Environment

We accept responsibility

We are aware that the products we manufacture are not inherently sustainable and that their production has an impact on both people and the environment.

With this in mind, corporate responsibility is a fundamental principle that guides our actions. Beyond safety-related considerations, we aim to examine and understand every detail of how our products are manufactured and used, as well as their environmental and social impacts, and to make this information publicly accessible.

We use and share this knowledge to develop innovative, high-quality products and to reduce the impact of our products and processes on people and the environment step by step. We also want to help everyone who moves in the vertical world understand the risks involved and make informed decisions about them.

For us, this means systematically assessing, managing and disclosing the impact of our activities on people and the environment. Since 2010, we have operated an environmental management system in accordance with EMAS and ISO 14001 at our Isny site, which is independently audited every year. Since 2020, we have compiled a greenhouse gas inventory and used it as a basis for defining measures, such as switching to electricity from renewable sources in 2022. Our climate targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This validation relates to the targets and methodology, not to results already achieved. For selected product groups, we also conduct life cycle assessments (LCAs) to better understand and reduce environmental impacts throughout the product life cycle. Since mid-2021, we have been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation and have been working to improve working conditions in our textile supply chain.

Environmental management with EMAS and ISO 14001 certification

In 2010, we launched an environmental management system for our management and production facilities with EMAS (Eco Management and Audit Scheme) and ISO 14001 certification at our Isny site. Compliance has been verified by an independent environmental auditor once a year since.

EMAS was developed by the European Union and is based on the globally accepted ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems. An environmental management system allows a business to measure and control its impact on the planet.

At EDELRID, this allows us to clearly define responsibilities in the company, as well as collect, analyse and assess key data on our environmentally relevant consumption of resources. On this basis, we set ourselves targets and devise steps to ensure continual improvement. We publish these results in the annual EDELRID environmental report, which we share with the public on our website.

Every year, the environmental auditor scrutinises our data, the suitability of the goals set, as well as compliance with relevant environmental regulations. If we pass, the independent auditor officially certifies that our environmental management system is working.

EMAS Environmental Report

EMAS certificate

ISO 14001 certificate

Climate protection

In 2020, EDELRID took the decision to actively combat the effects of its actions on climate change and initiate far-reaching climate protection measures. In the same year, we drew up a comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) balance sheet for the first time. Based on these results, we have already taken the first steps, such as switching to green electricity at our site in Isny at the beginning of 2022.

If you would like to find out more about climate protection at EDELRID, click on the link below. Here you will find further information and access to our Climate protection regulation and our Climate report 2024.

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Life cycle assessments (LCAs)

What’s a life cycle assessment?

Life cycle assessments estimate the environmental impact a particular product has. To do so, the whole life cycle of a product is measured and assessed, starting with obtaining the raw materials to production and use all the way to its disposal.

A life cycle assessment quantifies a product’s eco footprint. There are many ways a product affects the planet. Most life cycle assessments (as is the case at EDELRID) look at CO2 emissions.

Why does EDELRID conduct life cycle assessments at all?

To live up to our responsibility, we want to better understand the environmental impacts associated with our products and reduce them wherever possible. However, the first essential step towards reducing these impacts and identifying potential alternatives is to understand what causes them, where they occur and to what extent.

Recycling sounds great, but what difference does it make? Shipping from eastern Europe to Germany always sounds worse that within Germany itself, but to what extent? A braiding machine operates around the clock, which sounds bad for the environment, but to what degree? At EDELRID we want all the facts and figures.

How do life cycle assessments help EDELRID customers?

At EDELRID, we always want to know. But not just for ourselves. We want to share what we learn with our community and with anyone who is interested. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to understand the impact of their actions and, based on that knowledge, make informed decisions about how they choose to act.

What EDELRID products already have life cycle assessments?

To date, we’ve only completed a life cycle assessment for our dynamic ropes. However, we already have more in the pipeline for other product groups and hope to give you the results soon.

