Munich, 5th April 2022. Westwing showcases its commitment to sustainability with the release of its first sustainability report today, entitled “Our sustainability journey”. In this report, the company sets out the environmental and social targets to be achieved over the next few years alongside credible information on Westwing’s sustainability efforts. The report marks the start of the company’s sustainability journey and includes a summary of Westwing’s 2030 Sustainability Strategy and an overview of the key 2021 achievements.
“As a company that recognizes our responsibilities to society and the environment, we see sustainability as a way of life that is here to stay,” says Delia Lachance, founder and Chief Creative Officer at Westwing. “Our passion for design and innovation as well as the respect for our customers and team members is now applied to meeting goals on climate and energy, packaging, materials, suppliers, fair working conditions and responsible communications.”
For Westwing, as the leader in inspiration-based Home and Living eCommerce, sustainability has always been at the core of the company. From introducing recycled cardboard packaging and sourcing products that are more sustainable, to gradually switching to renewable energy in its offices and offsetting the carbon emissions in its own operations, Westwing always looks for opportunities to improve its overall sustainability performance. However, Westwing is still at the beginning of its journey. In the rapidly changing, interconnected world, complex environmental, social and governance issues have emerged that require practical solutions and honest efforts.
The Westwing Sustainability Strategy 2030 aims to address some of these issues. It is the result of a rigorous materiality assessment based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. The GRI is an international independent standards organization that helps businesses understand and communicate their impacts on issues like climate change. To make Westwing’s sustainability vision a reality, the Strategy is centered around the following:
1. Make the Westwing Collection more sustainable. Use the best and most sustainable materials for the products.
2. Enable customers to make more sustainable choices Offer customers the most sustainable products that will help them create beautiful, sustainable homes.
3. Create the best workplace. Westwing’s people are the company’s biggest asset and they want to continue to provide them with safe and pleasant working spaces which respect the environment.
4. Ensure suppliers act on sustainability. The Home and Living eCommerce company wants to have partners that care about sustainability as much as they do and with whom they can successfully embark on its sustainability journey.
With this strategy, Westwing sets ambitious targets around 6 key topics:
Climate & energy: manage and reduce the overall carbon footprint.
Packaging: reduce the environmental impacts of the packaging used for their products
Material sourcing: select materials for products that are sourced in a responsible, sustainable and ethical manner.
Supplier impacts: work with suppliers to help limit their overall environmental and social impacts.
Fair working conditions: ensure working conditions, across the supply chain and own operations, which respect workers’ health, safety and dignity, assuring overall satisfaction and fair wages.
Responsible marketing and communication: provide transparent and credible information to Westwing’s customers with regards to the sustainability of the products offered and assist them in making more sustainable choices.
Erasmia Kitou, Head of Sustainability at Westwing: “Sustainability touches all parts of our business, from people to products and from customers to supply chain. I am excited about our Sustainability Strategy 2030 - which is built on our belief that there is a sustainable way to live beautifully. From ideas to design, production to supply chain, merchandising to marketing, we have set ambitious targets and priorities and we are looking forward to communicating our progress now and in the future.”
On its journey, the company will continue to grow its understanding of what it means to be a responsible company and apply rigor to the implementation of its goals, its measures and its actions. There is a sustainable way to live beautifully - and Westwing is here to work on creating its most inspiring version.
Westwing Group Sustainability Report 2021
About Westwing
Westwing is the European leader in inspiration-based Home and Living eCommerce with EUR 522 million of revenue in 2021. Through its ‘shoppable magazine’, Westwing inspires its loyal Home Enthusiast customers with a curated product selection and combines that with gorgeous content. With unparalleled loyalty, Westwing is generating more than 80% of orders from repeat customers. Westwing’s mission is: To inspire and make every home a beautiful home. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Munich. Westwing went public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in October 2018 and is active in eleven European countries.