4.8 of 5 stars
Since 2020, we’ve been a member of Leaders for Climate Action. The network consists of digital companies that want to make their business more sustainable. Get more info here.
In the recent years, we’ve considerably reduced the amount of advertising materials we produce. We still send out postcards from time to time, but since 2019, we completely stopped sending out our magalog, which contained a mix of editorial articles and advertisements.
For the first time in late spring 2021, bee colonies will move onto our logistics centre in Ergenzingen. In cooperation with Stadtbienen e.V., the bees will be looked after by a local beekeeper. → see also Flower Meadow.
With the help of a company called JobRad, we’re able to offer our employees the opportunity to lease a bike. We’re very happy that many enjoy using this means of transport for their commute to work, as well as in their free time.
Since 2020, it’s become clear that meetings can easily take place online. However, some meetings do need to take place at a partner's location. In this case, we try to choose the most sustainable means of transport possible, such as the train. However, when the travel time is over 5 hours, then it’s also possible to travel by air. With immediate effect, we will replace the combustion engine vehicles in our fleet with alternative drives.
Since 2019, we’ve been preparing annual carbon footprint balance sheets and have been offsetting the emissions generated retroactively to 2006, the year our company was founded. With the help of ClimatePartner, we’re able to record things, such as our energy consumption, the amount of printing paper used and our employees’ commuting time. You can find our current carbon footprint balance sheet here. To offset the resulting emissions, we support environmental protection projects. The projects we support were selected by our employees in 2020. Find more info here. But that’s not all: to reduce our own CO2 footprint, we take on various projects every year, such as our switch to green electricity. More info can be found here.
For some time now, we have been sending our parcels in boxes that come in two sizes. The volume of the boxes is automatically determined based on the contents, and their height is adjusted accordingly. Well over 90% of all orders are sent with significantly less "air", so the trucks can be loaded more efficiently. We're continually working on optimising the carboard boxes for our customers. Our standard boxes are made of almost 100% recycled materials.
A company is climate-neutral when all of its CO2 emissions have been offset. When it comes to greenhouse gases like CO2, it is the overall balance in the atmosphere that is important, which is why the emissions we produce in Germany can be offset by reducing emissions elsewhere. This does not lead to a further increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere→ see Carbon Footprint
This is our partner who helps us prepare our carbon footprint balance sheets → see Carbon Footprint
This is Bergfreunde’s carbon footprint. Since 2019, we’ve been preparing an annual carbon footprint balance sheet and have been offsetting the emissions generated retroactively to 2006, the year our company was founded. To reduce our CO2 footprint, we implement measures every year, such as switching to green electricity. Find more information on our current goals and measures here.
We joined this initiative in 2020. Together with Dopper, we want to ensure that less plastic ends up in the world's oceans. Find more info here.
This is the discharge of greenhouse gases, such as CO2, into the environment. Greenhouse gases can be of natural origin or caused by humans, and they contribute to climate change. We record our CO2 emissions in the annual carbon footprint balance sheet → see Carbon Footprint
They’re the most important part of our company, so we make sure they’re well taken care of. We offer various health services, free drinks, flexible working time models, sports groups and much more.
We almost exclusively use renewable energy. At our Ergenzingen logistics centre, we use 100% green electricity and are also planning on switching to 100% green gas as of 2022. At our administration in Kirchentellinsfurt, we use electricity from our landlord's PV system, which is supplemented by green electricity. For structural reasons, it’s not possible to switch our gas. We offset the emissions caused by the conventional gas with biogas certificates.
For the first time in 2021, a flower meadow will bloom at our Ergenzingen logistics centre. We have sown a bee-friendly flower mixture instead of grass on an approx. 800 sqm field. We’re looking forward to both the blooming flowers and the bees!
→ More info here.
We’ve heard about this too. And that’s exactly why we aim to communicate as transparently as possible about our environmental and climate protection activities. We take our responsibility seriously and want to do our part to protect the environment!
You can find more information here.
When possible, we avoid bringing new plastic sheets or bags into circulation. As a result, we’ve introduced a paper banding machine in our returns department to package products for restocking. Unfortunately, some products still need to be packed in plastic bags for hygienic purposes or because of their sensitive materials. Many of our bags are made of partially recycled materials.
We are constantly working to reduce the amount of printing paper we use. For example, we’re changing some of our internal accounting processes to print out less. We also use Blue Angel-certified recycled paper.
We handle returned products very responsibly. The textiles, shoes and gear that are neither damaged nor soiled are put back into storage and can be purchased once again. We also collect goods with minor defects that don’t limit their functionality in our logistics centre and use them for fundraising campaigns. Only goods with safety-relevant components may need to be destroyed, e.g. a climbing harness.
The SBTi was developed by leading climate and environmental protection organizations, such as the WWF and the UN Global Compact, to support companies on a scientific basis in limiting their emissions. We joined the initiative in 2021.
Our parcels are sent using various service providers in Europe, such as DHL. We’re able to compensate all of our emissions thanks to our carbon footprint balance sheet. For more info → see Carbon Footprint
Our company wants to support people and good ideas both in our region and worldwide. We donate to various associations every year, most of which have been suggested by our employees.
Many products in our online shop are produced under sustainable conditions and are made of certified materials. If you want to know which ones, then click here.
→ Info is available here.
After having taken on our first sustainability projects and having amazing new ideas, it quickly became clear to us that we needed a dedicated team. This topic has to be prioritised and discussed, analyses have to be carried out and projects should be taken on. Some of our colleagues in HR, customer service, marketing and logistics regularly meet and plan the next steps with Matthias, one of our managing directors.
The SDGs are sustainability goals that were adopted in 2015 in the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Find more info here.
At both locations we ensure that the waste generated is disposed of in accordance with the applicable regulations. Our plastic and paper waste from the logistics process is collected by a regional waste disposal company and recycled when possible.