For detailed information about the life cycle assessments for the EDELRID dynamic rope collection and the results, take a look at the in-depth analyses here.

Show Life Cycle Assessment

LIMITED COMPARABILITY: Comparing life cycle assessments between product groups and companies is hard. To allow organisations to specify different criteria for measuring an environmental impact, the ISO standards allow scope for interpretations and methods. Therefore, cautious comparisons are only possible for transparent assessments where the criteria are similar. Our life cycle assessment was based on the relevant ISO standards and conducted in-house at EDELRID but has not yet been verified by external auditors. The assessments shown here only evaluate the CO2 equivalents for EDELRID products and the EDELRID supply chain. Please also note that CO2 is just one of many types of pollution.

3R – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

In the development process of new products, we focus on our responsibility as a manufacturing company in addition to the factors of safety and function. We analyze the negative effects that the manufacture of our products has on the environment. These can be influences on the climate, ozone depletion, water or energy use, to name just a few examples.

The next step is characterized by our internal 3R motto: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Where possible, (harmful) substances used in production processes are reduced, materials are reused or products are recycled at the end of their life cycle in order to reintroduce their components into the production process.

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What is bluesign System?

The bluesign System is a comprehensive and proven system for environmental protection, occupational safety and consumer protection when it comes to textile products.

The bluesign System is based on “Input Stream Management”. This means that it tests not just the end products for harmful chemicals or chemical residues, but even the production processes of each individual component used to make a product. Chemicals used during production are evaluated, not just to check that they produce no harmful residues in the end product, but also with regard to their impact on employees and the environment.

And the individual companies in the textile chain are regularly tested according to environmental management, management of hazardous substances and work safety management by bluesign auditors, such as chemical and production activities, for example relating to energy, water and raw material consumption. And brand name companies have their supply chain management audited.

What is a bluesign product?

A bluesign product stands for:

production as free from hazardous substances as possible,
Avoidance of environmentally-critical substances and
an end product that does not present any health risk.

The benchmark here is that 90% of the main material must have been tested by bluesign (= bluesign approved) and 20 - 30% of accessories or small parts, such as buckles, webbing or prints. This is why both our suppliers and the majority of components used and ingredients in these products must be tested by bluesign.

That is where the system sometimes reaches it limits as bluesign certified materials are limited, and not always available in the qualities that we require, which is enormously important for us as a manufacturer of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). However, we trust in the ever-increasing popularity of the bluesign System and increasing demand for materials in bluesign quality and hope that in future there will be a wider selection of bluesign-certified materials available.

EDELRID has been a member of the bluesign System since 2009 and offers bluesignproducts in the categories ropes, webbings, slings, climbing harnesses, and chalk bags.

#ClimbGreen

For several years, EDELRID used “Climb Green” (also #ClimbGreen) to identify selected products that, based on our own internal assessment, met certain environmental and social criteria. Depending on the product, external standards and certifications were also taken into account. Climb Green was intended as an additional source of guidance, not as an official environmental label or certification scheme. This distinction has been explained in the ClimbGreen Manifest.

From 27 September 2026, the EmpCo Directive (EU) 2024/825 introduces new European requirements for environmental and sustainability-related communication. These include stricter requirements for voluntary labels that highlight environmental or social characteristics of products.

To meet these new requirements, EDELRID is adapting its communication within the European Union accordingly. From 27 September 2026, we will no longer use Climb Green, either as a product label or in ongoing informational and marketing communications.

The background, methodology and objectives of Climb Green will continue to be documented in the ClimbGreen Manifest and on a dedicated overview page. Historical content may continue to feature Climb Green in a documentary context and will be updated as part of regular review cycles. From 27 September 2026, Climb Green will no longer be used to identify or promote current products in the EU.

In selected markets outside the European Union, Climb Green may continue to be used. Its use is subject to the applicable local requirements in each market. EDELRID will continue to provide the underlying internal criteria and product assessments for this purpose.