Climate and environment always in view:
billerbeck certification environmental management system DIN ISO 14001
Anyone who is familiar with billerbeck’s corporate philosophy or takes a look at the billerbeck CSR report knows that environmental protection, climate protection and sustainability are particularly important to us. Not only do we make an important contribution to the climate and environment by supporting numerous environmental projects, but we have also long been particularly concerned with ecologically relevant issues within the company, such as the responsible treatment of nature and the conservation of resources.
It is therefore a natural and logical next step for us to be certified in accordance with the internationally recognised environmental standard DIN ISO 14001 and to establish an even more effective environmental management system in our company based on the climate-relevant measures already in place, which meets the highest international standards.
What does the DIN ISO 14001 environmental certification mean?
The globally recognised environmental standard ISO 14001 defines the requirements that a company must meet in order to continuously improve its own environmental performance. The implementation of the strict guidelines of DIN ISO 14001 and certification are proof that a company has established a functioning and effective environmental management system. In addition to the continuous optimisation of the company in terms of ecology and sustainability and the implementation of self-imposed environmental targets, the focus of the operational environmental management system in accordance with ISO 14001 is also compliance with applicable legal regulations.
Always focussing on the environment: sustainability
For billerbeck, environmental certification in accordance with DIN ISO 14001 is a personal commitment to protecting the environment and nature. We are aware of our role model function as a company and act in accordance with our billerbeck corporate mission statement.
The responsible use of resources, the development of environmentally friendly and sustainable products and the continuous improvement of our energy efficiency are just as important to us as treating our employees and suppliers with respect, supporting social and cultural projects and the satisfaction of our customers.
We are convinced that environmentally friendly business practices and socially and ecologically responsible thinking and behaviour not only have a significant impact on our present, but also on our future and therefore on the lives of future generations. For this reason, sustainability and environmental protection are a matter close to the heart of our family business, which was founded in 1921.
billerbeck: environmentally friendly in thought and action
billerbeck has long been committed to the environmentally conscious and sustainable use of resources and the implementation of climate-relevant measures within the company. We endeavour to live and act in accordance with billerbeck’s environmental policy.
Our billerbeck environmental management team, led by a trained environmental manager, evaluates our current environmental projects at regular meetings and plans which projects we will support and implement in the future.
Save energy – protect the environment and climate
Our own solar power system supplies our production facilities with climate-friendly and carbon-neutral electricity generated from solar energy. The solar power system has a peak output of 165 kWp and provides us with climate-friendly electricity from solar energy, enabling us to operate almost entirely carbon-neutrally. For the remainder of our electricity supply, we purchase green electricity. In addition, by feeding renewable energy into the grid, we are helping to achieve Germany’s climate targets.
By using 100% renewable energy, we were able to reduce our CO2 energy consumption (from electricity, heating oil and fuel in kg) by 30% last year.
Furthermore, the newly acquired electric cars used as company vehicles also contribute to a positive environmental footprint. In addition, numerous climate-friendly measures have already been implemented in our office and production premises in the past. For some time now, we have been using an automatic temperature control system adapted to our employees’ working hours, which enables us to effectively save on heating costs. The switch to LED lighting technology, the purchase of new energy-efficient and low-emission machinery and equipment, reduced transport distances, and the implementation of climate-friendly structural measures during the modernisation of our buildings have all been important milestones on our journey towards becoming an environmentally responsible and sustainable company.
Production and products – climate-friendly and high quality
In production, we pay attention to ecological and resource-conserving manufacturing processes and use high-quality and environmentally friendly raw materials to create durable products of particularly high quality. Certificates such as GOTS, the world’s leading standard for the processing of textiles made from organically produced natural fibres, and the Blue Angel eco-label, the German eco-label for particularly environmentally friendly products, underline our efforts to produce ecologically valuable and sustainable bedding.
Digitalisation and recycling
We also think ecologically in other areas: thanks to digitalisation, we have been able to drastically reduce our paper consumption. Switching to environmentally friendly FSC paper is another step towards sustainability. When disposing of the materials we use in production, we rely on recycling, which has enabled us to significantly reduce the amount of waste we produce. In addition, we reuse cardboard boxes that have already been used but can still be recycled and do not use additional plastic outer packaging.
Code of conduct for suppliers
We set the same high standards for our suppliers as we do for ourselves. Social, economic and ecological standards must also be adhered to in the production and processing of the raw materials we use in order to fulfil our special requirements and our corporate philosophy. We therefore require all our suppliers to sign a code of conduct when signing a contract, which clearly defines environmental protection – including our ecological and climate-relevant guidelines. We only work with suppliers who can prove that their supply chain fulfils our own environmental requirements as well as the environmental standards of GOTS and the Blue Angel.
In our interest: Climate and environment
Due to the many environmental and climate protection measures already implemented by billerbeck in recent years, DIN ISO 14001 certification was a logical next step for us. A step that we are happy to take, as it creates trust and encourages us to continuously improve our environmental performance and realise our own environmental goals.
The topic of sustainability and environmental protection is deeply rooted in our company and we want to continue to develop in this area in the future in order to conserve resources and protect the environment and nature – for ourselves and future generations.
‘When you look down on the little blue planet from above (…), it becomes clear that we should recognise our home planet much more as a gift, because we only have one.’ – Alexander Gerst
