Social responsability
OBI – an environmentally aware corporation
Environmental awareness reflected in the types of distributed goods
Both the company's practices in general and its services show a preference of environmentally friendly solutions. Beyond the basic product lines OBI primarily distributes products which are free of toxic components and are made of recyclable, environmentally friendly materials. This is especially true in the field of dyes and lacquers. As for wooden products OBI uses only trees from forestry plantations and resigns of the use of tropical woods.
OBI – WWF Cooperation
This Beaver Program launched by WWF in 1996 has been based on OBI's financial support from the very beginning. Implementation continues ever since with the smooth cooperation of the two organizations. A successful reintroduction of the species was already achieved in the Gemenc woods, the Hanság marsh as well as on the upper and middle sections of the river Tisza and – in October 2008 – at Tisztarján. Partly thanks to this program at present a total of 500 beavers inhabit the Hungarian rivers.
Beyond the reintroduction program, OBI also supports very popular beaver-knowledge classes held for elementary school pupils. In the framework of this education program on a yearly average 1000 children get to know Europe's largest rodent and the significance and conditions of its reintroduction to Hungary, and, in total, so far over 17000 students took part in the classes. In the end of the lessons participants fill in a "Beaver test" and those demonstrating a good knowledge have a chance to take part in an excursion to a national park or receive other valuable presents. Kids can also participate in an essy writing contest – the best beaver stories are rewarded by WWF.
OBI's playground renovation program
In May 2004 OBI launched a charity initiative to build modern and safe playgrounds. Together with the affected local governments each settlement and Budapest district where there is an OBI store has already received an EU-standard playground (18 locations in total).
Environmental safety audit
The OBI chain assigned an outside consultant firm to perform an audit of the company's environmental protection-related activities. The study covered all department stores within the chain and made recommendations to enhance legal compliance and environmentally safe practices. The audit considered both the EU's and Hungarian environmental protection legislation. Among the findings of the final report there were neither environmental pollution nor practices that would impose a significant threat on the environment. The study also points out that OBI is clearly an environmentally aware organization.
