- In the new sustainability report, the family company provides information about its activities in 2021
- Long product life ensures more sustainable management
- Schöffel wins the renowned Outdoor.Markt Trophy for sustainability
- Stefan Merkt, CEO of Schöffel SPORT: “For us, sustainability is not a trend that needs to be served, it is deeply anchored in the philosophy of the seventh-generation family business.”
Schwabmunchen. June 2, 2022. Schöffel has documented further progress for sustainable management. In the new Sustainability Report 2021 (https://www.schoeffel.com/de/de/sustainability), in addition to the transparency of the production conditions, the main focus is on the lifespan of the clothing and the reduction of CO2 emissions. At Schöffel, longevity is a process that is firmly anchored in all areas of product development, starting with the selection of materials, quality assurance and product design through to repairs in the in-house service factory. The close interaction of these departments is essential, because wearing clothing for a long time can effectively reduce the ecological footprint of products with complex manufacturing.
Stefan Merkt, CEO of Schöffel SPORT: “Sustainability is the buzzword of our time. However, the conscious interaction with people and nature has always shaped the corporate core of Schöffel. For us, sustainability is not a trend that needs to be catered for, rather it is deeply anchored in the philosophy of our seventh-generation family business. Every goal achieved is followed by a new one, because we as a company see sustainability as a continuous improvement process.”
Schöffel has set itself ambitious targets for reducing emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2. The company aims to cut CO2 emissions by half by 2030. In addition, it aims to become climate-neutral by 2025, including the supply chain.
2 Schöffel therefore prepares a CO2 balance sheet every year in cooperation with the climate protection consultancy ClimatePartner. With the help of this data, a climate protection strategy with concrete measures for product development, transport and logistics is developed in order to achieve the desired goals.
In order to make the supply chains even more transparent, Schöffel worked for the first time with the University of Augsburg and the IHK Augsburg on what is known as supply chain mapping. As a result, customers can easily and visually appealingly track the origin of Schöffel products on the company website, both at company and product level.
Schöffel recently raised the topic of sustainability to a new level and will use the echo label to document the claim of the traditional company: the four letters stand for the topics of environment, community, humanity and opportunity, i.e. responsibility for the environment and climate, the power of a strong community, humanity and the opportunity to move lasting change. The company’s efforts were also recently supported by the industry experts at Outdoor.
market appreciated. The jury awarded Schöffel the renowned Outdoor.Markt Trophy as the best in the industry in the sustainability category, thereby honoring the continued progress in the areas of environmental and climate protection, social issues and improved product properties and services.
The latest example of innovative sustainability approaches is the Schöffel CIRC Pants Loop: the outdoor pants made entirely of polyester are completely recyclable.
The fabric and the production waste are fed into the circular economy, which means that a new pair of trousers can be made from the same material over and over again.
The four pillars of sustainability
Schöffel’s sustainability strategy is fundamentally based on four pillars, which are also reflected in the report: social, environmental, product and sustainable services. The social area relates to the implementation of fair working conditions in the production facilities and includes cooperation with the independent non-governmental organization Fair Wear Foundation.
Schöffel has been working with Fair Wear for more than ten years and last year achieved the organization’s leader status for the seventh time in a row. The Product area aims for products that are as long-lasting and resource-saving as possible in terms of sustainability.
The area of sustainable services includes 3 the work of the Schöffel Service Factory, which refurbishes used or damaged items of clothing and thus increases their lifespan even further.
About Schöffel
Schöffel Sportbekleidung GmbH, based in Schwabmünchen in Bavaria, is one of the leading companies for outdoor, ski and bike clothing in the German-speaking region. The Schöffel name has stood for quality, reliability and innovation for more than 200 years. Founded in 1804 and now run by Peter Schöffel in the seventh generation, the family business, which is the oldest manufacturer of outdoor clothing in the world, employs more than 200 people. With the claim I’m out. the brand underlines its claim as high-quality clothing for ambitious outdoor athletes who like to spend their free time in nature and are looking for first-class, reliable premium clothing. Sustainable and social management both in our own company and at our production partners worldwide is part of the Schöffel DNA. The company is a member of the Fair Wear Foundation and has held Fair Wear Leader status for seven years, which demonstrates a particularly high level of social commitment. Schöffel is also a member of the Alliance for Sustainable Textiles and a Bluesign system partner. www.schoeffel.com