With our GREEN STEPS sustainability strategy, we are also contributing to the achievement of the 17 global sustainability goals of the United Nations (UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs).
The SDGs are part of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda – a global plan to promote sustainable peace and prosperity and protect our planet. They call on governments, businesses and civil society worldwide to take action to eradicate poverty and enable all people to live dignified and fulfilling lives within the limits of our planet's resources.
To achieve this ambitious vision, everyone must work together. As a company, we have a greater impact on our environment than private individuals, but we also have greater resources to make a difference.
Assessment in 2025
The overview below shows our SDG analysis for the year 2025. We carried out this analysis using the UN's Impact Assessment Tool. Here, we analysed the impact our business activities have on each of the 17 goals. The impact is either direct or indirect, positive or negative. If we have no impact, the assessment is ‘No impact’.
By consistently complying with EU regulations and laws on the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals (REACH), we ensure that no damage to health is caused by harmful chemicals, both in our own production and at our customers' premises (Target 3-9).
We proactively replace chemicals suspected of being potentially harmful with suitable alternatives. Our high occupational safety standards protect our employees and ensure that even low levels of exposure to hazardous substances are safeguarded. In addition, our environmental management aims to eliminate any contamination of air, soil and water from our production activities.
A.S. Création consistently invests in the qualifications of its employees. In Germany, we offer annual training in twelve recognised professions – from commercial to technical fields. With an above-average training rate of 9% (2024), we specifically promote young talent. Even after they have started their careers, we continue to support our employees with individual further training opportunities, internal training courses and external seminars. Career development discussions, development programmes and the planned establishment of a digital further training system strengthen lifelong learning within the company.
A.S. Création actively promotes equality within the company. Our corporate culture is based on respect, equal opportunities and diversity – regardless of gender, age or origin. Discrimination has no place in our company and is actively combated through clear processes and designated contact persons.
To measure our progress, we regularly record the proportion of women in management positions: in 2024, this figure will be 33.3% at the first management level and 21.4% at the second management level. Through targeted awareness-raising, a code of conduct that is put into practice and a non-discriminatory working environment, we promote an inclusive working environment for all.
A.S. Création consumes significant amounts of fresh water in the course of its business activities. The main consumption results from cleaning activities in production and from cooling production facilities. Heavily contaminated wastewater is collected separately and professionally reprocessed. The wastewater discharged from cooling activities is subjected to regular laboratory tests to identify the discharge of pollutants.
Energy efficiency and the switch to renewable energies are central components of A.S. Création's sustainability strategy. Since 2021, A.S. Création Tapeten AG has been sourcing 100% certified green electricity. Since 2025, we have been sourcing this electricity exclusively from Germany, thereby promoting the local energy transition. In addition, we operate an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001, which is established at all relevant locations. We are continuously increasing our energy efficiency through heat recovery, process optimisation and modern plant technology.
A.S. Création makes a direct positive contribution to SDG 8 by combining economic growth with social responsibility. Ninety-eight per cent of the company's suppliers are based in Europe, with over 80 per cent of them located in Germany. A.S. Création thus strengthens regional value creation.
The company invests in modern production technologies and works continuously to increase resource efficiency within the company, thereby improving productivity in the long term. With a high training rate and targeted promotion of young talent, the company actively contributes to youth employment.
At the same time, adherence to collective agreements, commitment to equality, an above-average proportion of severely disabled employees and occupational health management ensure fair, safe and inclusive working conditions.
A.S. Création is also clearly committed to human rights and labour standards along the supply chain and implements appropriate controls. This commitment is set out in the company's own Code of Conduct and in its Sustainable Procurement Policy. Supply chain software also ensures continuous monitoring of the supply chain.
A.S. Création makes an indirect positive contribution to SDG 9 through the continuous modernisation of its processes and the promotion of sustainable innovations in wallpaper production. The company invests specifically in the further development of production facilities, process automation and energy-efficient technology, for example through heat recovery systems or the use of efficient digital printing technologies.
In addition, A.S. Création is actively involved in product and material innovation, for example through the increased use of recycled or bio-based raw materials and the development of low-pollutant wallpapers. In waste recycling, the company is breaking new ground by cooperating with recycling partners to recycle the operational waste that inevitably arises. In this way, A.S. Création is helping to build a sustainable, resilient industry and drive technological progress.
A.S. Création is committed to fair working conditions, equal opportunities and a non-discriminatory working environment – key elements of sub-goals 10.2 and 10.3 of the 2030 Agenda. The focus is on offering all employees equal opportunities for professional development, regardless of their origin, gender, age or religion. This includes non-discriminatory recruitment procedures, equal treatment in terms of remuneration and career opportunities, and a company-wide zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination.
