OUR RESPONSIBILITY
For a greener future.
Why we need to think about tomorrow today.
Climate change affects us all - and presents us at ROHDE with the additional challenge of shaping the footwear industry of the future without causing even more damage to our planet in the process. As a traditional company, we at ROHDE have been cultivating a high quality standard for over 150 years, which ensures the longevity of our shoes. Sustainability has always been rooted in our corporate philosophy and is very close to our hearts. And yet we are aware that we must always create new innovations in order to become even more sustainable. That's why we're constantly working to reduce our impact on the environment so we can give something back to nature. Find out here what we are doing to realize our vision of a greener future.
Our company is carbon neutral.
In cooperation with ClimatePartner, we have calculated our greenhouse gas emissions, are continuously reducing them, and have offset the remaining emissions through recognized climate protection projects. Therefore, we are a climate neutral company, also retroactively for the years 2020 and 2021. For this, we have implemented the following 3 steps and update them regularly:
1. Calculate
First, we calculated the Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) of our company and thus our climate-damaging emissions. This includes our annual consumption of heat, electricity and water, as well as business travel and the journeys made by our employees. This data was divided into 3 categories, so-called scopes, based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG). These distinguish between direct, self-controlled emissions; indirect, purchased energy; and indirect, upstream and downstream emissions.
3. Compensate
But reduction measures alone are not enough. There will always be emissions left over that we cannot currently avoid. That's why we invest in offset projects that work on sustainable ways to save or minimize greenhouse gases. In this way, we consistently offset exactly the amount of CO₂ emissions that we have consumed. Offsetting is an important step in holistic climate protection: It promotes sustainable development in the countries of the global South so that progress does not have to be based solely on fossil energies.
Our climate protection projects:
We have selected the following offset projects to compensate for our CO₂ emissions. They comply with the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and make an important contribution to achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals.
Wind energy in northeastern Brazil
This climate protection project involves the construction and operation of 14 new wind farms to supply residents with renewable electricity. Since the energy is generated from wind and without fossil fuels, it is considered emission-free and thus makes an important contribution to environmental sustainability.
Made in Europe
We believe that sustainability is determined not only by resource-saving production processes, but also by high-quality materials, timeless designs and the longevity of the products. Our shoes are designed in Germany and manufactured in Europe. With geographically close suppliers and materials that come entirely from Europe, we ensure the shortest possible transport routes in the production and processing of our shoes. In this way, we keep the resulting CO₂ emissions as low as possible.
Production and materials
BIn the selection of our materials as well as in the production of our shoes, we pay attention to the highest standards and regular controls that can guarantee a sustainable, environmentally friendly and socially responsible production. Our partners are therefore guided in the manufacturing process by specific requirements such as those of ISO 14001, the REACH Regulation or Cads (Cooperation for Assured Defined Standards in Footwear and Leather Goods Products e.V.).
Leather Working Group
The majority of the tanneries and traders from which we source our leather are certified by the LWG (Leather Working Group). The LWG is a global non-profit organization whose work focuses on the environmental impact of leather production and ensuring it is more transparent. This includes, among other things, ensuring that no potentially critical substances are used. To do this, LWG has developed an audit protocol for sustainable and responsible leather production.
Sustainable materials
We take care to use as many renewable raw materials as possible. For example, the deep footbeds of our SUNNYS are made of natural cork, a natural recycled material obtained from the bark layer of cork oaks from Portugal. For production, we also use regenerative natural rubber from the bark sap of rubber trees instead of synthetic latex.
The soles of our sustainable GREENYS are made from partially recycled rubber. They also include models whose felt uppers are made of 50% recycled wool.
For summer 2023, we are already working on an expanded vegan line of our shoes.
Environmentally friendly adhesives
In the production of our shoes, we mainly use vegan adhesives that are free of animal components (such as glutin or casein). They are also water-soluble and free of solvents. We are working hard to eliminate the small amount of solvent-based adhesives.
Recycled packaging
Our shoe boxes are made from 100% recycled material and printed with water-based inks. This makes them reusable and recyclable.
