#wearegreen
"The substances we wear on our skin,
must not cause people, the environment
or nature to suffer."

 

We see the creation of ecological sustainability as the most important task of the current age. And not only to secure jobs and remain competitive, but also to counteract the advancing climate change in the long term. Therefore, all products are certified according to the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and are produced in a climate-neutral way. In this way, the CO2 generated by the company and its production has been reduced as much as possible. The remaining emissions are offset by climate protection certificates and worldwide environmental projects.

Climate-neutral means that less CO2 is emitted worldwide through use and subsidies than is produced by the company. Here, one must not think regionally, but globally. The world must be protected, not just our own place of residence. We support the following energy projects in order to reduce global emissions.

 

Reducing our emissions
Almost 50% less CO2 emissions

 

Over the last few years, we have worked steadily to reduce our CO2 footprint as much as possible. Over the last 10 years, emissions* have been almost halved from 22,420 tonnes of CO2 to 12,390 tonnes.
Our goal is to further reduce these emissions to less than 8,000 tonnes by 2025.

This was made possible by the following measures:

  • Our own efficient block heating system
  • Large-scale solar energy system
  • Use of 100% green electricity
  • Energetically sensible modernisation of the almost 130-year-old company headquarters
  • Reuse of shipping packaging
  • 70% reduction in paper consumption
  • Carpooling of employees or use of public transport
  • Vehicle fleet with electric and hybrid vehicles

 

* The emissions were determined by our climate consultant Fokus Zukunft GmbH & Co. KG. The audit included heat consumption, fuel consumption, electricity consumption, business trips, staff commuting, waste / waste water, consumables and raw materials used.

Organic cotton
The environmentally friendly natural fibre

 

We use organic cotton in the production of our underwear, because by doing so we support farmers who do not use synthetic or chemical fertilisers on their farmland and rely on the power of nature instead of harmful pesticides. Moreover, crop rotation will be respected in the process. This means that organic cotton may only be grown on the same field every few years to avoid one-sided use and the resulting loss of nutrients. 

Organic cotton also requires significantly less water than conventionally produced cotton. The reason for this is the natural, environmentally friendly cultivation of the land.

Organic cotton is therefore the environmentally friendly laundry alternative.

Green Power Stations
Charging stations with renewable energy

 

Four charging stations are available on the company premises of the CECEBA Group. Here, visitors and employees can charge their e-vehicles free of charge with up to 22 kW.

The stations are largely powered by our own solar system. Of course, only 100% green electricity is used for the remaining demand.

I'm green
A second life for shipping boxes

 

A scratch or a small dent here and there? That doesn't matter to us, because if it's at all possible, we're happy to reach for a used box and give it a second life. Logistics can also be made much more sustainable and where we can, we use the climate protection lever. To make it easier to distinguish transport damage from used boxes, every reused box gets the unmistakable "I'm green" stamp.

BIOMASS climate project
Use of pig manure to generate kinetic energy

Emissions saved per year: 11,947 tonnes of CO2

Validator: TÜV Rheinland

Farms have shaped the landscape and way of life in the Dutch provinces of Limburg and North Brabant for several hundred years, a predominantly rural region in which pig farming still plays an important role. 

This concentration of livestock has already resulted in the fact that all manure can no longer be spread on the region's fields due to the nitrogen uptake limit of the soil that has been reached, and has to be transported to regions with soils that still have a need for fertiliser. The main objective of the project activity is the technical production of biogas from pig manure, which would otherwise release uncontrolled methane emissions into the atmosphere during its storage.

The biogas is used to generate kinetic energy that replaces diesel oil for the operation of irrigation pumps with combustion engines that have been converted to use biogas.

HYDROPOWER climate project
Uganda's most important source of electricity

Emissions saved per year: 478,272 tonnes of CO2

Validator: TÜV Rheinland

The Bujagali Hydropower Project is a hydropower facility on the Victoria Nile in the Republic of Uganda. The project sponsor Bujagali Energy Limited. The total installed capacity of the project consists of five 52.7 MW turbines. The power plant contributes to a 90% renewable energy share in Uganda's power grid, making the country one of the cleanest power producers in the world.

Uganda has long suffered from electricity shortages and the problem has become more acute in recent years. While the government's emergency thermal power programme will help in the short term, projects like these are expected to benefit the region and the entire country in the long term.

HYDROPOWER climate project
Helps meet the growing demand for electricity in Brazil in a climate-friendly way

Emissions saved per year: 2,499,498 tonnes of CO2

Validator: Perry Johnson Registrars Carbon Emissions Service

The main objective of the Teles Pires Hydropower Project activity in the states of Mato Grosso and Pará in Brazil is to help meet Brazil's increasing energy demand due to economic growth and improve electricity supply, while contributing to environmental, social and economic sustainability by increasing the share of renewable energy in Brazil's total electricity consumption.

