VdS-Schadenverhuetung Security

For our society

VdS sustainability management system

The preservation of our livelihoods and ecosystems is important - as is an active commitment to sustainability and external communication.

Because only together can the right and important measures be effective and lead to the goal of a sustainable and liveable future for future generations.  

For a more sustainable economy, it is important to define goals, develop measures and decide on them. The fulfillment of these measures must be measured and further development must be controlled.

A suitable sustainability management system helps you and your company to drive forward activities in a more targeted and efficient manner and to communicate them more credibly

The VdS 6037 guidelines formulate requirements for this management system and are based on international standards such as DIN EN ISO 14001.

They contain regulations and requirements for the establishment and operation of a sustainability management system. Of the three pillars of sustainability (environment, social responsibility, governance), particular attention is paid here to the ecological aspects.

The areas of social responsibility and compliance with laws and regulations are also taken into account. However, due to the very high German standards here, these are not the focus of the system.

Many companies already have a sustainable culture and now want to operate more sustainably in a more structured and planned way. With the renowned VdS certificate, you can provide concrete proof of these efforts to customers, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders.

For restorers of property insurance claims

At the beginning of 2021, insurers in Germany already specified in their sustainability positioning how they want to actively contribute to slowing global warming and to sustainable development.

The positioning encompasses the entire business model in order to make the insurers' specific contribution to society visible: Own business processes, investments, underwriting, products as well as research and public relations. The long-term sustainable orientation is linked to interim targets up to 2025 in order to demonstrate the industry's determination.

By 2025, insurers will increasingly integrate sustainability criteria into their claims settlement practices and thus make a significant contribution to adapting to climate change. By taking sustainability aspects into account when settling claims, insurers can provide an immediate impetus for resource-saving and environmentally friendly business practices.

The market share of insurers with sustainability criteria in their processes is 81%. For 71% of the market, “repair instead of buy new” applies when repairing damage and 63% pay attention to energy efficiency when replacing damage.

More than half of the market offers products declared as sustainable.

Insurers are increasingly working with service providers who present sustainability concepts or certificates (source: GDV Sustainability Report 2023).

In order to increase the transparency of sustainability in property damage restoration and to make the efforts of restorers for more sustainability in structures and processes measurable and comparable, GDV has developed a catalog of sustainability goals (german) for this sector as a non-binding industry standard. The refurbishment industry was actively involved in the development process via the Fachverband Sanierung und Umwelt (FSU) e. V. (Refurbishment and Environment Association).

This catalog of criteria is mandatory as part of the certification of the sustainability management system for companies that carry out damage restoration in property insurance.

The most important thing: start now

Very few companies start from scratch - many have already implemented measures to enable more sustainable business practices. The management system forms the basis for integrating these measures into an overall strategy.

The certification of sustainability management does not indicate that sustainable action and management have existed in a fully developed form from the outset.

Rather, the aim is to implement a guided and documented PPDCA development process in order to increasingly establish sustainable action and business practices.

However, these efforts must go beyond what is already required by law, the authorities or regulatory bodies.

1. Please feel free to contact us.

You will find our contact details in the left-hand column. We will provide you with a tailor-made offer that takes into account the organizational characteristics of your company as well as any existing management system structures and third-party certificates. The offer will show you what costs will be incurred over the three years (see section 4 ff.).

2. We will make you a non-binding offer.

If you place an order, we first check the audit eligibility on the basis of the documents to be submitted and determine the audit priorities.

3. We audit on site.

Im Rahmen eines vor-Ort-Audits werden wir bewerten, ob Ihre Strukturen, Dokumente und Aufzeichnungen die Anforderungen der Richtlinien VdS 6037 (bei Sanierern zusätzlich die der VdS 6038) erfüllen.

4. You will receive your certificate.

After the successful audit, you will receive your certificate. This is valid for three years. You will be listed on our website as a certified company and are authorized to advertise with the VdS brand.

5. We carry out surveillance audits.

Within the three years, we carry out so-called monitoring audits at your premises. Where possible, these audits are carried out remotely.

6. Renewal of the certificate.

Before the three years expire, you have the opportunity to provide proof that the company continues to meet the requirements by means of a recertification audit. As a rule, a new certificate can then be issued, which follows on seamlessly from the old certificate and is again valid for three years.

    up
    Top