Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Our approach to sustainable solutions

• Energy:

  Since 2010, all our premises have been heated exclusively with district heating from biogas plants.

  In addition to energy crops, manure and organic waste produced in agriculture and the agricultural industry, which would otherwise remain unused, are also used in the production of biogas.
   

  We cover our electricity supply with photovoltaics and green electricity from 100% renewable energies.

  Our employees are trained in saving electricity and using radiators efficiently.

• Materials:

  Our company mainly uses materials from Germany and other European countries. We manufacture most of the components used in our parasols ourselves at our production facility in Uttenweiler. This allows us to reduce transport distances and secure jobs in Germany and Europe.

  The parasol frames are made from fully recyclable aluminium, and the raw material we use already consists of 50-70% recycled aluminium. 

  Powder coating the parasol frames gives them a high level of corrosion protection and mechanical strength. 
   

  All connecting parts are made of steel or stainless steel. This means we use a highly recyclable material and improve the stability and durability of the parasols.

  A small proportion of the components used are made of POM (polyacetal), which offers high strength, hardness and rigidity across a wide temperature range, resulting in a long service life and high UV resistance. 

  We use two different fabrics for the covers of our parasols. 

  • Acrylic fabric – certified according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and DIN 50001 for energy management
  • Polyester fabric – certified in accordance with EU Regulation REACH and DIN 50001 for energy management

  All of the above materials and measures have a decisive influence on the longevity of our parasols, which in turn has a positive effect on sustainability.   

  As with our umbrella materials, we also ensure that our ground fixings are produced in an environmentally friendly and resource-efficient manner.

  Our company is constantly on the lookout for new and optimised materials. For example, we closely monitor the market for new developments such as recycled alternative fabrics. The idea is to weave old fabric fibres or surplus fibres from the production process into new textiles.
   

• Packaging:

  We have reduced the use of plastic in our packaging by approximately 80% and primarily rely on cardboard and wood. A large proportion of the cardboard delivered to us is converted into environmentally friendly filling and padding material using a cardboard perforator/shredder, which is used for shipping our goods.

  We mainly use hard carton boxes as outer packaging for our parasols. More sturdy wooden boxes are used for overseas shipments in freight containers.
   

• Vehicle fleet (company mobility management):

  Since 2019, we have converted 50% of our vehicle fleet to electric vehicles. In the foreseeable future, we would like to convert the majority of our vehicle fleet to sustainable mobility.
   

• Digitalisation:

  Save paper through digitisation. Measures such as digitally stored documents and electronic invoices, online communication (via email) and the provision of customer information that can be accessed online all contribute to this.

• Disposal:

  Our company proceeds as follows:

  1. Waste prevention

  2. Preparation for reuse

  3. Recycling

  4. If point 3 is not possible: proper disposal