SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT

Aside from our entrepreneurship we feel responsible to contribute to our society and environment. We feel that being an entrepreneur is not just about financial gain, but about moral obligations and values. We feel it is our responsibility to contribute to society, not only by providing a healthy and inspiring workplace, but by contributing to environmental care, human rights and labour rights as well.

CLIMATE NEUTRAL COMPANY

Uipkes wood flooring is a climate neutral company.

The moment you visit this website, it consumes energy. The moment when tens of thousands of visitors together "browse" many times through your website, this uses much more energy. Uipkes has been supporting an initiative of a university in Copenhagen for years to compensate and neutralize Co2 emissions from the websites. Uipkes therefore has a Co2 neutral website.

Uipkes is for a better and fairer climate.

The climate problem is urgent and affects us all. But people in developing countries are more affected by the change than we are in the west, while we are largely responsible for climate change.

Uipkes works with the FairClimatFund, which allows projects to reduce Co2 emissions and provide a better future for the poorest. They do this by investing in climate projects for clean cooking methods for households in developing countries according to fair principles.

SUSTAINABLE WOOD

Our methods and social responsibilty compel us to take a professional and responsible approach to the product 'wood'. All of the wood we purchase has been dried and processed by Dutch craftsmen. While we place high demands on our own company and employees, we hold those same demands in regard to the sustainability of our products. Environmentally friendly production + delivering durable flooring = 100% sustainable.

Wood has many positive qualities, as it is:
an all-natural, easy to work product;
bio-degradable;
fit for a wide variety of applications;
easy to recycle.

Using wood comes with one setback: annually, acres of wood are cut down. If done carelessly, the forest has little or no time to recover. Knowing where your wood flooring comes from is of importance in making an environmentally sound choice. Has it been harvested in responsibly managed forests, or has is not?

‘Environmentally friendly production + delivering durable flooring = 100% sustainable.’

Sustainable management of forests

Sustainable management of forests entails selective harvesting, only trees that are of use are cut down. For every tree that is harvested, either another is planted in its place or sprouts are given the room and time to take the place of the cut-down tree. If this process is managed with care, the vast richness of the forest is maintained. Uipkes Wood Flooring stands against illegally cut wood and advocates an international, global approach to this problem. We also support European prohibitions on importing such illegally harvested wood. Our wood comes from sustainably managed forests, mainly within Europe.

SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

Sustainable forest management means that it is selectively cut, only those trees that are really useful are cut. For this, a new tree is planted in its place or seedlings have the opportunity to take the place of the felled trees. When this happens properly, the wealth of the forest remains.Uipkes wood flooring is against illegally harvested wood and supports an international, global approach to the problem and a legal import ban at European level. We therefore prefer to trade wood from demonstrable sustainable managed forests and mainly sell wood from Europe.

PADDLE FOR LARS

This foundation aims to support people with a paraplegia injury in matters that can improve life, especially Lars de Beer. Lars de Beer is a freelancer who is almost completely paralyzed by a very unfortunate fall during a cycling tour on Texel. Lars is entitled to an allowance and support from outside.

Uipkes supports the foundation with money and other practical matters.