Our ÖkoBrella umbrellas are now carbon neutral
Our successful ÖkoBrella product family is now carbon neutral: Since June 2022 the entire CO2 footprint of the umbrellas has been offset by several climate protection projects. With immediate effect, the “carbon neutral” label from ClimatePartner documents the certified carbon neutrality on the product pages of our website and will soon also do so on the recycled-paper hang tags of all ÖkoBrella umbrellas. All the details of the climate protection projects being supported are shown on our certificate page – fully transparent and always verifiable.
Benefit along the entire supply chain
As a company, we have been carbon neutral since 2021 and we were also recently awarded the status of ECOPROFIT company. With the carbon neutrality of the ÖkoBrella family, FARE is now consistently continuing its sustainability strategy. This is beneficial not only to the environment but also to customers with their own climate protection goals: Because the certification of our company (Corporate Carbon Footprint, CCF) and the ÖkoBrella umbrellas (Product Carbon Footprint, PCF) with the “carbon neutral” label ensures carbon neutrality for the entire supply chain. Customers can thus implement a sustainable corporate policy in the area of advertising materials as well.
Specific climate protection projects directly on the ground
Thanks to collective efforts from all suppliers and service providers, CO2 emissions across the entire FARE portfolio have already been dramatically reduced in recent years. The unavoidable emissions of the ÖkoBrella family will now be offset through climate protection projects in Indonesia and Brazil, Haiti and the Philippines, India and Sierra Leone: Among other measures, plastic waste is being collected to reduce marine pollution and recycle the plastic, and solar and wind parks are being constructed for clean energy.
The project in Kono, Sierra Leone, demonstrates how the commitment directly on the ground is specifically protecting the climate. Here, local wells are being returned to operation and regularly maintained, so that the regional supply of clean drinking water is guaranteed and it is no longer necessary to boil the water on an open wood fire. This saves approx. 10,000 tonnes CO2 emissions per year.
Scoring points along the entire line
At FARE, with the climate protection projects, we are making a valuable contribution to a total of 15 points in the sustainable development goals of the United Nations (https://unric.org/de/17ziele), including “no poverty”, “zero hunger”, “good health and well-being”, “gender equality”, “quality education”, “sustainable cities and communities” and “responsible consumption and production”. Details of the UN sustainable development goals being supported can likewise be found on our FARE certificate page.
As umbrella specialists, we implement CO2 offsetting together with ClimatePartner: the leading provider of climate protection solutions helps over 5,000 customers with their climate protection activities and is recommended by independent portals such as Siegelklarheit.de/en/ (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development). From the unique ID number it is possible to see online at any time which specific climate protection projects are being supported and the amount of CO2 that has been offset. The actual settlement is checked regularly by TÜV Austria.
Our ÖkoBrella:
Sustainable since 2011, now also carbon neutral
Right from the launch of the ÖkoBrella in 2011, the name has set the agenda – with innovations such as a bamboo frame from sustainable forestry and a model made largely from recycled or renewable raw materials. It was not long before the awards started coming: in 2017 and 2019 ÖkoBrella umbrellas took their place on the winners’ podium for the PSI Sustainability Awards. Since then, the entire sustainable product range from the mini umbrella to the waterSAVE® golf umbrella have covers made of recycled plastic, and the water consumption for the production of these has been reduced by around 90 percent – saving an impressive six litres of water per umbrella.
On the road to carbon neutrality, the first step was to determine the CO2 footprint of the umbrellas. Together with ClimatePartner, we calculated the total CO2 emissions, from production through transport incl. packaging to disposal (cradle-to-gate plus end-of-life analysis).
In the second step, all options to avoid and reduce CO2 were analysed: establishing energy-saving programmes, selecting CO2-neutral service providers etc.
As soon as the extent of the unavoidable CO2 emissions was clear, selection of climate protection projects was able to follow as the third step. By supporting these, the volume of CO2 emitted is specifically and verifiably offset.
Finally, the fourth step was therefore possible: awarding the “carbon neutral” label to the ÖkoBrella family, from which the carbon neutrality is independently guaranteed and always verifiable.
The entire ÖkoBrella family now carries the “carbon neutral” label:
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Photos: © Günter Albers, jessicahyde, climatepartner.com, Kseniya Abramova – stock.adobe.com