Eco-friendly production
Labels and standards that certify the resource-efficient use of materials, improved chemical management, low water consumption or reduced CO2 emissions, etc.
As a fashion and lifestyle brand we aim to win our customers over again and again every day by serving them as a host, attracting them and inspiring them. To achieve this, we are bold and committed to finding new paths to forge together. This is what makes us a reliable and innovative company and partner for our customers and our employees.
For over one hundred years, we have been taking on responsibility as a member of society and actively helping to shape our environment. We are conscious of the impact of our actions beyond the boundaries of our company. For this reason, we engage continuously with social and environmental issues and include them in our decision-making processes. In doing so, we are guided by the traditional values of a family-owned company: trust, respect, tolerance, openness, responsibility, performance orientation and recognition.
Our fields of action
It is precisely because of these values, which are deeply rooted in the company, that we feel it is our duty to contribute to a sustainable textile and consumer goods industry. In concrete terms we have defined four fields of action that represent the vision of our sustainability strategy.
An open exchange and dialogue with our customers, employees, suppliers and partners in the community is of the utmost importance to us. That is why we would like to provide you with information about our sustainability strategy and show you what we are doing in our fields of action and what we want to achieve. Through regular contact, we stay informed about what is important to our stakeholders – and how we can adapt our strategy. As part of this process, it is important for us to be transparent when reporting the results achieved.
![[Translate to Englisch:] Breuninger und Materialien](/fileadmin/_processed_/4/a/csm_materialien_emotional_997387ff5a.png)
Breuninger and
materials
materials
Breuninger and
people
people
Breuninger and
environment
environment
Breuninger and
community
community
Breuninger and materials
We offer our customers a comprehensive range of high-quality products made from a wide variety of materials which are sourced from all over the world. We are aware that some of these materials are not only sought-after, but are also controversial and the subject of critical public debate. We recognise the dilemmas that arise and take this as an opportunity to clearly acknowledge our responsibility in this regard. Together with partners in our supply chains we work hard to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of products and production processes. We strive to always offer our customers the more sustainable product variant, provided this is possible with at least the same quality and is economically viable.
We are also committed to promoting sustainable materials across our entire range even more strongly in the future. Cotton is the most important fibre in our product portfolio. However, conventionally grown cotton is problematic for the environment and for the people involved in its production and neighbouring communities due to the high water and land consumption, and the use of large amounts of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. In future, all of our own-brand products will therefore be made of 100% sustainable cotton. . Our goal is that in the next few years a large proportion of the products in our range will meet at least one sustainability certification. In addition, treating animals with dignity is close to our hearts. For this reason, we have published our own animal welfare policy. Besides the exclusion of real fur, angora wool and exotic leather, we have adopted further strict goals in this policy. Our animal welfare policy applies to our own brands as well as to the range of our external brands. With a view to making our entire range progressively more sustainable, Breuninger will increasingly use sustainability labels for all external brands in the future. Our goal is that in the next few years a large proportion of the products in our range will meet at least one sustainability certification.
Our goals and achievements
Since 2020, Breuninger excluded products made of angora wool, exotic leather and real fur from its entire range.
Since 2021, Breuninger is a member of the Fur Free Retailer programme.
Since 2021, we published our first own animal welfare policy.
By2025, all Breuninger brand products will be made of 100% sustainable cotton.
Ongoing, more and more products in our entire range will meet at least one of our valid sustainability certifications.
Breuninger and people
The people who work for and with Breuninger every day are the foundation of our success. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority, which is why we work every day to maintain and improve our first-class service. Without the skills and dedication of our employees, this success would not be possible. That’s why we strive to create the best possible working environment in which our employees feel comfortable, are able to develop and are appreciated. This also applies to the people who work in our supply chain. We are therefore committed to fair working conditions and to health and safety in the companies of our business partners and suppliers.
