Climate Strategy
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.
Antje von Dewitz, Managing Director of VAUDE, announces:
Our ambitious climate target for 2030 - halving emissions in our supply chain - is within reach. The fact that we have achieved this progress while simultaneously growing the company is encouraging and impressively demonstrates that climate protection and economic activity can be reconciled.
It is possible: Less resource consumption with more sales!
VAUDE has once again shown in 2024 that economic success and climate protection can go hand in hand. 27 % increase in sales with 40 % fewer emissions compared to the base year 2019.
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
WE MADE A DECISION
Emissions that are currently unavoidable are fully offset by myclimate with a certified Gold Standard carbon offset project such as the construction of biogas plants in one of our countries of production, Vietnam. The Gold Standard was launched in 2003 by WWF and other conservation organizations and is aligned with both the Clean Development Mechanism laid down in the Kyoto Protocol and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
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 .
VAUDE has already achieved a lot because we have been actively committed to climate and environmental protection for a long time
2008
EMAS Certification to systematically reduce our company emission
2012
Our German headquarters become climate neutral
2019
Adoption of a global climate strategy for all products by 2022
2021
Climate-neutral transport & shipping – from the production facility to the customer.
2022
All VAUDE products are climate neutral.
Our long-standing commitment to climate protection
The degree of climate neutrality that we’ve currently achieved doesn’t go far enough. We’re not satisfied with just making compensation payments. That’s why we are also investing an amount equal to what we spend on compensation into the continuous reduction of our emissions.
In doing so, we are setting clear priorities: In order to increase our climate protection, we are reducing our marketing budget by half a million euros and investing the money in the climate neutrality of our products. After all, our planet’s climate comes before our profits.
We are guided here by the principles of the circular economy. The use of renewable raw materials and recycled materials conserve fossil resources and significantly reduces CO2 emissions in material production.
Responsible use instead of waste: Green Shape products are made of eco-friendly materials and, thanks to the bluesign® system, are manufactured in an energy and resource-saving way: without hazardous substances. Instead of petroleum-based materials, we focus in particular on climate-friendly alternatives such as recycled materials and natural materials such as hemp and organic cotton as well as bioplastics.
Reducing emissions - in all areas
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 2025, two thirds of our products already consist of more than 90% 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.
We have committed ourselves to significantly reducing our emissions on a global scale using science-based targets (Science Based Targets) in order to minimize our environmental footprint and make a measurable contribution to mitigating climate change. We fully offset all unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions with a certified climate protection project.
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.