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We care about people and nature
ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE PROTECTION
Our environmental responsibility
"How we act today determines what the world will look like tomorrow“
Our philosophy? We walk the talk. As a company, we actively shape the future, moving sustainable environmental and social development forward. This is an integral part of our company vision, and we take responsibility seriously. We implement effective, regional, and global environmental and climate protection measures in our company and through our shops. We consistently evaluate our impact on the environment and the climate, further developing and optimising our initiatives. We're always looking for new, climate-friendly solutions because there is no plan(et) B!
SUSTAINABILITY
Climate crisis – The earth is ablaze
100 corporations are responsible for about 70% of all CO2 emissions worldwide. Our planet is overheating faster than expected. The consequences? More droughts, heavier rainfalls, more floods, more hurricanes. The earth only has limited resources but it consumes the equivalent of 1.75 earth-sized planets annually. About 60% of this is due to excess greenhouse gas emissions that are no longer returned to natural cycles. They cause enormous damage to people, nature and the climate.
Becoming climate-conscious by taking several eco-friendly steps
We’re implementing many options to minimise the impact of our business activities on the environment and climate. To that end, we have implemented extensive eco-friendly measures in recent years. Furthermore, we strive continuously to prevent greenhouse gas emissions in the first place while simultaneously reducing unavoidable CO2 emissions as much as possible.
Our carbon footprint - for more fairness
The annual assessment of our corporate carbon footprint is the best way to visualise our impact on the climate and environment. That is why at niceshops, we record and calculate our carbon footprint in cooperation with ClimatePartner as per the Greenhouse Gas Protocol standards. This helps us determine where we are and which aspects require the most attention or innovation.
CO2-emissions – collected, analysed and reported
Emissions data collected fall into three categories known as "Scopes". Scope 1 includes direct emissions generated by the organisation itself, such as by its offices and company vehicles. Scope 2 and Scope 3 include indirect emissions not generated directly by the organisation. A good example for Scope 2 is electricity while Scope 3 covers waste generated, employee commutes and business travel. As per this categorisation, in 2023, Scope 1 accounted for 19.9 per cent of niceshops emissions, Scope 2 for 0.4 per cent and Scope 3 for 79.7 per cent.
SUSTAINABILITY
Avoiding CO2 emisssions …
Green electricity - all systems go!
We meet 100% of our total energy consumption needs at our headquarters using green electricity. More than 50% is sourced directly from our in-house photovoltaic system that spans over the entire roof.
Heating & cooling – energy efficiency with vision
Our headquarters and logistics centre are largely heated and cooled using waste heat generated by the neighbouring farmer's biogas plant. By utilising the unused waste heat, we're making sensible use of the potential of renewable energy that is already available.
Building materials – environmentally friendly, future-oriented construction
Wood played a dominant role in the construction of our large logistics centre which was built according to the highest energy-saving standards. In the truest sense of the word. Wood was used wherever possible: from the glued laminated beams to the walls and our in-house bridge. A total of 3,609 cubic metres of wood were used throughout the building. The naturally renewable raw material also makes a statement in terms of its eco-balance: since 1 tonne of CO2 is stored in every cubic metre of wood, we were able to bind 3,609 tonnes of CO2.
Company e-cars, carpooling vehicles and bikes – eco-friendly in all aspects
Electric cars have many advantages. They are much more environment-friendly and resource-saving than vehicles with combustion engines, as they do not emit exhaust gases that are harmful to the environment or our health. In addition, we "fuel" them with electricity from renewable energy sources obtained from our photovoltaic system. We have electric company cars and more than 30 charging stations. Our colleagues have access to a pool of four e-cars, one e-van and eight e-bikes for both business and personal use.
SUSTAINABILITY
Reducing CO2 emissions …
Biodegradable packaging – Giving back to nature
Environment-friendly, compostable and plastic-free - this is our policy for selecting packaging materials, which we implement across the board, with only a few exceptions. Plus: the innovative niceshops packages can be reused for shipping and returns. The packaging can be used without any adhesive tape thanks to our patented design - a solution that received the Austrian State Prize within the packaging industry and the "WorldStar Global Packaging Award".