Our goal is a long-term and transparent relationship with all the people, such as employees, suppliers, service providers and partners, who work with and for Breuninger. This requires not only a trusting relationship, but also compliance with a catalogue of requirements. Breuninger defines this within the framework of its purchasing guidelines and the Breuninger Responsible Sourcing Policy, which is currently being developed. The Responsible Sourcing Policy defines principles for suppliers and business partners to ensure that all products are manufactured in an ethical, socially responsible and environmentally conscious way. In future, the policy will apply to all direct business partners and suppliers who supply products under Breuninger’s own brands or parts thereof and it will become an integral part of all supplier contracts.
Our goals and achievements
Since 2021, we have a Code of Conduct and make it a binding part of all supplier contracts of the Breuninger brands.
Onoing, Education and training have always been a major component of our DNA. Our targeted talent management programmes help to promote the individual strengths of our employees.
Breuninger and environment
In order to provide our customers with the product range and shopping experience they wish for – both in-store and online – we need resources. The focus here is on our energy consumption, the waste we produce and the emissions generated by our buildings and by logistics and transport. We take climate protection seriously and are therefore constantly working to reduce our harmful impact and hence to contribute to a healthier environment.
To reduce our CO2 emissions in the medium and long term and to conserve natural resources, we are continuously looking for new opportunities. When it comes to reducing CO2 emissions, our main focus is on the areas where we can exert the greatest influence: our transport and properties. We have set ourselves the goal of making online orders and internal transport carbon neutral over the next few years. In order to focus on saving resources and reducing waste, we want to increase the use of natural and/or recycled as well as recyclable materials in our procurement process. We have made it our mission always to choose the most sustainable alternative because the closest solution is not always the most sustainable. Consequently, we switched to a new, climate-neutral bubble wrap in December 2021. This bubble wrap is made of up to 70% recycled household waste and is itself fully recyclable. We are also working on sustainable new solutions for our product wrapping, in order to reduce our overall consumption of resources.
Our goals and achievements
Since 2021, Breuninger has been using sustainable, recycled and recyclable bubble wrap to protect sensitive products in transit.
By 2022, all orders in the online shop will be delivered in a carbon neutral manner.
By 2025, Breuninger will focus on carbon neutral delivery for all its internal transportation.
By 2025, all properties under Breuninger’s control will be carbon neutral.
By 2025, Breuninger will have eliminated the use of plastic as far as possible: single-use plastic will no longer be used and outer packagings will be 100% plastic-free.
Ongoing, we will continue to avoid the use of printed material in all our ordering and delivery processes.
Breuninger and community
We see ourselves as part of the local community – at all our locations. We want to be a reliable partner for our immediate surroundings, a partner that strengthens society through social commitment and actively contributes to a liveable city with a high amenity value.
Our commitment to sustainability also extends to the region and its residents. We are in close contact with local community foundations at several locations, support numerous projects and actively involve our employees in these projects. Through targeted measures, we aim to contribute to an infrastructure that promotes sustainability and supports projects and people in the region. The greatest influence we can exert here is through our own properties and our procurement processes. For example, we are focusing on the development of charging stations for cars and e-bikes in our car parks. By increasing the use of seasonal and regional products in our catering services, we are supporting farmers from the region.
Our goals and achievements
By 2022, we will offer residents and customers charging stations for cars and e-bikes in all our car parks.
Ongoing, we will continue our focus on regional and seasonal products in our catering services.
Ongoing, we will continue to work together with several community foundations and strengthen social cohesion at our locations through civic engagement.
Which products does Breuninger label as sustainable?
Products that contribute to a sustainable textile and consumer goods industry are labelled as sustainable in our online shop. For labelling, at least one of the following two requirements must be met:
The standards and certifications accepted by Breuninger as well as the partner-specific sustainability labels of the brands fulfil one or more of the following sustainability criteria:
Animal welfare at Breuninger
Breuninger accepts responsibility for ensuring animal welfare and protecting biodiversity in the procurement and production of its product range. The fundamental cornerstone of our efforts is our Animal Welfare Policy, which we are continuously refining.
Sustainability in the Breuninger divisions
Sustainable products in the online shop
Brands for a more sustainable future
Fashionable and sustainable, ecological and fair: more and more brands have taken up the cause of sustainability in very different ways.
In our editorial, we present brands that are setting standards by using new materials, environmentally friendly processes and resource-saving working methods.
