"Enkelfähig" means acting in a way that respects the rights and needs of future generations.

Products form the core of TAKKT's business model. As a leading omnichannel distributor for business equipment, TAKKT has a significant influence on making the product portfolio as sustainable as possible together with its suppliers. With this goal in mind, the “enkelfähig” rating was introduced in 2021, a new product classification system that analyzes various sustainability aspects of the products and thus increases the transparency of the product range.

TAKKT keeps a close eye on its target of generating 40 percent of its sales with “enkelfähig” products by 2025.

To achieve this, TAKKT is working closely with its business units to evaluate the products in line with their business areas. In 2023 TAKKT reported an “enkelfähig” sales share of 23.5 percent. With the continuous improvement of data quality and intensive cooperation with suppliers, the share continues to rise.

The “enkelfähig” rating is based on several criteria. The must-have criteria are a prerequisite for the rating and are based on the ten principles of the UN Global Compact. If these criteria are not met, TAKKT will not sell the product. The “enkelfähig” assessment of the products is carried out in the categories of circular economy, climate change, biodiversity, economic efficiency, and innovation. To evaluate these categories, product data and additional supplier information from supplier questionnaires are evaluated using subcategories. This ensures an impartial and independent evaluation of the products. The products are rated on a scale from 1.0 to 5.9. Products that achieve a score of 3.0 or higher qualify as “enkelfähig”. 

TAKKT and its business units are currently assessing the entire product portfolio. In addition, they are continuously working with suppliers to improve their data quality and sustainability performance in order to increase the share of “enkelfähig” products.

In addition to the “enkelfähig” rating, TAKKT will also develops product carbon footprints for selected products in the future. These footprints determine the greenhouse gas emissions of a product over its entire life cycle, providing a comprehensive understanding of its climate impact. This information helps to identify potential for improvement and can be considered when rating the “enkelfähig” products.

Further information on TAKKT’s “enkelfähig” initiative: Sustainability Report 2023