Baltic Environmental Forum Germany
Budget
€892,538
EP Access
0
accredited persons
Staff
10
7.75 FTE
EU Grants
None
Mission & Goals
Baltic Environmental Forum Deutschland e.V. (BEF-DE) is a nonprofit, non-governmental environmental organization founded in Hamburg, Germany, in 2003. Our mission is, and has always been, combining environmental conscientiousness with social policies, democracy, equality, and education. We believe sustainable change can only be achieved through concrete steps that involve multiple actors working together like gears in a machine, and through multi-layered approaches that address environmental, social, and economic dimensions simultaneously. This is why, instead of working in a purely theoretical capacity and limiting ourselves to positive sciences, we always strive to involve civil society in our activities. Our main outreach method in our projects and campaigns is making environmental knowledge simple and accessible. The sustainability measures we propose are achievable, transferable, and replicable.
EU Legislative Interests
Chemicals & Hazardous substances (Exposure, emissions - health and environment) related policies and legislative proposals; EcoDesign for Sustainable Products, Safe and Sustainable by Design concept, Green Claims Directive, Empowerment of Consumers Directive, Access to environmental Information Directive. Circularity Action Plan, Waste Framework Directive Green Deal, zero pollution action plan. Policies on Green (public) Procurement, Ecolabelling, Environmental Management Systems.
Communication Activities
For years, BEF-DE has been on a mission to drive behavior change in consumption and environmental education. Through hands-on projects, we have taken a deep dive into the world of everyday products, uncovering hidden hazards and sharing our expertise with people through interactive training programs. Each project has been a stepping stone, shaping our approach and expanding our impact. LIFE AskREACH (2017-2020): With LIFE AskREACH, we helped consumers take control of their choices by promoting their “Right to Know” about hazardous substances in products. At the heart of this initiative was Scan4Chem, an app designed to empower consumers by helping them identify Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in the products they use daily. By raising awareness and fostering informed decision-making, we laid the foundation for a new level of consumer engagement in chemical safety. More about AskREACH: www.askreach.eu LIFE ChemBee (2022-2025 ongoing): LIFE ChemBee took consumer education to a whole new level. We train volunteers —so-called "Chemical Ambassador" — to step into a household, guiding the residents through their home, opening cabinets, checking everyday products, and uncovering hidden chemical risks. Together, they identify hazardous substances, explore safer alternatives, and break down barriers to sustainable living. Spanning across 8 countries and 3 immigrant communities, this project has introduced a unique peer-to-peer approach: one household supporting another in making informed choices. By reaching over 43,000 households, we are not just spreading knowledge—we are building a community of informed consumers who are actively improving their microcosms and contributing to a healthier, more sustainable future. More about LIFE ChemBee: www.bef-de.org/portfolio/life-chembee-en Our NonHazCity series 1, 2 & 3 (2016-2025) funded by INTERREG Baltic Sea Region. NonHazCity 1 (2016-2019): The objective was to highlight hazardous substance occurrence in every day´s life in any town, to pinpoint public entities, businesses and private households as sources for their emissions, and to promote changes in purchase and consumption pattern as instrument to reduce their emissions and exposure. This project was the break-through to pin-point importance of making stricter UPSTREAM policy to avoid Substances of Concern entering the (indoor and outdoor) environment instead of investing into investment-intensive DOWNSTREAM clean up measures (waste water treatment) again and again. NonHazCity 2 (2019-2021): We tool hazardous substances in plastics as specific objective and developed specific information materials on it - for municipal entities (e.g. kindergartens using plastic toys, equipment and utensils) and consumers. NonHazCity 2 invented the household checks and the CheckED web app, and it worked on hazardous substances in plastic goods, amongst others kitchen utensils. NonHazCity 3 (2023-2025 ongoing): From the homes we live in to the buildings we work in, hazardous chemicals lurk in unexpected places. With NonHazCity 3, we turned our focus to the construction sector, aiming to reduce chemical emissions through smarter choices in building materials. We worked closely with municipalities, architects, and builders, creating tools such as: A DIY renovation guide—empowering consumers to make safer choices when improving their homes. A catalogue of chemical-safe building materials—supporting industry professionals in making sustainable decisions. Fact sheets and training programs—equipping municipalities with essential knowledge on hazardous substances in construction. By bridging the gap between awareness and action, we are helping to transform the building sector. More about our NonHazCity series: www.thinkbefore.eu/en Through these projects, BEF-DE continues to empower individuals, households, and entire industries to rethink their consumption habits and transition towards a healthier, more sustainable future.
Interests Represented
Does not represent commercial interests
Member Of
we are a member of the Hamburger Umweltpartnerschaft (environmental partnership) hosted by the Environmental Agency of Hamburg (BUKEA), its a loose network of environmental actors - any institutional format.
Organisation Members
Baltic Environmental Forum Latvia www.bef.lv Baltic Environmental Forum Estonia www.bef.ee Baltic Environmental Forum Lithuania www.bef.lt
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.