Our planet is changing - from the ocean depths to the mountain peaks. Glaciers are melting, oceans are warmer than ever, droughts and storms are becoming ever more common - to name just a few examples. We are aware of our special responsibility as an online retailer in the outdoor industry. That is why we have made a firm commitment: we want to be part of the solution and make an effective contribution towards climate and environmental protection by continuously working to make online retail more environmentally and climate-friendly. Find out more about our commitment to climate and environmental protection here.

An online shop, warehouse and logistics - all this takes a lot of energy. The good news is that we rely entirely on renewable energies. At our Ergenzingen logistics site, we use 100% green electricity and biogas. At our administrative site in Kirchentellinsfurt, we use electricity from our landlord's PV system, which is supplemented by green electricity. In the case of gas, switching is not possible here for structural reasons. We offset the emissions caused by the conventional gas with biogas certificates. Our online shop is also largely run on green electricity. Thanks to these measures, our energy consumption causes hardly any emissions. But one thing is clear: the most environmentally friendly form of energy is that which is not consumed in the first place. Therefore, energy efficiency measures are at the top of our agenda. For example, we are gradually switching to efficient LED lighting at our logistics centre, we introduced an energy-efficient warehouse system in 2015 and we are training our employees on the importance of energy saving in the workplace.

Whether it's employees travelling to the office or meeting suppliers at trade fairs, or parcels being delivered from our logistics centre to your home – in short, mobility is essential at Bergfreunde. The result of this is the emission of fine particles, noise and CO2. That is why we have set ourselves the goal of making transport and employee mobility as environmentally and climate-friendly as possible.

Packaging ensures that your order arrives safely and undamaged. So we can't do without it (yet). Our standard boxes are made from almost 100% recycled materials. Besides the material itself, the size of the boxes is also an important factor. For some time now, we have been sending our parcels in boxes with two different bases. The volume of the boxes is automatically determined and adjusted via the height of the box. As a result, we ship significantly less "air" for well over 90% of all orders and can load trucks more efficiently due to this fact. This means a reduction in the number of delivery journeys, which, in turn, reduces emissions.

Everyone has experienced it: your order arrives, but unfortunately the product doesn’t fit you. Returns are part of online retailing. However, every return has a negative impact on the environment. That's why we strive to avoid returns as best we can, for example, by providing detailed product descriptions, informative product images and innovative size guides. Nonetheless, returns cannot be avoided entirely. So what happens when you return a product to us? Textiles, shoes and equipment that are neither damaged nor dirty are put back into storage ready to be ordered again. Goods with minor defects, but which do not impair their function, are collected in our logistics centre and used for fundraising events, among other uses. Only goods with safety-relevant components may need to be destroyed, e.g. a climbing harness.

Our understanding of climate protection goes beyond the boundaries of our company. That is why we are also specifically committed to projects that enable the long-term storage and binding of CO2 from the atmosphere. One concrete example: our cooperation with the CO2-Land association and the farmer Manuel. Together, we are committed to promoting humus formation. Humus is the superhero of the soil and has the ability to store carbon and thus bind CO2 emissions from the atmosphere. In our video, you can find out exactly how this works and what the partnership between Bergfreunde and farmer Manuel is all about.