The project uses the hydrological resources of the Teles Pires River between the cities of Paranaita and Jacareacanga Brazil to generate emission-free electricity that will be fed into Brazil's national interconnected system (SIN, from the Portuguese "Sistema Interligado Nacional"), displacing more carbon-intensive electricity generation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The baseline scenario is the continuation of the current situation, i.e. using all power generation facilities that were already in operation before the implementation of the project activity and performing "business as usual" maintenance.

PHOTOVOLTAIK climate project
Generation of solar power through a PV system

Emissions saved: 375,849 tonnes of CO2

Validator: TÜV Nord Cert GmbH

AdaniEnterprises Limited (AEL) is implementing a photovoltaic (PV) project with a capacity of 40 MWp. The project activity consists of amorphous silicon thin film modules with a capacity of 100/95 Wp. The project is located in Bitta, Kutch district in the state of Gujarat. Power is generated from solar resources that are fed into India's north-west-west-northeast (NEWNE) grid. This helps to reduce the gap between supply and demand in times of electricity shortage and increases the share of renewable energy in the grid mix. The project reduces electricity generation in the NEWNE grid of fossil fuel-based power projects. This will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.

WIND ENERGY climate project
Generation of electricity by wind turbines

Emissions saved: 542,740 tonnes of CO2

Validator: TÜV Nord Cert GmbH

The project used 14 Suzlon wind turbines, each with a capacity of 2.1 MW. The project generates around 44,220 MWh of electricity annually. The electricity is exported to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by generating clean and green electricity, as well as contribute to the sustainable development of this region, for the environment and forests. India has specified social, economic, environmental and technological well-being as the four indicators of sustainable development in the eligibility criteria of host countries for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. The project creates many direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region.

HYDROPOWER climate project
Using existing resources sensibly: Water becomes clean energy

Emissions saved: 260,946 tonnes of CO2

Validator: KBS

The Chamoli region in northern India is characterised by weak infrastructure and cold winters. At the same time, the population cannot be guaranteed a permanent electricity supply. The project supports the construction of a river hydropower plant. Annually, the power plant feeds about 39.78 GWh of clean electricity into the regional power grid. The energy is used directly by the local population without burdening the regional ecosystem. On the contrary: by using the electricity, the population can do without the classic heating by wood and thus effectively counteract forest degradation, soil erosion and reduced soil fertility. By providing clean energy, an additional 37,278 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions are saved per year.

BIOMASS climate project
Generation of electricity from biomass residues

Emissions saved: 537,545 tonnes of CO2

Validator: KBS

The Godawari Power and Ispat Limited (GPIL) climate change mitigation project enables the operation of a 20 MW biomass plant in Siltara, Raipur. Biogenic residues, mainly based on used rice husk, will be used as the energy source. Since biomass is a CO2-neutral fuel, no greenhouse gas emissions are caused during production. This means that fossil fuels are increasingly being replaced by the provision of electricity from biomass. Also, the use of rice husks provides a biofuel that does not require additional land for biomass cultivation. In total, the biomass plant produces an annual output of 126.72 GWh. The rice husks are sourced in the surrounding province within 50 km of the plant.

HYDROPOWER climate project
Use of a canal system to generate electricity

Emissions saved: 235,270 tonnes of CO2

Validator: TÜV Süd AG

The project activity was considered to use the water flow in the existing canal system to generate electricity. Without the proposed project activity, the electricity generation potential in the flowing water would have remained unused and the energy would instead be generated using fossil fuels. As this is a canal project (without storage), it does not require resettlement of the population. Electricity can be generated whenever water is available in the canal. This depends on the crop harvest, as the water supply in the canal is controlled by the State Irrigation Department. Water for the project is drawn from the Abohar Branch Canal and returned to the canal after passing through the vertical axis Kaplan turbines. There is no direct consumption of canal water and no interference with the irrigation system.

Frequently asked questions

on the subject of climate neutrality

Why are we doing this?
Because we have understood what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change conclusively states: Avoiding emissions costs only 0.6% of the annual value added, while eliminating the damage by "carrying on as before" costs many times more.We are aware of our special responsibility as a company towards future generations and have acted accordingly. Fokus Zukunft GmbH & Co.KG has calculated the climate impact associated with our company for us: Our CO2 footprint for the company is approximately 502 tonnes of CO2 equivalent pollutants per yearas well as 11,888 tonnes for the production of the CECEBA Bodywear and Götzburg Wäsche brands. Accordingly, we have offset our annual CO2 emissions by purchasing climate protection certificates.

