EMAS Certification

To us, sustainability is far more than a buzzword. For many years, we have been working consistently to make our processes – from raw material sourcing to printing at our Wolfach site – as environmentally friendly as possible. Now, we have reached another important milestone: Since mid-January, we are officially certified under the European environmental management system EMAS.

With our publicly accessible environmental statement, we provide full transparency about the measures we have already implemented and the goals we have set for the future.

Why EMAS Is the Right Step for Us

The European Union’s “Eco-Management and Audit Scheme” (EMAS) is still relatively unknown to the general public, yet it is considered the world’s most demanding system for sustainable environmental management. Environmental authorities, such as the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment, confirm this assessment.

We have been certified according to the ISO 14001 standard since 2017 – but EMAS goes significantly further. For us, it was clear: if we want to continuously improve our environmental performance, we need to align ourselves with the highest standards.

“We were already on a good path, but EMAS required us to refine several areas,” explains Theresia Vetter from our marketing team.

Two Years of Intensive Preparation

“Even with our existing ISO 14001 certification, we worked on EMAS for two years,” adds Managing Director Michael Gleich. The extensive legal requirements that EMAS covers – beyond environmental protection alone – demanded thorough preparation.

Since January 11, we have been officially allowed to carry the EMAS seal – as one of the first ballpoint pen manufacturers worldwide.

For us, this achievement reflects not only our own ambition. Many of our major customers and international partners increasingly value verifiable sustainability standards. With EMAS, we gain a clear competitive advantage while demonstrating openly and transparently how we operate.

The certification process includes a three-day audit, with one full day spent on-site. EMAS is reviewed every two years, and every four years we redefine our environmental objectives.

Making Progress Measurable

To set realistic and meaningful goals, we work with clear performance indicators. Since CO₂ emissions can vary depending on production volume, we relate our energy consumption to the tonnage of incoming materials. This creates a meaningful benchmark that we aim to improve year by year.

“There may be times when we don’t reach a target – in that case, we must be able to explain why,” says Michael Gleich. Transparency is a core principle of EMAS, and we fully embrace it.

Our Environmental Goals for the Coming Years

We have set ambitious goals to further enhance our environmental performance. These include:

• Utilizing waste heat

• Reducing energy consumption through building improvements

• Expanding our photovoltaic system

• Reducing waste, for example by switching to more sustainable packaging

• Increasing the share of recycled materials in our production

All measures and targets are documented in detail in our environmental statement.

More information, the certificate and our full environmental report can be found on our sustainability page.