German

Many things are easier when you have partners to work with. Therefore Karstadt does not work on its own in its sustainability strategies, but has found renowned and competent partners for a variety of projects.

Karstadt received competent and proficient support by the German Federal Environment Agency in the following campaigns:

  • "1. Klasse Schulsachen" ('First grade school articles') 
  • Das könnt Ihr für die Umwelt tun! Clever durch alle Klassen ('This is what you can do for the environment! Clever in all grades')
  • Climate protection guide: "Wer will denn schon im Treibhaus wohnen" ('Who wants to live in a greenhouse in the first place')
  • Environmental awareness colouring book: "Unterwegs mit Clemens Clever" ('A day with Clemens Clever')
  • Video "BIOlogisch"('Of course organic!'): Enjoying natural products at Karstadt, Hertie and Wertheim

Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH

Since 2003, campaigns lasting several weeks have been held in three stores annually with competent support from the EnergyEfficiency initiative ('EnergieEffizienz'). The initiative is sponsored by the German Energy Agency (dena) and the companies of the energy sector E.ON AG, EnBW AG, RWE AG and Vattenfall Europe AG, and it is also supported by the German Ministry for Economics and Technology.

The aim of this co-operation is to develop energy efficiency potentials in the field of electricity use in private households in order to achieve a reduction of CO2 emissions in the private sector.

German Association for Environment and Nature Conservation

TransFair is an initiative promoting fair trade with the developing world. The organisation awards a seal to importers who buy their raw goods according to the TransFair guidelines. These guidelines include for instance minimum prices, which are above the price level on the world market - the additional returns are used to improve the living and working conditions in the producer cooperatives.
 
TransFair e.V. is sponsored by 40 organisations. The association is financed through membership fees as well as licenses and donations. In order to promote fair trade Karstadt carries out annual campaigns in co-operation with TransFair.

German Environmental Aid Association

The initiative for the use of recycled paper 'Pro Recyclingpapier' promotes the use of environmentally friendly produced - and thus resource-saving - paper. In the face of the drastically increased demand on the one hand and the continuing deforestation of the rain forests on the other hand, the future potential of recycled paper has by no means been exhausted yet.

Therefore, in 2000 the initiative was founded as a cross-industry community of interests and regards itself as a contact address, initiator and a facilitator. Karstadt is a founding member of this initiative.

Moreover, Karstadt is a member of the following different boards for the purpose of achieving acceptance, credibility and to exchange expert knowledge:

  • German Environmental Management Association B.A.U.M.
  • German Packaging Institute (Board)
  • German Packaging Institute and Association of German Packaging Engineers BVDI 
  • German Packaging Museum 
  • German Packaging Competition 
  • Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce DIHK (Ecology Committee)
  • German Institute for Standardization DIN 
  • EHI Retail Institute (Task Force Disposal/Hazardous Material and Hazardous Substance)
  • InWent - Intern. Weiterbildung und Entwicklung 
  • RAL - German Institute for Quality Assurance and Certification 
  • Stiftung Warentest 
  • University of Applied Sciences