Whether they work in fashion, sport, beauty or shoes: discover our selection of sustainable brands that are committed to taking a responsible approach to nature and a greener future.
Contact
How can we help you?
We only want the best for our customers, that’s why your questions and comments are so important to us!
A variety of questions pile up on a regular basis. So that you can find information quickly and easily, we have compiled some of our most frequently asked questions below.
If you have any questions that are not answered by the FAQs, then please do get in touch.
You can contact us here and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
FAQs
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions.
Does Breuninger have sustainable brands in its range?
Breuninger continuously addresses social and ecological issues and incorporates them into its (product range) decision-making process. At Breuninger, sustainable products are labelled at item level, not at brand level. Whilst this approach requires more work, it allows us to ensure that we can tansparently communicate our stringent product requirements.
What criteria does Breuninger use to label sustainable products?
We are committed to transparency and trustworthiness. We have therefore decided to label sustainable products based on strong and meaningful certifications that are awarded independently of Breuninger. A detailed overview can be found here.
How can I identify sustainable products at Breuninger?
Both in our online shop and on our sales floors in-store, you can identify sustainable products by their labelling. In the online shop, these products are marked with a sustainability flag in the top left corner of the product image. In our stores, uniformly designed display rails and product displays will indicate the sustainability of a product. Our trained sales staff will also be happy to advise you.
Is a product with a sustainability label really sustainable?
Products labelled as sustainable by Breuninger comply with at least one of the sustainability certifications that we classify as relevant. Some labels only look at a part of the production and supply chains concerned. Nevertheless, in our opinion, these certified products stand out for their efforts to make a sustainable difference.
What does Breuninger’s social commitment look like?
Breuninger sees itself as part of the local community – at all of its locations. We want to be a reliable partner for our immediate surroundings, a partner that strengthens society through social commitment. As a corporate citizen, we support various community foundations at some of our locations with expertise, communication, human resources and also provide financial support. We also support a large number of social and cultural organisations.
Does Breuninger publish a sustainability report?
No. Breuninger is under no legal obligation to report on non-financial topics. Needless to say, we continuously consider the impact of our actions on the environment and society, and pool the resources available to us when implementing sustainability measures.
Is Breuninger committed to animal welfare?
Yes, we care deeply about animal welfare and conservation. We are conscious of the responsibility that we share with the fashion industry to ensure animal welfare and to protect biodiversity in the supply chain when procuring animal derived materials. As well as participating in the international “Fur-Free Retailer” program, we ensure the humane treatment of animals through our Animal Welfare Policy. With this policy, we exclude the use of highly critical animal derived materials, promote the use of alternative materials, where possible, and ensure that minimum welfare standards are met for all other non-textile materials of animal origin. For example, we reject materials obtained through live plucking – as well as the use of angora wool, fur or exotic leather. Breuninger has also set itself strict goals to reduce the use of animal derived materials that are sourced from sheep using the practice of mulesing.
Why is Breuninger a member of the Fur Free Retailer programme and what does it stand for?
By joining the Fur Free Retailer programme, we want to make an important contribution to responsible and sustainable consumer behaviour. Breuninger therefore advocates an end to the breeding and killing of animals for fur. The Fur Free Retailer programme is an initiative of the Fur Free Alliance (FFA), helping customers to find fashion items that are guaranteed to be free of fur.
Does Breuninger have a Code of Conduct?
To minimise ecological and social risks in our supply chain, we have created a Code of Conduct for our business relationships. By specifying this Code of Conduct, Breuninger has set non-negotiable minimum standards that serve as the basis for all future deliveries. The Code of Conduct applies to social, ecological and ethical aspects of the supply chain and is based on national laws and regulations as well as international conventions. Our contractual partners are obligated to fulfil the requirements of the Code of Conduct and to make every effort to oblige their subcontractors contractually to do the same.
Is Breuninger a responsible employer?
We are proud to have created a work environment where our employees feel at ease, have opportunities for professional development and are treated with respect. As an employer, Breuninger attaches great importance to equal treatment and employee appreciation. Accordingly, opportunities for training and further training are an important part of our DNA. Our targeted Talent Management Programs promote the individual strengths of our workforce.