German

Since the end of 1989 Karstadt has been actively involved in environmental protection. The fundamental principle of the environmental protection work has been the involvement of suppliers, customers and staff, because only in co-operation with them a sustainable environmental protection, that accommodates the concerns of all those involved, can be achieved.

2008

  • 1st place in the industry ranking known as the Pacific Sustainability Index (PSI), California USA. Arcandor, and therefore Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH, is the only corporation with an A+.
  • B.A.U.M.-Lifetime Award (Federal Task Force for Environmentally Aware Management).
  • Inclusion in the Environmental Partnership for the State of Brandenburg.
  • German UNESCO accreditation as an official project within the framework of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development for 2008/2009 for the "Experience Organics! Live Cooking Demonstration events with school classes" project.
  • Inclusion in the Environmental Partnership for the Saarland (this means that Karstadt is represented within all the 9 Federal States).

2007

  • Nationwide four-week campaign for more energy efficient lighting and the return of all illuminants in co-operation with the German Energy Agency (dena), supported by the German Federal Environment Agency, Deutsche Umwelthilfe (German Environmental Aid), the lamp recycler Lightcycle as well as the company Osram
  • Campaign for an ecological start at school in co-operation with the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and Initiative Pro Recyclingpapier including a competition for students regarding the protection of animals ("Tierisch gut") in all stores. Launch event in the Dessau store. The student competition was supported by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the German Wildlife Foundation
  • Nationwide campaign for organic products with a launch event in the Dortmund store
  • Nationwide two-week climate protection campaign to promote energy efficient cooking and lighting in private households with event launch in the Munich store near the station, supported by the German Federal Environment Agency, German Energy Agency (dena) and the manufacturers Fissler and Osram 


2006

  • Nationwide campaign for organic products with a launch event in the store Wertheim Berlin-Steglitz
  • Presentation of prizes in the student competition 2005 by the Minister of the Environment of the state of Lower Saxony Heinrich Sander, the president of the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) Prof. Dr. Andreas Troge, and the editorial director of "ZDF.umwelt" Volker Angres in the Hanover store
  • Acceptance into Umweltpartnerschaft ('Environmental Partnership') of the Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg.
  • Nationwide TransFair weeks with launch event in the Dresden store.
  • Nationwide three-week campaign "Energy efficiency in households" in co-operation with the German Energy Agency (dena)
  • Acceptance into the Environmental Alliance of the state of Saxony
  • Acceptance into the Environmental Alliance of the state of Saxony-Anhalt
  • Acceptance into the Environmental Alliance of the state of Hesse


2005

  • In 2005 the focus of our activities to promote sustainability was again on ecologically friendly school stationery as well as organic and TransFair foods
  • The campaign for ecologically friendly school stationery was integrated into a competition for secondary school, primary school and pre-school students.
  • This competition received some 35,000 entries Furthermore, we have carried out advisory weeks on "Energy Efficiency in Households" in co-operation with the German Energy Agency (dena) in selected stores
  • In the approximately 30 sports goods stores, soccer balls with the TransFair seal become part of the product range offered


2004

  • Acceptance into "partnerschaft umwelt + unternehmen" ('partnership environment + companies') of the state of Bremen
  • Accepted into "Umweltpakt Bayern" (Environmental Pact of Bavaria)
  • Nationwide campaign to promote organic and TransFair foods. Development of video productions on the topic to inform customers and train staff
  • Another information campaign to promote ecologically friendly school stationery together with the co-operation partners German Federal
  • Environment Agency (UBA), BUND and Initiative Pro Recyclingpapier. Mail-out of materials including some 30,000 schools and nationwide public relations campaign


2003

  • Nationwide campaign to promote organic food and fairly traded products
  • Campaign for school beginners: "Das könnt ihr für die Umwelt tun! Clever durch alle Klassen" ('This is what you can do for the environment! Clever throughout all grades')
  • Energy conservation campaign in the field of multimedia together with the German Energy Agency dena - in all stores


2002

  • Nationwide campaign to promote ecological farming


2001

  • Nationwide campaign "Climate protection" to lower private energy consumption
  • Nationwide campaign to promote ecologically produced and fairly traded food
  • Handbook "Umweltbewusst handeln" ("Acting eco-consciously") for heads of training in the stores and Chambers of Trade and Commerce


2000

  • Nationwide campaign "1. Klasse Schulsachen" ('First grade school stationery') to promote the use of more environmentally friendly school stationery


1998

  • 34,000 different pictures are submitted in the nationwide creative competition "Tolle Tasche" ("Great bag") for the design of cotton carry bags
  • Guidelines for suppliers for environmentally compatible product design are passed


1997

  • Requirements of the "Öko-Tex Standard 100" (test standard for harmful substances in textiles) become buying conditions


1996

  • 68,922 children take part in the drawing competition "So wünsche ich mir meine Umwelt" ('This is what I would like my environment to look like')


1995

  • Appointment of environmental coordinators in all branch offices
  • Expansion of the re-usable transport system (saving 50,000 disposable packages per year


1994

  • Company guidelines for environmental protection are passed


1993

  • "Ecological protection" training concept for initial professional training


1991

  • Foundation of the working group "Environmental protection by the management"
  • Guidelines for suppliers: "Requirements on packaging"
  • Introduction of a modular, foldable re-usable transport container (saving some 100,000 cubic metres of cardboard annually)


1990

  • Establishment of the department for environmental protection
  • A campaign promoting the use of cotton carrier bags instead of plastic bags


1989

  • Environmental protection becomes a company goal and part of the Buying department
  • A commissioner for the environment is appointed