Certified company
To illustrate: on average, a German causes about 10 tons of CO2 per year through his lifestyle. For the compensation of our greenhouse gases we have received the award "climate neutral company".

What is climate change and what are its consequences?
Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. It is not just an environmental issue, as too many people still believe, but it is an all-encompassing threat, as it will greatly change production and living conditions. Greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and refrigerants, which have been emitted into the atmosphere in large quantities since the beginning of industrialisation, are responsible for climate change. The main cause is the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil. As a result, the earth has already warmed by about 1.2 degrees Celsius. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that the Earth's surface temperature will warm by another 4 degrees Celsius on average by the end of the century if we do not act more decisively. The global community has agreed that warming must be limited to below 2 degrees Celsius to prevent catastrophic consequences. However, the pledges of individual countries are only sufficient for 4 degrees. Closing this ambition gap will require an additional and substantial commitment from businesses and citizens. The impacts of climate change are far-reaching, affecting ecosystems, economies and health through temperature extremes and a change in precipitation patterns. 

Another impact of climate change is the rise of sea levels, as water expands with warming and also as a greater amount of water flows into the oceans due to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. Not all regions are equally affected by climate change. Coastal areas and poor regions, which have little ability to adapt to impacts such as increased drought or heavy rainfall and flooding, are particularly at risk. The result is increased poverty and flight from such areas. 

What can we do about climate change?
"Solutions to climate change are not only found in research centres and laboratories, but also arise from the innovative spirit of those people who are most affected by this change. Many communities and businesses, as well as local and national governments, including in developing countries, are already showing us the way to a carbon neutral world. These efforts must now be scaled up at the global level. Climate justice also requires that those wealthier countries that are largely responsible for the increase in greenhouse gases and have also reaped the associated profits, help poorer nations adapt to climate change." [Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General] 

Solutions to climate change are being demanded and increasingly implemented by citizens, businesses, regions and cities. To this end, the Kyoto Protocol, a binding international agreement regulating greenhouse gas emissions from some emissions-intensive industries in industrialised countries, was created as early as 1997. It was updated in the Paris Protocol, which entered into force on 7 November 2016.

How are emission certificates generated?
The greenhouse effect is a global phenomenon, as the distribution of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is roughly the same. Therefore, it does not matter where in the world greenhouse gases are saved or stored. The Kyoto Protocol, which is binding under international law, therefore stipulates that so-called climate protection projects that avoid or store greenhouse gas emissions should take place where they are most economical. Accordingly, there are many projects in emerging and developing countries, because here the potential for savings through new technologies is still very high and they can be used much more cost-effectively. In addition, the conditions for renewable energy plants (solar, wind, water and biomass) are often much more favourable there. The initiators of the climate protection projects - mainly renewable energy projects - receive emission credits for their commitment, which can be traded in the form of climate protection certificates. The amount is measured, for example, by comparison with the emissions that would have resulted from the construction of a coal-fired power plant. In this way, emission reductions are realised where the costs of avoiding one tonne of CO2 are lowest. Furthermore, emissions trading contributes significantly to the transfer of clean technologies to emerging and developing countries and to sustainable economic, ecological and social development in the region, as well as to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

What are the benefits of carbon neutrality for our company?

  1. Contribution to government, European Union and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets.
  2. Raising awareness among employees, suppliers and customers regarding the use of finite resources. This positively changes the way energy and other resources are used in the company and in people's everyday lives.
  3. Entry into the growth market of "sustainable companies". The status "climate neutral" enables us to distinguish ourselves in our market segment.
  4. Currently, this enables us to play a pioneering role and thus position our company as progressive, innovative, partner-oriented and forward-looking.
  5. Promotes awareness of the energy transition.
  6. Through the status as a climate-neutral company and the offer, the company becomes a partner for its customers in the above-mentioned topics.

What happens to the CO2 certificates after they have been sold? 
The purchased number of CO2 certificates have been decommissioned. This is significant in that this decommissioning is a prerequisite for the design and marketing of CO2-neutral companies. Without decommissioning, a CO2 certificate could possibly continue to be traded in the voluntary market, which would not achieve any additional emission reduction. 

Which projects are supported by the purchased emission rights?
We particularly believe in the future of renewable energy and the opportunity for sustainable growth, especially in developing countries. That is why we have invested in a local hydropower project in India. 

We have received the "climate-neutral company" award for offsetting our greenhouse gases.

Source: Fokus Zukunft GmbH & Co. KG, in Berg

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