For the third time, the Office of Educational Innovation and University Didactics is organising a joint lecture series on the topic of sustainability together with Prof. Dr. René Fahr 's department in the winter semester 2024/25. The lecture series is entitled "UPB for Future" and is aimed at students of all disciplines and study phases, employees and the interested public. The ecological, social and economic dimensions of sustainability are addressed and discussed in weekly changing lectures.
This lecture highlights the comprehensive sustainable transformation at VAUDE, a leading company in the outdoor industry. The focus will be on the systematic ecological reorganisation of the company's site in Germany, the practiced work-life balance and the promotion of an inclusive and trust-based corporate culture. VAUDE's global commitment to fair working conditions, ecological responsibility in the supply chain and the implementation of circular economy models such as product rental and second-hand are also addressed. The aim is to highlight the challenges and success factors on the way to becoming a holistically sustainable company.
About the person:
Dr Antje von Dewitz is Managing Director of the outdoor outfitter VAUDE. After studying economics and cultural area studies at the University of Passau, she joined VAUDE as a product manager and later became head of communications. From 2002, she worked and completed her doctorate at the Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship at the University of Hohenheim. Dr Antje von Dewitz returned to VAUDE in 2005 as Head of Marketing. In 2009 she took over the management of the company from her father and VAUDE founder Albrecht von Dewitz. Antje von Dewitz is passionate about ecological and social responsibility in global supply chains. In doing so, she has transformed VAUDE into a sustainable company through and through and continues to drive continuous development. In doing so, she proves that a sustainably orientated company can also be economically very successful. VAUDE has been growing at an above-average rate for years in the highly competitive outdoor market. Antje von Dewitz and the family business have received numerous awards for their long-standing social and ecological commitment, including the German Sustainability Award 2015 and the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg. In her book "Courage suits us", which was published in 2020, she shows how companies can take on more responsibility for people and nature and how we can achieve and drive forward great things together.
