CSR @ Spread Group: 5 Questions for Andrea Radziewsky

Spread Group: How do you personally define sustainability?

Andrea Radziewsky: Sustainability is not something we should leave to others. It is up to us! Every day we make decisions and too often ignore the fact that they have an impact on our environment and future generations. At some point, I didn’t want to go along with that anymore and drew the consequences for myself. I’ve been living vegan for two years now. Of course, this step is not for everyone, but some habits can be changed quite easily. No more buying cheap disposable fashion, reselling old clothes via second-hand apps, and switching to green electricity.

Spread Group: What motivates you to live a more sustainable lifestyle?

Andrea Radziewsky: I determined my CO2 footprint via a climate calculator online. This spurred me on to reduce it even further. Through my vegan lifestyle, I was able to save a large amount of CO2 at that time. I am also green when it comes to “mobility”, as I regularly travel by bus and train. Having my own car was never a question for me, because I don’t even have a driver’s license.

Spread Group: What role does sustainability play in your job and in the tasks of your team?

Andrea Radziewsky: An important role. There are a few adjustments in bulk orders that we have made to further our sustainability balance. For example, we avoid printing out emails and other documents. For our group orders, we make sure that we pack all the items of an order in just one large cardboard box instead of wrapping each item individually. This saves a lot of packaging. But we can’t do without the bags altogether, as it’s a legal requirement to ensure that the goods reach the customer undamaged. We also try to avoid returns and offer our customers the option of ordering samples. Our customers’ interest in sustainable products has increased significantly in recent years. One indicator here are the many inquiries we receive through our service e-mail address responsibility@spreadshirt.de. I think it’s great that customers are looking so closely at our products. A lot of information, such as our environmental certificates and dealer credentials can be found on our website at any time. For example, our ink is 100 percent vegan, and our packaging is all recyclable.

Spread Group: Have you set yourselves specific sustainability goals?

Andrea Radziewsky: Yes, of course. I have planned a workshop with my team in which we will gather ideas for a more sustainable development in the department. It will also be about greater sensitivity to the everyday carelessness in life. Do we leave our appliances on standby in the evening? And do we turn off the lights when we leave the office for longer meetings?

Spread Group: What do you recommend to all readers who would like to further explore the topic of sustainability?

Andrea Radziewsky: I really like the blog utopia.de. It provides great inspiration for sustainable consumption, but also practical advice on how to save energy. I would never have come up with some of these tips on my own – it’s definitely worth a look!

Spread Group: Thank you for the interview, Andrea.