Working for a better future: Herlitz has implemented a range of measures to promote climate protection and sustainability. The company’s x.book school exercise books and maX.file lever arch files are not only high quality stationery products – they are also produced carbon-neutrally, thanks to Herlitz’s support for offsetting projects and the reduction of CO2 in raw materials production, manufacturing and distribution processes. Herlitz’s vehicle fleet now only contains vehicles with emissions under 120g CO2/km. Since 2008, Herlitz has been offering products which are certified to the standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™ code C014510), and is thus satisfying rising consumer demand for green products while also supporting the responsible management of forest resources. As early as 1981 Herlitz introduced numerous environmentally friendly and fully recyclable paper products featuring the Blue Angel environmental label. Furthermore, to ensure that climate protection has a strong future, Herlitz has been investing in "Aktion Klima!", an initiative to raise environmental awareness among schoolchildren that is run by the non-profit association "BildungsCent e.V.".

Over the past thirty years Herlitz has made a valuable contribution to environmental protection with paper products manufactured from 100% recycled paper. Yet the company’s dedication to the environment doesn’t end there: In recent months and years Herlitz has continued to expand its commitment to a greener future. As a producer of stationery supplies Herlitz is highly conscious of its responsibility to offer consumers eco-friendly and climate-conscious products. For this reason, essential climate protection and sustainability targets are firmly anchored in the company’s activities.

Herlitz offers exercise books, writing pads and office stationery from 100% carbon-neutral production. The CO2 logo allows consumers to easily identify the x.book products and maX.file lever arch files and ring binders that are carbon neutral, thus allowing customers to make a conscious choice for eco-friendly products. In collaboration with the company ClimatePartner, each year Herlitz calculates the corporate and product carbon footprints of each article it sells. On the basis of these calculations, measures are developed to reduce CO2 emissions in raw material production, manufacturing and distribution processes, ultimately enhancing the ecological friendliness of the final product.
Half of the company’s vehicle fleet, for example, has already been replaced with vehicles featuring BlueMotion technology, which provides for extremely low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of less than 120g CO2/km. Herlitz thus already complies with EU regulations that will go into effect in 2012. In coming years, even more efficient vehicles with CO2 emissions of less than 100g CO2/km will be purchased, thereby assuring the vehicle fleet is well-equipped for a greener future. Furthermore, this year Herlitz took part in the "FleetCompetence eCO2" project initiated by Volkswagen Leasing GmbH. Herlitz’s vehicle fleet was ranked 9th under the category "lowest average fuel consumption", an extremely strong result. Herlitz also supports selected projects run by the German nature and biodiversity conservation union NABU.
And in order to compensate for unavoidable emissions, Herlitz supports additional projects based on the "Gold Standard" quality certification developed by some 60 NGOs. Gold Standard projects promote the use of renewable energy, encourage the reduction of emissions harmful to the climate and help to reduce energy consumption. Example projects include wind parks in the South Pacific and a run-of-the-river hydroelectricity plant in Turkey.

Herlitz welcomes and is proud to cater to increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly products and materials. Since 2008, Herlitz has been certified to the standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) as a manufacturer of paper, office and stationery products. For products sold as FSC™-certified, the company supports the responsible management of forest resources around the world, in turn making a valuable contribution to environmental protection. Only products made with wood from responsibly managed forests may bear the FSC™ logo. The logo testifies to environmentally conscious production processes, from tree cultivation to final manufacturing. The FSC™ tree logo is featured on all Herlitz standard exercise books, licence series exercise books such as Hot Wheels™ and EA SPORTS™, notepads, standard wooden pencils and – since the autumn of 2010 – maX.file lever arch files and ring binders. By purchasing these ecologically responsible products, consumers can make a direct contribution to conserving and improving forest resources.

Since 1981 Herlitz has been producing paper products featuring the Blue Angel label, the world’s oldest environment certification. Products with the Blue Angel label are manufactured from 100% recycled paper and are fully recyclable, thus conserving natural resources. The approximately 200 Herlitz-brand stationery articles – including lever arch files, suspension files, divider strips, flat files, exercise books, notepads, craft supplies, mailing bags and filing strips – are extremely low in pollutants and much less harmful to the environment than articles manufactured from virgin fibre paper. The new x.book stationery line, maX.file lever arch files and the cardboard elements of the "easyorga" line are all made from 100% recycled paper fibre and bear the Blue Angel label.

To ensure that climate protection has a strong future, Herlitz has also been investing in "Aktion Klima!", an initiative to raise awareness for environmental issues and sustainability among schoolchildren. The initiative is run by "BildungsCent e.V.", a non-profit association founded by Herlitz, in collaboration with Germany’s federal environmental ministry. Additional information about the company’s climate protection efforts can be found in the brochure "Herlitz climate protection: Responsibility for the environment" or online at www.herlitz.eu.