have a recycled or renewable material content of at least 85%.
By far the largest share of company-wide emissions is generated in the manufacture of the materials used in products. Vaude has also achieved significant savings here: in 2023, emissions were already 30% lower than in 2019. Strong partnerships are needed to advance the energy transition in the global supply chain. Since 2021, Vaude has been working with nine other outdoor brands as part of the Carbon Reduction Project to ensure that suppliers switch from coal to lower-emission energy sources. In addition, energy efficiency measures are being implemented, for example through lower-emission dyeing machines.
“We are consistently pursuing this path. In view of the advancing climate change, there is no alternative to Net Zero according to science. We still have room for manoeuvre, but the window of opportunity is closing. That’s why it’s so important that many people get on board and drive forward the urgently needed transformation. Together we can do it,” said von Dewitz.
Further information on the Vaude climate strategy can be found in the SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2023 and the SBTI NET ZERO VERIFICATION REPORT (as of August 2024).
There’s more on energy management in the supply chain HERE.
