FAQ

We Impact is aimed at companies and organizations of all sizes and sectors in German-speaking countries, including foreign subsidiaries. It is particularly suitable for SMEs, as well as for companies with existing environmental management systems such as ISO14001, EMAS or EMASplus. Organizations that are directly or indirectly affected by regulations such as the CSRD or the LkSG will find We Impact an ideal solution for integrating these requirements into their corporate management.

We Impact defines specific requirements for holistic sustainability management, which includes effective risk management and the implementation of corporate due diligence along the supply chain. The certification standard is based on proven standards such as ISO 14001 and EMAS, supplemented by specific requirements from the LkSG and the CSRD/ ESRS. An integral component is the sustainability report in accordance with the VSME, which underlines the transparency and credibility of the company's commitment.

The We Impact seal is awarded to companies that successfully implement comprehensive, standardized and impact-oriented sustainability management. It confirms that the organization has deeply integrated sustainability into its operational processes and is committed to continuous improvement.

The seal relates exclusively to the company's management system and not to the sustainability of individual products or services. It confirms that the companies operate in accordance with sustainability standards, which can contribute to improving the sustainability of their offering.

We Impact was developed by KATE Environment & Development in collaboration with Arqum, on behalf of and with the support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment. Numerous stakeholders and companies were involved in the dialog. KATE acts as the seal provider and operates the We Impact office, which serves as an information and registration office, carries out qualifications and continuously develops the system. The We Impact Strategy Advisory Board consists of independent, voluntary experts and contributes to the improvement and supervision of the system with its expertise from various sectors.

Level 1 is ideal for beginners in the field of sustainability management and aims to introduce the basics. Level 2 is aimed at advanced companies that already have an environmental management system and want to develop it further or establish a sophisticated sustainability management system from the outset. Organizations can start at either level based on their existing experience and objectives.

We Impact extends the requirements of ISO14001 and EMAS to include additional aspects covering social issues, human rights due diligence in the supply chain and governance aspects. EMAS-validated companies already fulfill all environmental criteria and expand their environmental management system to include the additional We Impact requirements. ISO 14001-certified organizations expand their management system to include the additional EMAS and We Impact-specific requirements.

EMAS^plus-organizations already largely implement the requirements of We Impact. There is a need for adaptation in the organizations, particularly with regard to the requirements for determining materiality, the content of the sustainability report and some elements of the LkSG and ESRS, which are marked accordingly in the regulations.

We Impact supports companies in integrating CSRD and LkSG requirements into their management. Companies carry out a double materiality analysis and consider all relevant ESG topics in accordance with the ESRS. The level 2 sustainability report fulfills the requirements of the VSME standard and can be extended to fully cover all CSRD conditions if required. The material due diligence requirements of the LkSG are included in the We Impact System and largely taken into account from Level 1.

Testing and certification are carried out by independent examiners approved by the office. These are qualified through specialist customer training and regularly audited. In stage 1, the audit is carried out online by impact auditors. In stage 2, the audit is carried out on site by impact assessors. Impact verifiers are environmental verifiers accredited by the German Accreditation and Licensing Association for Environmental Verifiers (DAU) with an additional We Impact qualification.

The certificate for level 1 must be awarded once and is valid for three (or four) years.¹ years). After this period, an upgrade to level 2 is planned. Certification for level 2 is also valid for three (or four¹) years and can be recertified an unlimited number of times.

¹ Four years, for organizations in accordance with the regulation for small organizations pursuant to Art. 7 of the EMAS Regulation

The costs are made up of internal expenses for implementation, a registration fee, an annual fee and the fees for the independent auditors. The amount of these costs varies depending on the scope of the required measures and the size of the company. The costs of the audit can be requested directly from the auditors.

The time required depends on the existing structure, the preparation and the ambitions of a company. Approximately 5 to 6 months are set as the introduction horizon for stage 1. Approx. 5 months should be planned for stage 2 if EMAS is already in place or after stage 1. If stage 2 is introduced with additional EMAS validation, approx. 8 to 10 months should be planned.

The We Impact seal identifies companies that meet the We Impact requirements for their sustainability management. The seal can be used in all corporate communication, for example on the website, on posters and vis-à-vis business partners.
However, the seal may not be applied directly to products, as it identifies the company's systems and processes, but does not make a sufficient statement about the sustainability of the products and services.

The seal may only be used in its original, unaltered form. The level 2 seal is always used as a double seal in combination with the EMAS seal.

Further information on the use of seals can be found in our guidelines.