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05 April 2022 Eagles fly on sustainability: Mannheim Ice Hockey Club is committed to eco-fair merchandising

Joint press release from Global Nature Fund (GNF) and FEMNET

Purchasing is an essential aspect of a company's sustainability strategy. A club of the German Ice Hockey League is currently showing how companies can align it in a contemporary way: On Sports Day, the DEL-Club Adler Mannheim, supported by the FAIR WEAR WORKS project with its decision for sustainable procurement, is setting an example for improving working conditions and reducing the environmental impact of textile production along the supply chain.

Bonn. More and more companies are relying on standards and norms for the protection of the environment and human rights in many production areas. Procurement management is also becoming an increasingly important part of sustainable business practices. The purchase of workwear and protective clothing, merchandise items and flat linen (e.g. towels and bed linen), for which around one billion euros is spent annually in Germany, does not remain unaffected.

Fast on the runners – determined for people and the environment

The environmental protection organization Global Nature Fund (GNF) and the women's rights organization FEMNET have pooled their expertise in eco-fair procurement procedures and resource protection to jointly advise companies on the conversion of their textile purchases as part of the FAIR WEAR WORKS project. With immediate effect, they are also cooperating with the Eishockeyclub Adler Mannheim with a sonorous name for top German sport – because the eagles not only care about their success on the ice, but also about protecting our natural livelihoods and the people who work with them.

Options for persuasive CSR management

Whether sweaters, flags or T-shirts made of fabric: For the production of his merchandising articles, the seven-time champion of the German Ice Hockey League relies on the competence combined in FAIR WEAR WORKS to positively influence working conditions and environmental impacts along the supply chain with the help of a targeted purchasing strategy.. “Sustainability is not a trend but a global issue. We try to implement this task in the best possible way. However, there are still many hurdles to overcome, such as a lack of transparency”. Dominik Dobiasch, the club's head of merchandising, explained.

The GNF and FEMNET work together with the ice hockey club to overcome such challenges, e.g. by bringing light into the jungle of the many different textile labels and certifications and by taking ecological and social standards into account when sourcing products for merchandising. And they are optimistic that they will be able to motivate other players of top German sport to follow the example of Adler Mannheim: The benefits for people and the environment, but also for the image of a club and its fans in terms of convincing CSR communication, are obvious – and cannot be invalidated by alleged counter-reasons.

Factor higher price? – Not necessarily, study shows

“The fear that sustainable textiles are more expensive often proves to be an obstacle to the implementation of ambitious SDGs”Marijke Mulder of FEMNET. “We would like to take this concern away from you: Because eco-fairly produced textiles can be more expensive, but they do not have to – as evidenced by a study by experts on the subject [Click here to download the study]. We offer companies holistic, comprehensive consulting that takes into account various relevant procurement aspects: We influence the factors quantity, quality, design or duration of the business relationship, what strengths does one specialist retailer have over the other? Our market research and life cycle assessments offer companies the opportunity to do well not only in terms of sustainability management and CSR, but also in terms of business management.”

On the occasion of the Sport Day, the project partners are delighted about Adler Mannheim's commitment to eco-fairly produced merchandising – and invite all interested companies from the sport and beyond to benefit from the competent support of GNF and FEMNET.

FAIR WEAR WORKS is funded by the German Postcode Lottery and ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL gGmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with the kind support of Fairtrade Germany.

Project website FAIR WEAR WORKS

background

FEMNET is a pioneer in the implementation of eco-fair procurement procedures in public administration. Since 2015, FEMNET has been advising cities and municipalities on their textile tenders. The GNF has been working with companies since 2010 on strategies and practices for designing sustainable supply chain management. His focus is on resource protection. The joint project FAIR WEAR WORKS is funded by ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by Fairtrade Germany.