Environmental protection has been a priority for us since the inception of bb trading, which is over 20 years ago. From the very beginning, we understood that we have two jobs: running our company and taking care of sustainability. In other words, we embrace ecological, economic, and social responsibility.
Right from our establishment in 2001, we embedded the Corporate Social Responsibility concept (CSR) firmly into our corporate principles. Specifically, we distribute our promotional products in the most environmentally-conscious way possible. And if you wish, you can witness it. Transparency is key to us. That’s why you have access to our sustainability portfolio and our detailed sustainability report, which we will gladly send you upon request.
Our Story:
Sustainability.
Social standards with amfori BSCI.
As the first promotional products retailer in Switzerland, we joined amfori BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) and remain actively involved. This commitment obligates us to assess suppliers from various high-risk countries for compliance with ethical and social standards. Over 85% have undergone an amfori BSCI audit. In clear terms, it means no discrimination, child or forced labor, fair wages and working hours, safety, and environmentally friendly production.
Eco-Rating by EcoVadis
EcoVadis is a globally operating organization with the goal of measuring and comparing companies’ performance in the areas of environment, social, and ethics and using the results to optimize services. We, bb trading, are one of the 100,000 companies from 175 countries that have been evaluated. In 2024, we achieved a score of 75/100 on our EcoVadis Scorecard and received the Gold rating. This places us among the top 3% of evaluated wholesale companies. We are proud of this and take it as an incentive to further reduce CO2 emissions in the future.
Certified annually since 2015 and awarded the outstanding Gold rating again in 2024 |
Environmental Management according to ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is a globally recognized environmental management system standard. Certification is an important milestone for us in terms of sustainability. Here’s how it works: through planning, implementation, control, and improvement, we evaluate how we can minimize and optimize the impact of our business on climate and nature through environmentally-friendly practices.
Transparency that convinces. Check out our ISO 14001 certificate now. |
CO2 Accounting with Climate Impact
Since 2017, we have been committed to sustainable production. We are so active in this regard that we are the first promotional products retailer in Switzerland to offer climate-neutral production across our entire range. We even have our own label for it: Climate Impact. In cooperation with SimaPro, we have developed a database that allows us to calculate the CO2 emissions of each promotional product throughout its lifecycle. The emissions calculated contribute to investments in climate-relevant projects in collaboration with our long-term partner myclimate. These projects significantly contribute to offsetting CO2 emissions.
Our recommendation if your order is not in a hurry: Choose to transport your promotional items by lorry, train or ship instead of by plane and save CO2 together with us.
In cooperation with the Swiss non-profit organization myclimate. Click here to view our climate certificate. |
In the world of printed promotional items, we provide you with guidance through our rating sheets. The long-term goal: 100% transparency in the promotional products market! We evaluate each product individually based on the 6 most important sustainability criteria. This gives you an overview and control over the sustainability of your purchase with us.
For the rating, we use data from the Ecoinvent life cycle assessment database, among other sources. These data assess the environmental impacts of the materials used in our products. Other factors such as transportation, reusability, recyclability, and social conditions are also taken into account. The overall evaluation results in a simplified rating presented as a rating sheet.
Sie sind ein Nachhaltigkeits-Crack und wollen noch mehr wissen? Dann sind Sie hier richtig: Im ersten Schritt werden die Daten von unseren sechs Nachhaltigkeitsparametern, die wir Ihnen weiter unten detailliert vorstellen, erhoben. Diese Daten fliessen zusammen und ergeben einen Gesamtscore. Mit der errechneten Gesamtpunktzahl wird jedes Produkt in fünf Einstufungen kategorisiert mit der Bewertung A bis E. Unser Bestreben: Ein Gesamtsortiment mit ganz viel Grün und ohne Rot!
Don’t worry, even if math was your second foreign language in school, our derivation should be quite understandable. Because in the end, hard facts count. We have defined and classified these facts with Intep, an environmental consulting and research company. Each category has three to five weightings, depending on their environmental impact, which we visualize in a spider diagram. Get it?!
Clarity and facts instead of prejudices! We use data from the Ecoinvent life cycle assessment database to evaluate the environmental impacts of materials used.
Rating Scale
5 points | Emission factor 0 to 2.99 CO2/kg |
4 points | Emission factor 3 to 4.97 CO2/kg |
3 points | Emission factor 4.98 to 11 CO2/kg |
2 points | Emission factor 11.01 to 19.99 CO2/kg |
1 point | Emission factor > 20 CO2/kg |
Dress your promotional items in an environmentally friendly way! Discover printed gifts without unnecessary packaging and be an environmentally-conscious trendsetter in advertising. No packaging ever? Unfortunately, not. Certain products require protection to ensure that the print and the item remain undamaged.
