STEP BY STEP: SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2023
LOWA has been committed to preserving nature for over 100 years by considering sustainability as an ongoing process and publishing our progress in an annual sustainability report.
As an outdoor shoe brand, we live from and with our environment. Nature is the source of all the unforgettable outdoor experiences that make life worth living. As a traditional company that has been manufacturing shoes primarily in Europe for over 100 years, it is therefore a fundamental concern for us to work for its preservation. We have thus made our corporate responsibility a central part of all our activities. We understand sustainability as a long hiking tour – with numerous stages. Step by step, we approach the summit. We are constantly working to reduce the burden on the environment and nature, to increase social and environmental standards, and to make the way we interact within our organization appreciative and safe. We are ambitious and persistent in the various tasks related to sustainability. In our first sustainability report, we have detailed our commitment. From now on, we will publish our progress every year.
FOR NATURE AND MAN
Get up, grab your equipment and lace up your hiking boots. Take a deep breath and feel the fresh air. The anticipation of immersing yourself in nature with a firm step is something very special! We make products for these moments. That's why it goes without saying that we are committed to protecting nature. Sustainability is an intrinsic part of our business model. To this end, we take responsibility for future generations and have been strategically improving our impact on people and the environment for over ten years. We are committed to the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and support the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. We will also join the UN's "Race to Zero" initiative.
SUSTAINABILITY
WITH SYSTEM
With the help of a double materiality analysis, we have analysed the impact of LOWA on people and nature as well as the influence of external factors on our ability to do business. Annika Jestädt, Head of Corporate Responsibility, explains: "For the analysis, LOWA management worked together with our experts from Germany, Italy and Slovakia. We considered the entire value chain and used the analysis to define the impact categories, opportunities and risks."
The double materiality analysis thus forms the basis for LOWA's sustainability strategy.
Four areas of action were derived from the results, where we at LOWA have the greatest leverage:
Product - We are strengthening sustainability in our products.
Supply chain - We take responsibility for the entire supply chain.
Environment and climate - we reduce our impact on nature.
People and company - we live our corporate and social responsibility.
LOWA contributes to eight Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations
WE MAKE OUR PRODUCTS MORE SUSTAINABLE
We are continuously expanding our quality and sustainability standards for our shoes - from the design to the end product. To this end, we are developing our own product sustainability guidelines and will only launch products that meet these requirements on the market from 2027. Our focus is on durability and the use of materials with a low environmental impact while maintaining consistently high performance. We increase longevity by producing durable, washable and repairable shoes. We always use the levers in such a way that they achieve the best results for the respective product. "We make our sustainability efforts verifiable by certifying products and materials," explains Veronika Becker, CR Manager at LOWA.
LOWA combines long-standing traditions with high environmental and social standards. Our sustainability is rooted in clear value systems, regionality and our own production facilities. We set ourselves ambitious but realistic goals, which we approach transparently and consistently with high data quality. "The use of high-quality, durable materials and socially responsible production conditions are not just a promise, but an integral part of our corporate culture. Step by step, we are climbing towards our goal," says Annika Jestädt, Head of CR at LOWA. "In this way, we are playing our part in creating a future worth living for generations to come."
What does Sustainability look like at LOWA?
Our Fields of Action
PRODUCTS
We are continuously making all our products more sustainable.
- We are constantly expanding our quality and sustainability standards from design to the end product. To this end, we are developing a product sustainability guideline.
- From 2027, we will only launch products on the market that meet these requirements - with a focus on durability and materials with a low environmental impact while maintaining high performance.
How LOWA repairs and reconditions a trekking boot:
Safeguarding technological know-how:
Developing and producing high-quality outdoor footwear is a complex process that requires a high degree of handicraft. By making its footwear in Europe, LOWA can maintain a close relationship between its production operation and its research and development department. One benefit of this decision is the company’s ability to produce a completely new prototype within one day at its base in Jetzendorf.
Lowering transport costs and emissions:
The proximity of production facilities to LOWA’s primary markets in Europe keeps transport distances short. This, in turn, reduces emissions and eliminates high transport costs.
Influencing the value chain:
By producing in Europe, LOWA can influence the entire value chain. Since July 2019, nearly 95 percent of production capacities have been covered by wholly-owned LOWA subsidiaries. This enables LOWA to shape the selection of the materials, production methods and employment conditions.