CLIMATE-NEUTRAL COLLECTION FROM 2022
We are once again taking on a pioneering role in terms of sustainability and are making our HAKRO collection climate-neutral from 1 January 2022. We have been proactively committed to sustainability and environmental protection for many years. To this end, we are avoiding and reducing our CO2 emissions worldwide and offsetting them where avoidance is not yet possible. This makes us the first corporate wear provider to be completely climate-neutral - from raw materials to delivery to our authorised retail partners.‘Climate change is one of the biggest threats of our time and the textile industry is making a significant contribution to this development,’ says Managing Director Carmen Kroll. ‘Our goal must be to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. At HAKRO, we want to prove that this is possible and are looking for solutions that really make a difference. Making our entire collection climate-neutral is the next logical step in our holistic climate protection strategy and I am proud that we have decided to do so.’ As part of our climate protection strategy, we pursue the triad of calculating, reducing and offsetting. To make our collection climate-neutral, we first analysed the carbon footprint of our products along the entire supply chain. We followed the ‘cradle-to-customer plus waste’ approach, which means that all emissions released by raw materials, transport, production, packaging, recycling and recovery at the end of a product's life cycle were taken into account. We were supported in this by ClimatePartner, the leading provider of climate protection solutions for companies, with whom we have been working since 2017.ClimatePartner carried out precise calculations of our CO2 emissions for us in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the leading standard for preparing greenhouse gas balances. In the next step, we offset the unavoidable emissions by investing in forest protection in Brazil - a climate protection project certified in accordance with the Verified Carbon Standard + Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standard (VCS + CCBS Gold Level) and designed to last at least 40 years. The CO2 calculation also gives us the opportunity to identify further reduction potential along our value chain and thus gradually reduce the emissions from our collection. Avoidance and reduction approaches that have already been implemented include the gradual switch to sustainable or recycled fibres, the elimination or reduction of packaging materials, the increased use of renewable energies in the supply chain and, in a pilot project, even the use of sustainable biofuels for the transport of goods by sea.Our aim for the future is to expand our CO2 emissions reduction processes and thus offset less and less. To this end, we will localise even more emissions hot spots by recording primary data even more precisely and reduce them through direct interventions. Our site in Schrozberg has been able to call itself climate-neutral since 2017 thanks to its self-sufficiency in green electricity, a comprehensive energy management system with battery storage, a combined heat and power plant fuelled by biogas and a gradual switch to a combustion-free vehicle fleet.‘With our commitment to climate protection, we would also like to motivate you, dear specialist retailers, to support our chosen path and also pay attention to your carbon footprint,’ says Carmen Kroll. ‘In this way, we can all make a joint contribution to achieving the 1.5 degree target. Join us on the path to a more sustainable future - for you, your customers and our environment.’ Because this is how we can make our contribution to the 1.5 degree target together.
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COLLABORATION INSTEAD OF COMPETITION
When it comes to sustainability, the players in the textile industry often face the same challenges, and yet every company and every brand often goes it alone and tries to master the challenges themselves. ‘However, we can achieve a much greater impact through dialogue, collaboration and co-creation,’ says Jochen Schmidt, Head of Quality, Values & Sustainability at HAKRO. In order to increase its clout, the Quality, Values & Sustainability division has organised a unique event concept - the IMPACT Barcamp. The innovative event took place for the first time on 20 and 21 October in the new showroom at HAKRO in Schrozberg, which is also the company's communication centre. Among the guests: around 40 sustainability managers from textile companies in the fashion and outdoor sectors as well as standard setters and solution providers such as Fair Wear, Cotton made in Africa and GoBlu. Under the motto ‘Action through Co-Creation’, the IMPACT Barcamp called for active participation. In contrast to traditional, pre-structured events, the agenda was jointly designed by all participants based on their current topics and interests. The only thing that was fixed at the beginning was the overarching theme of ‘sustainability in the textile