Rating Scale
5 points | Loose |
4 points | Polybag |
3 points | Cardboard |
2 points | Polybag/Cardboard |
Ready, steady, save CO2! Choose the green shipping method and reduce the ecological footprint of your promotional gifts.
Rating Scale
5 points | Europa by truck |
4 points | Far East by sea freight |
3 points | Far East by train |
2 points | Europe by airfreight |
1 point | Far East by sea freight |
We stand for fair working conditions! Discover printed promotional gifts from Switzerland, the EU, and far-off countries that meet our social standards.
Rating Scale
5 points | Production in Switzerland |
4 points | Production in Europe |
3 points | Production in developing country with Amfori BSCI |
1 point | Production in developing country without Amfori BSCI |
Durability is the key to sustainability! Printed promotional items that are used for a long time are good for the environment and your advertising budget.
Rating Scale
5 points | More than 10 uses or more than one year |
4 points | 2 to 10 uses or up to one year |
2 points | Single use or up to one month |
We show clearly how a high percentage of the materials used can be recycled to reduce waste and conserve resources.
Rating Scale
5 points | 80 – 100% |
4 points | 20 – 80% |
3 points | 0 – 20% |
With our bb. Eco Rating, sustainable promotional shopping becomes easy and trendy. Do you want detailed information or do you have any questions? Our CSR Pro Maja Bürkli is looking forward to explaining everything you want to know
Conserving resources, sustainable value chains, social responsibility – and still staying economically and customer-oriented: not so easy, right? Nevertheless, we have made it our top priority to create transparency on these important topics while keeping a clear view.
As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, we work in different areas and with various labels, trademarks, and sustainable principles not only to call ourselves green but to be truly green.
As an internationally operating non-profit organization the “Forest Stewardship Council®” promotes and establishes consistent standards for sustainable forest management. It also helps to make wood and paper products from sustainable sources recognizable to consumers. As one of the few promotional item providers, we are FSC licensed and want to contribute to allowing future generations to benefit from sustainable resources.
SEAQUAL is a global community of NGOs, fishermen, researchers, and advocates working for clean waters and environmental protection. Over 200 tons of waste have already been collected and processed, into yarn and other products in over 60 countries. We use this yarn for sustainably printed bags or towels. As a legitimate licensee, 5% of the sales proceeds are also reinvested in ocean protection.
The Fairtrade seal directly supports fair payment for small-scale farming families and decent working conditions in developing countries. Initially created for coffee farmers, it now extends to various food products as well as printed textiles, shopping bags, footballs, etc., that are labeled with the seal. We offer a wide range of Fairtrade-certified promotional items and giveaways.
Textile production requires many chemicals, from fertilisers and pesticides to dyes and bleaching agents. OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certifies materials and products with regard to their safety and checks the production facilities for ecological standards. This ensures that your textiles are free from harmful substances. We offer a selection of workwear and promotional textiles according to this standard.
The organisation campaigns for better working conditions in textile factories. Among other things, this means no discrimination, no child or forced labour, fair wages, limited working hours, freedom of association and healthy working conditions, similar to the amfori BSCI social standard. This label makes your favourite item even more fun to wear.
The Global Organic Textile Standard is a globally applied standard for the processing of textiles made from organically produced natural fibres. From the field to your finished T-shirt, the entire textile chain is tracked and certified. So you can be sure that the promotional textile has been organically grown, processed and finished from A to Z.
The idea is simple: every product is broken down into its individual materials during disposal and returned to the material cycle. This preserves raw materials and conserves resources. In addition, sustainable materials and renewable energies are used, which keeps our environment healthy. Most people may be aware that this is not quite so simple. Nevertheless, we think it is important to support this certification whenever possible and to take it into account in our promotional items and giveaways.
While just a few years ago the range of organic products was very limited, today almost everything is available in organic quality. That’s great! We also prefer organic and locally sourced options for promotional items and giveaways because it’s simply healthier. If you’re looking for a specific promotional product in organic quality but can’t find it on our website, just ask. We always have an open ear for sustainable special requests and green inquiries outside our standard range.
Finite resources and the uncertain future of the planet are unfortunately ongoing concerns. That’s why we prioritize recycled materials in our promotional items and giveaways whenever possible. Whether it’s paper, PET, cotton, or plastic, recycling is fortunately such a trend that (almost) all materials and products are reused. We carefully and continuously expand our range of promotional items in this area.
Have you tried our vegan products yet? You will be pleasantly surprised that they are absolutely delicious. Whether it’s sweet promotional items, savory goodies, or plant-based refreshing beverages for lively customer advertising, you will certainly leave a sustainable impression. With our vegan body care products, you don’t have to compromise either because they guarantee the best indulgence, care, and a clear conscience.
Do you want to place an order directly, receive advice, or learn more about our commitment to sustainability? We are always happy to help you at any time during office hours.