Even a zoo consumes a lot of resources and consequently leaves an ecological footprint. To gradually reduce this footprint Zoo Leipzig is the first zoo in Germany that has started to implement EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme). Since then, environmentally friendly measures for improvement have been planned and implemented every year.
Regulation for environmental management systems
EMAS is the European regulation for environmental management systems, according to which Zoo Leipzig is tested by independent environmental auditors. The aim behind it is to ascertain and continually reduce the impacts on the environment from the practices of the organisation.
EMAS includes all of the requirements of the international standard (ISO 14001) ) and goes further in that it actively includes employees in striving to improve the environmental requirements, while maintaining an open dialogue with interested parties.
Part of this public relations work is the environment statement, which is made available to everyone, a written summary of the most important information, data and facts as well as a self-binding program to improve the environmental impact and the environmental performance of Zoo Leipzig. This is evaluated and updated in its entire content on an annual basis by an external state-accredited environmental auditor.
Our environmental policy
The environmental policy steers the guidelines for basic environmental behavior and the importance of environmental protection in Zoo Leipzig. With this policy Zoo Leipzig explicitly commits itself to sustainable actions.
- We strive for a regional and pioneering role in our field and in environmental protection, whereby we are always aware of our own environmental impact and specifically reduce our environmental impacts in compliance with regulations and laws.
- We avoid wasting energy and water, reduce emissions, waste and waste water and pursue the overarching goal of continuously improving our environmental performance.
We inform and advise our visitors and specialist circles about the common concerns in environmental protection, species protection and the conservation of biodiversity. We also report externally and seek an objective and open dialogue with our visitors, the citizens of Leipzig and interested members of the public.
- We promote environmental awareness and responsibility for all employees through information, motivation and appropriate training and further education. Our employees are actively involved in the implementation of the environmental management system and contribute to its implementation.
- We inform our suppliers and service providers about our environmental policy and goals and therefore involve them in this respect at an early stage. In the long term, sustainable considerations are made from the purchase of energy to the purchase of cleaning materials and animal feed.