Working together for the environment
We take our responsibility to protect and preserve a healthy environment very seriously. Already in the product development phase, we are guided by considerations for environmentally friendly business operations. Partners and suppliers are critical to achieving sustainability, which is why we include them in our endeavours. We also actively involve our employees, promote awareness, provide regular training and ensure transparent communication of the outcomes of our efforts. In addition, we are committed to:
to climate-conscious business activity and to further improvements in our environmental management
complying with legal requirements and other obligations
subjecting our activities to regular and independent monitoring and certification
Targeted emissions reductions
Our CO₂ emissions and the climate protection projects we support relate to Ifolor AG, our production facility in Switzerland. Both areas are covered by the Swiss Climate Label. Ifolor continuously adapts its measures to reduce energy consumption and consistently ensures that cardboard and printing paper waste is recycled correctly. Extended label principles from Swiss Climate AG came into force for the 2024 balance sheet year. ifolor was happy to comply with these in order to continue to receive the “GOLD Certificate” from Swiss Climate. Among other things, all consumables used for ifolor photo products have now been included in the balance sheet. They now account for the largest share of emissions. The 2024 accounting year will now be used as the new base year in order to continuously improve comparability with previous years. ifolor's long-term goal is to achieve net zero in Scope 1–3 by 2050. As an interim target for 2030, ifolor is aiming for a 40% reduction in emissions in Scope 1 + 2 and a 10% reduction in Scope 3. We are constantly working to optimize our waste management concept and obtain 100% of our electricity from Swiss hydropower. Ifolor AG has been awarded the Swiss Climate Label for the 14th time.
Emissions from business heating
Compared to the base year 2020, emissions from our heating system fell by 59% in 2024. Thanks to our collaboration with the Thurgau Competence Center for Renewable Energy Systems (KEEST) and the overhaul of our gas heating system, we were able to save 17 tons of CO₂ compared to the previous year. The optimized settings significantly increased efficiency and reduced emissions.
Emissions from water consumption
Compared to the base year 2020, we were able to reduce our emissions from water consumption by 96% in 2024 – 19% less than in the previous year. Per employee, consumption is only 3.1 m³ of water, which corresponds to about 52 bathtubs full – significantly below the Swiss average of 142 m³ per person per year.
Emissions from commuting
Compared to the base year 2020, we were able to reduce emissions from commuting by 42%, and compared to the previous year, the reduction is 31%. Contributing factors included the Bike to Work initiative, more electric car commuters, a decline in gasoline and diesel cars, an increase in electric bicycles, and greater use of public transportation.
Our climate-conscious business / Our climate contribution strategy
Ifolor's compensation strategy includes the following selection criteria for climate projects:
- High quality standard: Gold Standard VER, VCS standard, or ISO 14064-2 for Switzerland
- Thematic relevance to Ifolor:
- Responsibility toward forests, as there is a close connection to paper production
- Forestry and climate protection projects related to Switzerland and the Kreuzlingen region
- Careful use of energy and social responsibility
Although the requirements for climate protection projects are less stringent today, Ifolor continues to invest the same amount in high-quality projects as in previous years – a clear sign of our ongoing commitment to the environment and society.
Environmentally friendly products
We believe that making the production of our products more environmentally friendly is essential to ensuring long-term environmental sustainability. Therefore, sustainability is just as much a focus when procuring products from external suppliers as it is when making the photo products. We also strive to design durable products, which we do by producing items of the highest quality. Users are then able to enjoy our products for longer, with no need to buy a replacement. We currently offer the following range of environmentally friendly products:
ifolor’s Co-CEO Hannes Schwarz
“As a family-run company, we have lived and breathed photography since 1961. Environmentally friendly development and production on site according to Swiss quality standards is a tradition with us".
Andreas Schmidt, Head of Quality Management Systems
“We are renowned for carefully crafted, high-quality products and guaranteed satisfaction.”
Employee engagement activities
On Earth Day, which took place on 22 April 2024, we launched our first Clean Up Day initiative in Kreuzlingen. This is part of our ongoing commitment to social responsibility at ifolor. Environmental awareness is particularly important to us as a manufacturing and resource-consuming company. We also believe that even small measures can lead to significant changes. In our endeavour to offset our impact on the environment, a total of 15 employees took part in the Clean Up campaign and collected waste in the vicinity of the ifolor headquarters in Kreuzlingen.
Social and environmental commitment
By investing in Swiss Climate projects and saving resources within the company, we are making our contribution to environmentally conscious living and a sustainable future. The greenhouse gas emissions generated by business operations are offset via a percentage-based contribution to one of Swiss Climate's climate protection project. This amount is calculated based on the quantity of CO₂ generated in the corresponding reporting period. The two projects we have been supporting since 2016 are:
Certified environmental management
Swiss Climate Label
We have held the Swiss Climate CO₂ label since 2012. In 2025, we secured the highest award, the “GOLD Certificate” from Swiss Climate, for the first time. The certification is based on the international standards ISO 14064-1 and Greenhouse Gas Protocol and confirms our long-term commitment to continuously improving our greenhouse gas balance. At the same time, we attach great importance to the environmentally conscious use of natural resources in our day-to-day operations. Further information on the “Gold Certificate by Swiss Climate” can be found at www.swissclimate.ch
ISO 14001:2015
In 2022, we received this certificate – based on the international ISO 14001:2015 standard – for our excellent and thorough organisation in setting up and implementing our environmental management system. Our commitment to environmental issues is part of this integrated management system and is constantly being developed and optimised. You can find further information on the “ISO 14001:2015” label at https://www.sqs.ch/en/services/products/iso-140012015