As part of its human rights due diligence and internal guidelines on labour and social standards, the company also attaches great importance to protecting rights along the supply chain. Employees can actively participate through established complaint channels and works council structures. Through these measures, A.S. Création strengthens social inclusion within its own sphere of influence – even if it does not exert any influence on society as a whole beyond this.
As a manufacturing company, A.S. Création takes responsibility for the conscious use of resources and environmentally friendly production. A key objective is to minimise waste and return materials to the cycle as far as possible. Today, over 98% of pure wallpaper waste generated during production is recycled – for example, into sound insulation materials or auxiliary materials for the paper industry.
Sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role in product design itself: A.S. Création uses the ‘d'eco’ label to identify particularly environmentally friendly wallpapers that are solvent-free and water-based. Our aim is to offer consumers particularly sustainable solutions for wall design.
Responsible use of chemicals is just as much a part of the sustainability approach as the increasing use of secondary raw materials, which help to conserve natural resources. Through this holistic approach – from development to disposal – A.S. Création actively contributes to sustainable production and consumption patterns.
Climate protection is a key objective of A.S. Création's sustainability strategy. The company has committed to reducing its CO₂ emissions per wallpaper roll produced by 30.6% by 2030 compared to the base year 2020 – from 5.65 to 3.92 kg CO₂e per Euro roll. This target covers all emissions from Scope 1, 2 and 3 and is based on the criteria of the Science Based Targets Initiative.
To implement this, the internal ‘Team 30.6%’ was established to coordinate measures for energy efficiency, material substitution, supplier development and the procurement of carbon-neutral energy.
A.S. Création also analyses the long-term emissions that arise at the end of the product life cycle – for example, when wallpaper cannot be recycled and ends up in residual waste – and takes these so-called lock-in effects into account in its carbon footprint and product development. Training courses and company-wide communication formats promote a common understanding of climate protection and motivate employees to make their own contributions in their everyday lives.
Although our business activities are not directly linked to marine ecosystems, we recognise that our sea freight has a certain impact on the marine environment. In 2024, around 6 million tonne-kilometres were travelled by ship – so far without specific environmental criteria being applied when selecting shipping companies. We are aware that such indirect emissions, for example through air pollutants or underwater noise, can also contribute to the pollution of sensitive ecosystems.
Against this backdrop, we realistically assess our impact as ‘indirectly negative’ – without dramatising or relativising it. In future, we would like to gain a better understanding of the specific effects associated with the logistics we use. The aim is to deal with this responsibility more consciously and to examine opportunities for improvement – for example, through more transparent transport chains or minimum requirements for logistics partners.
As a company that relies on paper-based raw materials, A.S. Création bears a special responsibility for protecting forests and land ecosystems. That is why all wallpapers produced in Germany are made exclusively from FSC-certified materials, which guarantees environmentally friendly and socially responsible forestry.
Intact ecosystems are not only vital CO₂ reservoirs, but also essential for stable supply chains – A.S. Création is directly dependent on them. That is why we attach great importance to their long-term preservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. To ensure that no wood from illegal logging or newly deforested areas is processed, we consistently implement the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). In this way, we ensure transparency and traceability along the supply chain and make a concrete contribution to the global reduction of deforestation and the preservation of biodiversity.
Integrity, transparency and legal compliance are cornerstones of corporate governance at A.S. Création. Our Group-wide Code of Conduct sets out clear standards against bribery, accepting benefits and money laundering – with the proviso that, in case of doubt, we will forego a business opportunity rather than violate ethical principles. All employees receive regular training on compliance issues.
A secure whistleblower system allows violations to be reported anonymously and handled transparently. We ensure compliance with the principles of the rule of law through a corporate structure based on the German Corporate Governance Code. This promotes internal control, accountability and the trust of all stakeholders. Through this integrated approach, A.S. Création not only strengthens internal company processes, but also contributes to SDG 16 – for fair, legally compliant and responsible economic structures.
A.S. Création is committed to international responsibility for sustainable development and has been an active member of the UN Global Compact since 2024. By voluntarily committing to its ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption, the company supports the implementation of global sustainability goals.
The aim is to systematically integrate sustainability into business processes while engaging in responsible dialogue with other companies and institutions. Through this multilateral approach, A.S. Création is helping to strengthen global partnerships in line with the 2030 Agenda.
