In addition to perfect craftsmanship and timeless design, EHAM above all represents a strong connection to nature. Ever since the company was founded, we have been working to ensure that our actions are guided by a growing awareness of environmental aspects – and in our eyes, this kind of corporate management also includes mindfulness when it comes to the responsible use of resources.

It is our goal to use our commercial model in such a way that we create a positive impact on society as well as the environment. This is measured in a strict testing procedure as part of the B Corp certification.

Through this certification process, we commit to consider the impact of our decisions on all employees, customers and suppliers, while voluntarily complying with verified standards.

This is exactly what large and officially recognized B Corporations worldwide, such as Patagonia or The Guardian, as well as smaller, aspirational players like PNZ, are doing.

Our goal is to position ourselves in a future-oriented and responsible manner. We have found what we were looking for in B Corp: a platform for the open exchange of experiences, a framework with substance and up-to-date guidelines. We are currently in the certification process and have recently completed the questionnaire consisting of 251 questions. As part of the next step, we have a lot of tasks to complete.

We are currently working extensively on our corporate code of conduct and are identifying goals and measures in this area. This includes the evaluation of our carbon footprint with regard to the ecology of our company. A company’s emissions are measured in three categories. A distinction is made between upstream, direct and downstream emissions, which are divided into Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (indirect in relation to energy) and Scope 3 (indirect).

We have been analyzing the direct and indirect emissions of our production site at Tegernsee since 2020 and have formulated targets for the continuous further development of our ecological sustainability. We have already achieved initial significant improvements with regard to Scope 2, i.e. indirect emissions: In 2023, we will obtain 100% of our electricity from sustainable sources. 29% of it from our own photovoltaic system. The rest is supplied by our reliable partner Naturstrom.

Next, we will examine our indirect Scope 3 emissions as part of the company’s code of conduct and carbon footprint. In doing so, we examine emissions along our entire value chain, as well as their impact. To this end, we first focused on our most important suppliers. 54 of our 59 suppliers are within a 322 km radius — and are therefore considered “local”, according to B Corp. Further analysis of our seven most important raw material suppliers shows that we are in fact two-thirds above the B Corp standard here, as these are within a 100 km radius on average. As a next step, we have started to evaluate the most common material categories in more detail to understand which hold the greatest potential for more environmentally friendly alternatives within the raw material supply chain.

We are already implementing initial measures. Over the past six months, we have begun to replace export wood from North America, which has traveled particularly long distances, with local fir wood for our furniture substructures. This considerably reduces emissions in this area. Thanks to close cooperation with local foresters, we now source the wood from within a 10 km radius. Cut at the Neureuth, sawed in Miesbach and dried on company premises. We also want to extend this approach to wood for substructures on construction sites. We are currently in a test phase to see whether and how domestic wood is suitable for this.

Change can only happen together. That is why close relationships with our suppliers and partners are essential. We want to make our entire value chain more transparent and ensure that our standards take effect at all levels and are complied with long-term.

To consolidate our goals and achieve them with innovative approaches, we must act with the understanding that we are interdependent and therefore responsible for each other. The B Corp network is a great inspiration and support for us when it comes to combining economically sustainable progress and craftsmanship tradition at EHAM.

We will keep you updated on the status of the certification as well as our next steps, also through our newsletter and social media channels.

Photography: Sofie Latour
March 2023