industry’ - and the desire to make a difference together. ‘Learning from each other, sharing challenges, being inspired by new perspectives, discovering different and new paths together, thinking creatively and creating success together - all of this was at the centre of our first HAKRO IMPACT Barcamp,’ says a delighted Anna Rüchardt from the Quality, Values & Sustainability department at HAKRO. The first day was dedicated entirely to getting to know each other. After a welcome in the showroom and a brief introduction to the barcamp idea, a joint dinner and an exchange at the cocktail bar invited participants to deepen their contacts. The next morning, there was a call for active participation and the joint agenda was planned. The result: 16 sessions spread throughout the day on various challenges and issues. For example, one session was dedicated to traceability and transparency in supply chains, while another session focussed on the topic of seals and standards, while the parallel sessions dealt with greenwashing in sustainability communication and the search for the right way to deal with interfaces between the sustainability department, sales and marketing. After an exciting day of brainstorming, discussions and constructive exchange, the IMPACT Barcamp came to an end with dinner and a cosy get-together at the in-house Harry's Bar. ‘Admittedly, we were very nervous at the beginning about whether a barcamp was the right event format and how it would be received by our sustainability colleagues,’ recalls Jochen Schmidt. But the consistently positive feedback from the participants (‘Inspiring format, mind-blowing, mega!’) wiped away any concerns. ‘The IMPACT Barcamp was a real enrichment for all of us! We are delighted with the cheerful atmosphere and the new impulses that we were able to develop together. After the positive response, we can well imagine continuing the barcamp next year,’ adds Anna Rüchardt.
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MADE IN BANGLADESH
Our HAKRO sustainability management is a top priority for us. The fact that this does not go unnoticed is also shown by the growing attention from outside. HAKRO therefore received a request to write an article for the Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences' publication “Sustainable Consumption”. Naturally, HAKRO accepted the offer and handed it over to the HAKRO Quality, Values & Sustainability team. We are now delighted that the book with our contribution ‘Made in Bangladesh - and proud of it’ can be found in Part IV of ‘Best Practices - Sustainable Corporate Management’ on pages 455 to 471.On around 1000 pages, the volume published by Springer Verlag provides a holistic view of the topic of ‘sustainable consumption’. It shows that economic decisions can no longer be made solely on the basis of price, quality and service. However, not only the consumption of private households is recognised as an important lever for sustainable change, but also public procurement practices. In addition to the chapter on HAKRO, the volume includes numerous other practical examples from companies such as VAUDE, Würth, Lidl and dm. The aim of the book is to provide a conceptual basis for sustainable consumption decisions. It is aimed at practitioners, scientists and students. Our article is all about the question of whether textile companies can actually continue to produce in Bangladesh. Even though the challenges facing the textile sector in terms of sustainability were well known, the catastrophic collapse of the Rana Plaza textile factory in April 2013 was a turning point in the perception of consumers and the textile industry. The country is associated with unsafe and inhumane working conditions. We answer why withdrawing from Bangladesh is not a solution for us. Because we believe that we can only make a difference on the ground by helping to shape and tackle things ourselves. So it's not a question of if, but how. The example of our production partner in Dhaka shows that sustainable textile production is also possible in Bangladesh. We have been working with them on a basis of trust for over 20 years and they are part of the HAKRO family. We are united by shared values and the same desire to find sustainable solutions. Through recognised certifications with annual audits such as GOTS, Fair Wear Foundation and Bangladesh Accord, we ensure that environmental and social standards are adhered to. The perspective of independent third parties helps us to tackle improvements in sustainability measures and provides further enriching suggestions. Where we are not yet able to achieve a satisfactory result, such as on the issue of living wages, we work with interim solutions: Donations in kind benefit the employees and their families. We also support them with healthcare through our FriendShare solidarity fundThe conclusion of our contribution is that we would like to achieve much more in Bangladesh. We also describe the small and arduous steps that we and other companies can take to achieve great things together.
