As a family business and provider of environmentally relevant product testing, we also combine ecological and social aspects in our internal processes and everyday work. In concrete terms, this means that

• we set the highest standards for our services, especially for the content of the product certification “eco-INSTITUT-Label”,
• we support the necessary change in energy and transport by using electricity from renewable energy sources and public transport,
• we respect our employees, and
• we serve our customers with the highest possible quality and transparency.

Our premium product “eco-INSTITUT-Label”:

Our product certification “eco-INSTITUT-Label” enables manufacturers to certify products that are particularly low in emissions and pollutants. In addition to the aspects of health protection for consumers, the environmental-toxicological effects of the products are evaluated by further ecological product tests.

Certain chemical substances are excluded from the basic requirements of our certification programme. For example, products that use organohalogen compounds (e.g. PVC products) are not certified.

Sometimes certifications of certain products cannot be granted even if the product emissions are not critical from a health point of view, but the material compositions do not comply with our strict basic ecological requirements.

Products with the eco-INSTITUT label should not contain hidden pollutants that have negative impacts in the life cycle outside the use phase in production or disposal.

With our certification, we seek to give product manufacturers the opportunity to also follow our goals for low-pollutant products and to make this visible to consumers.

Power from renewable sources

For the necessary air-conditioning of the laboratory premises and the operation of the test chambers and analytical equipment we obtain 100% renewable energy.

Sustainable mobility

We prefer to use public transport for business trips and thus avoid domestic flights. We do not have company cars, but use car-sharing services when necessary. We support the sustainable mobility of our employees with a job bike and a job ticket.

Our employees are our most important resource:

We strive to make it possible for our employees to combine work and family life in a relaxed manner. The basics of our work organisation are for all employees:

• flexible working hours
• home office and
• trust-based working hours and
• individual part-time models

We aim for a good working atmosphere and satisfied employees.

(Digital) teamwork, fast communication channels and joint decision-making are just as much a part of this as free drinks or the weekly fruit box with organic products.

In the past, we have enjoyed joint activities (annual company outing, barbecue for lunch, Christmas dinner) and hope to start this again soon.

In this way, we achieve that our employees remain loyal to us for a long time, which in turn means continuity in quality and customer service.

Memberships

Through our memberships listed here as examples, we would like to support ecological content, financially, ideally and with our professional expertise.

• Association of Ecological Research Institutes - AGÖF
• natureplus e.V. and founding cooperative member of natureplus SCE
• Federal German Working Group for Environmentally Conscious Management - B.A.U.M. e.V.
• tooltip text=”The Quality Association for Environmentally-Agreeable Latex Mattresses – QUL e.V.” bubble=”Qualitätsverband umweltverträgliche Latexmatratzen e.V”]
• tooltip text=”International Association of the Natural Textile Industry – IVN e.V.” bubble=”Internationaler Verband der Naturtextilwirtschaft e.V.”]
• tooltip text=”Working Group Environment and Health of the German Furniture Quality Association e.V. – DGM” bubble=”Arbeitskreis Umwelt und Gesundheit der deutschen Gütegemeinschaft Möbel e.V.”]

In addition, different charitable projects, organisations or relief funds receive financial support every year. Our donation budget has developed, among other things, from foregoing Christmas presents.