Kitchen & cooking – Full taste, zero waste
We've taken many steps towards environmental and climate protection when it comes to cooking and the kitchen. These include using returnable bottles for all drinks and a weekly Veggie Day meal option. Our kitchen philosophy? Regional, seasonal and sustainable! We rarely have any leftovers as everything we use is precisely calculated. We also use up leftover food from our online shops. The organic waste generated in our kitchen is disposed of appropriately: leftover food goes to a composting plant which produces fertiliser, while used oils and fats are processed into biodiesel. Our central kitchen is designed to be modern and energy-efficient. For example, with heat recovery from all kitchen appliances.
Mobility & the environment – sharing is caring
Since the use of cars makes a significant contribution towards the overall CO2 emission overall count, we have set up our very own "mobility task force". We initiate and promote various ways to showcase environmentally and climate-friendly alternatives to using cars as a form of transport. For example, we subsidise travel cards for public transport, organise car-free days, and promote carpooling and the use of company bicycles. We also give preference to e-cars or public transport, such as trains for business trips.
Waste & recycling - living responsibly
We draw inspiration from nature’s material cycles whereby nothing is wasted, lost or unused as a model for our waste management concept. We are able to filter out important resources and valuable materials that are transported directly to a recycling plant by separating waste accurately, cleanly and according to the material type.
Returns – less is more
Our product return rate accounts for less than 3%. On the one hand, we strive to uphold product quality to avoid returns altogether. On the other hand, we are continuously working on accurate data analysis to avoid transport damage, thereby avoiding returns. Goods do not simply end up in the rubbish. We inspect all returned goods and, depending on their condition, offer them as A or B goods in our online shops or recycle them internally. We repair defective products when appropriate or use their components as spare parts.
Bike courier service – Emission-free last-mile-delivery
We offer shipping by bicycle in Graz - with delivery within one day. With this service, we deliver our parcels by bicycle courier for an additional charge. In addition to being climate-friendly, this also reduces the burden on city traffic.
Climate-neutral shipping within the DACH region – green logistics
In the DACH region, our parcels are delivered in a largely climate-neutral manner, except for a very small percentage, especially in the case of pallet shipping and special freight-forwarding services. Customers in Graz also have the option of delivery by bicycle courier.
Guests visiting our premises instantly feel the spirit of niceshops. Especially during tours of our logistics centre in Saaz, they can see for themselves that we've set new standards in the online retail sector from an ecological and social perspective.
Thomas Karner
Coordinator for eco-social responsibility at niceshops
Nicegarden – our contribution to biodiversity
Over the years, we have redesigned the large outdoor area at our Saaz headquarters with nature as our inspiration. With the comprehensive and close-to-nature garden design, we have created not only more room for biodiversity but also meeting points and recreational areas in the outdoors for our colleagues.
Presenting our beautiful green oasis
Fragrant flowering plants, herbs and perennial beds in the entrance area and along paths.
Herb mounds as a design element and as a source of fresh herbs for our use in our company kitchen.
A fire pit surrounded by curving beds planted with berries and perennials.
An approximately 100 m long hedge with shrubs bearing flowers and berries which bloom at different times from spring to autumn.
A so-called ‘wild corner’ with a rock garden, wildflower meadow, apple trees, giant perennials, insect habitats and a dry biotope.
We have also incorporated shelters for beneficial insects and compost heaps and installed a large rainwater collection basin.
We made a conscious decision to plant a wide variety of native and ecologically valuable species appropriate to the location. The entire garden design has been implemented without the use of plastic. Furthermore, no synthetic chemical pesticides, fertilisers or peat are used for garden maintenance and care.
Regional humus cultivation – we reap what we sow
In order to promote climate-friendly agriculture and forestry, we support Humus+, the humus development programme in the ecoregion of Kaindorf, Styria. This proven Europe-wide showcase model enables arable land to be farmed sustainably while at the same time capturing tonnes of harmful CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it in the soil as humus. Optimising the cultivation of arable land also significantly reduces CO2 emissions generated by fertilisers, pesticides and fuel.
On the whole, in addition to the enormous amount of CO2 sequestration, improved soil fertility, reduced flood risk and increased biodiversity also ensure sustainable climate and wildlife conservation.
We only have one planet – let's take responsibility for it together!
We are facing a host of crises, be it environmental, climate or extinction of species. Where do we begin and how do we rectify the situation? A turnaround is needed which begins with each and every one of us. First and foremost, we need to take charge. There is so much that we can all do to save our planet. The commitment and drive at niceshops demonstrate what is possible when it comes to climate and environmental protection. We all help shape the future with every step taken and every decision that is made. We want to encourage and inspire you to work together with us towards sustainability. We can accomplish it - together!