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LAMMSBRÄUER SUSTAINABILITY AWARD 2021
Our goal is to become the most sustainable provider of corporate wear. We realise this aspiration in all our business decisions and pursue this goal with the highest priority. We were delighted when our extraordinary commitment was rewarded with something special on 23 September: We received the Lammsbräuer Sustainability Award in the ‘Family-run company’ category for 2021.This important prize was awarded for the 20th time in the six categories ‘Media professionals’, ‘NPO’, ‘Sustainable business model innovation’, ‘Driver of the circular economy’, ‘Outstanding commitment’ and ‘Family-run company’. All award winners are characterised by their commitment to sustainability on an ecological, social, economic and cultural level. The high-ranking jury for the prestigious sustainability award consisted of seven sustainability experts from the fields of business, science and the environment. We convinced the jury with our holistic sustainability management, which we have been implementing since 2015 in the five areas of corporate governance, products, employees, environment and commitment. Numerous certifications and seals attest to our continuous commitment and have accompanied us ever since. These include the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), Bangladesh Accord and UN Global Compact. Values such as cohesion, fairness and loyalty are firmly anchored in all our divisions and are practised in our daily dealings with employees, partners and customers.The decisive factor for the jury was above all our critical and analytical view, which is necessary to successfully implement sustainability. The HAKRO ‘Sustainability Report 2019’, for example, not only records progress and goals, but also documents the need to catch up. Constantly reviewing, rethinking and realigning the next steps is essential for us. ‘We are very proud to have won this important sustainability award,’ adds Jochen Schmidt, HAKRO Head of the Quality, Values & Sustainability team. After being nominated for the German Sustainability Award 2018 and being ranked among the top 10 best sustainability reports in 2018, the award is another nice confirmation of our commitment. What makes us particularly happy is that we did not actively apply for the award, but rather were nominated for this prestigious prize.
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FORWARD-LOOKING SIGNAL: HAKRO GOES FAIR WEAR FOUNDATION
We have been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation since 1 January 2021, taking the next big step on our consistent path towards even greater sustainability. The Fair Wear Foundation brings together local partners in production countries, associations, NGOs and textile companies from various sectors. The common goal: innovative solutions and a sustainable improvement in working conditions in textile production.With our membership, we are once again emphasising our claim to be one of the most sustainable suppliers in our industry. We want to produce high-quality and particularly durable textiles for our customers - while ensuring the highest possible ecological and social standards. By becoming a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, we are committed to the highest social standards - both for the employees of our production partners abroad and for the 175 employees at our site in Schrozberg.As part of our membership, we have signed the strict Fair Wear Code of Conduct. This formulates eight criteria for fair working conditions, which we have made our goal. These include: living wages, reasonable working hours, safe working conditions and a clear no to child labour. Fair working conditions have always been a top priority for us. By joining the Fair Wear Foundation, we are delighted to have a partner at our side who supports us with their experience and network in taking the next step in our supply chain management.Incidentally, the Fair Wear Foundation audits HAKRO's sustainability management in an annual Brand Performance Check. The co-operation with our production partners, our joint measures on site and everything we do at our company headquarters in Schrozberg are scrutinised in detail.
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GREEN BUTTON FOR COLLECTION LINE ORGANIC
Whether Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Alliance for Sustainable Textiles, Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), Bangladesh Accord or UN Global Compact - at HAKRO we can already point to a whole range of certificates and seals. These are all testimony to our consistent and comprehensive sustainability strategy. Since March, this has also included the Green Button seal, for which certain state-defined criteria and high environmental and social standards must be met. It is the first government sustainability seal for textiles and has been awarded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) since 2019.Our T-shirts and polo shirts from the Organic collection line had to fulfil 26 criteria on the product side in order to receive the seal. What is important in this context is that the Green Button is verified using existing, generally recognised and credible certifications such as the GOTS seal. In addition, 20 criteria were tested with regard to our company-specific management practice, risk analysis and sustainability strategy. Because, unlike the GOTS label, the label does not cover the entire supply chain in its introductory phase until the end of June 2021, but only the last two processing steps (dyeing/bleaching and cutting/sewing), we discussed the added value of the Green Button internally for a long time. After all, the majority of our products are dyed, bleached, cut and sewn in the same GOTS-certified production facilities under the same GOTS-certified working conditions as our GOTS-certified Organic collection line. Paradoxically, however, these textiles are not allowed to carry the Green Button due to their lack of GOTS certification.Nevertheless, we at HAKRO see great potential in the Green Button as an overarching government seal and an important signal for more transparency in the supply chains. As a certified company, we feel encouraged in our commitment to sustainability and would like to play a constructive role in the future development process of the new Green Button label and play a decisive role in shaping it.
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