Environmental Protection and Conservation of Resources
We consider environmental factors throughout the entire product lifecycle—from materials and energy to production and packaging, and on to shipping, waste, and recycling. In doing so, we strive to use resources more efficiently and reduce our environmental impact.
Using Materials Thoughtfully
At the CEWE Group, we use our internally developed product score to systematically evaluate the sustainability aspects of our products based on defined criteria. The results help us identify areas for improvement and incorporate them into our product development process.
Paper is an essential material for many of the CEWE Group’s photo products. In addition, we use materials such as cardboard, printing inks, adhesives, films, and packaging materials. When sourcing materials, we consider their origin, availability, and quality, as well as environmental and social risks along the supply chain.
For all wood-fiber-based materials, we rely on certified sources, primarily FSC®. The FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) is committed to the environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and economically viable management of forests worldwide.
Climate, Energy, and Digital Infrastructure
We use energy in our production processes, in our buildings, for our IT infrastructure, at photo stations, and in our transportation and delivery processes. A large portion of our greenhouse gas emissions does not originate at our own sites, but rather in the upstream and downstream parts of the value chain—particularly from materials, purchased goods and services, and transportation.
Reduce Emissions
The CEWE Group is working to improve energy efficiency, expand the use of renewable energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the value chain. Measures include, among other things, photovoltaic systems at selected production sites, certified green energy at all German locations, heat pumps and geothermal energy in new buildings and renovations, more energy-efficient equipment and lighting, and the optimization of logistics and mobility processes.
As a group of companies operating throughout Europe, we at the CEWE Group are committed not only to complying with legal requirements but also to setting ambitious climate targets for ourselves. While we were even able to exceed our climate targets for Scopes 1 and 2 by 2025, reducing Scope 3 emissions remains a particular challenge for us as a group of companies. We are currently developing a transition plan to further specify our climate measures in line with our new 2030 targets.
Digitalization and IT
Digital ordering and production processes also require energy. These include, among other things, data centers, software, image processing, AI applications, and photo stations at retail partners. We are working to further develop our IT infrastructure. In fiscal year 2025, the CEWE Group expanded the virtualization of its IT systems and deployed new, more powerful servers and storage systems. This enabled us to reduce the number of racks required as well as the power consumption of traditional servers and databases in our data centers. At the same time, the average size of image data and the power requirements for computers running AI applications have increased due to their growing use. We are therefore continuing to develop our IT infrastructure to balance performance and energy efficiency.
Packaging: Balancing Product Protection and Material Use
Packaging protects our photo products during shipping. At the same time, it requires materials and can generate waste. When selecting and refining packaging, we at the CEWE Group consider factors such as product protection, material usage, and recyclability.
We are constantly exploring ways to reduce the amount of plastic in packaging wherever it is technically and functionally feasible. However, packaging is only useful if it adequately protects products and minimizes damage and unnecessary reshipments as much as possible.
Making Progress Transparent
We publish key figures, goals, and methods in our annual annual report. There, we also explain how data is collected and where the limits of comparability lie. This is intended to make our progress transparent, as well as the areas where we continue to work.