Koordinator für Nachhaltigkeit und Corporate Responsibility

The core mission is to make Karlowsky Fashion's sustainability commitments operational rather than aspirational. That means owning the company's response to textile-related regulation, in particular CSDDD and the German supply chain due diligence law, and translating those requirements into processes that a 16-person business can actually run. You would be the internal and external reference point for questions on CSR, ecological standards and social standards, so colleagues, suppliers and certification bodies all route through you. On a practical level, the role covers supply chain management and supplier monitoring, preparing and steering product certifications such as Grüner Knopf, GRS and Oeko-Tex, and producing the annual sustainability report. You would also keep track of media, political and consumer organisation attention on working conditions and environmental issues in textiles, which feeds back into how the company plans its next moves. Longer term, the objective is to move Karlowsky from reacting to regulatory deadlines to proactively shaping its own sustainability agenda. That includes close exchange with suppliers, sister companies and certifiers, plus occasional supplier visits and attendance at national and international trade fairs and congresses.

The role offers direct exposure to the regulatory machinery of the European textile sector. You would build working knowledge of CSDDD, the German Lieferkettengesetz and how they apply in practice, which is a skill set in short supply and increasingly demanded across fashion, retail and manufacturing. Certification work with Grüner Knopf, GRS and Oeko-Tex teaches the audit and documentation side of sustainability, from criteria interpretation to evidence collection. Because Karlowsky is small and the role is described as a first point of contact, learning happens through ownership rather than supervision. You would likely get hands-on experience in supplier monitoring, supply chain risk assessment and sustainability reporting, and the posting mentions project responsibility from day one. Supplier visits and trade fairs add a field dimension that desk-based sustainability roles often lack. The company also frames the position as open to both experienced specialists and motivated newcomers, which suggests mentoring is available where gaps exist, and that a candidate can grow into the regulatory depth over time rather than needing it all upfront.

The formal baseline is a degree in sustainability management, clothing technology, environmental or economic sciences, or a comparable qualification with relevant experience. More important than the exact diploma is a working understanding of the regulatory requirements and the specific dynamics of the textile industry, since that context shapes nearly every task in the role. German and English are both required in speech and writing, and a valid German work permit is needed for non-EU applicants. On the behavioural side, the posting emphasises a hands-on mentality, structured self-directed work and strong organisation and communication skills. Intercultural competence matters because supply chains and supplier relationships cross borders. The company explicitly wants someone who enjoys opening up new topics independently and pushing complex projects through, which points to a profile comfortable with ambiguity in a small team. A genuine interest in sustainable development, environmental and climate protection is expected, along with the ability to act both sustainably and commercially. Karlowsky states it welcomes experienced experts and committed early-career candidates with strong learning motivation, so the bar is more about fit and drive than a fixed number of years.

Lead with the textile context. Generic sustainability language will not differentiate you here; specific references to CSDDD, Lieferkettengesetz, GRS, Oeko-Tex or Grüner Knopf and how you have handled them will. If you have run a certification process, built supplier monitoring routines or contributed to a sustainability report, describe the scope and your exact contribution rather than listing the topic. Because the company is small, show that you can set up a process yourself without a large team behind you. Write in German. The role requires very good German, and an application in German signals that you can be the internal and external contact person the posting describes. Use the cover letter to explain why a family business of this size and history appeals to you, and connect that to the company's stated aim of actively improving supply chains. Avoid restating the job ad; instead show what you would prioritise in your first months. Before an interview, look at where Karlowsky sits in the workwear market and what its supplier base likely looks like, since the role involves occasional international travel and direct supplier contact. Being able to discuss realistic trade-offs between sustainability requirements and commercial pressure, which the posting explicitly references, will land better than idealistic framing alone.

The focus is supply chain and product level rather than corporate carbon accounting. Much of the work revolves around ensuring that ecological and social standards are met along the value chain, which connects directly to due diligence obligations under CSDDD and the German supply chain law. Supplier monitoring is named explicitly, so labour conditions, environmental practices and traceability at production sites are likely central. Product certification is the second pillar. Preparing and maintaining Grüner Knopf, GRS and Oeko-Tex certification means working on material content, recycled fibre claims, chemical safety and the documentation that backs them up. For a workwear brand selling into gastronomy, hospitality, medicine and care, these labels also carry commercial weight with buyers who increasingly ask for them. Governance and transparency run alongside: the annual sustainability report, monitoring of political and consumer organisation attention on the textile sector, and coordination with sister companies and certifiers. The posting frames sustainability as responsibility rather than trend, and states an intent to actively improve supply chains and set standards, so the role is positioned closer to implementation and compliance than to communications.

The main tension is scale against ambition. Karlowsky has around 16 employees but an international supply chain and European regulatory obligations, so the person in this role has to build workable processes without a large sustainability department. Prioritisation will be constant, and progress on some topics may depend on suppliers who have their own constraints and timelines. Regulatory timelines add pressure. CSDDD and the German supply chain law demand documented due diligence, and certification schemes require recurring evidence, audits and renewals. Staying current with these while also drafting the annual report and supporting supplier visits means the workload is broad. The posting mentions occasional international travel, which needs to fit alongside day-to-day coordination tasks. There is also the commercial balancing act the job ad acknowledges: acting sustainably while remaining economically viable. Pushing stricter standards can raise sourcing costs or complicate supplier relationships, so the role likely involves negotiating trade-offs and explaining them credibly to colleagues and management rather than simply setting rules.

A typical day mixes coordination, documentation and external contact. You might start by reviewing correspondence from suppliers or certification bodies, updating evidence for an active certification file, or checking whether new regulatory developments affect current practices. Because you are the first point of contact internally, colleagues from purchasing, product or management are likely to bring you questions on standards, materials or claims during the day. Much of the work is project based: preparing documentation for Grüner Knopf, GRS or Oeko-Tex, refining supplier monitoring templates, or gathering data for the annual sustainability report. That involves chasing information, checking it against criteria and keeping records in order, which is detail-heavy rather than glamorous. Meetings with suppliers, sister companies or certifiers are a recurring feature, sometimes in person and sometimes remote. The rhythm varies with the calendar. Certification deadlines, reporting season and trade fair or congress dates create peaks, while quieter periods allow deeper work on strategy and process improvement. Occasional travel, including supplier visits and international events, breaks the office routine and adds a field perspective.

Because this is described as a key position and the central contact for sustainability topics, visibility within the company is high. Success likely translates into growing ownership: shaping the sustainability roadmap, influencing sourcing decisions and becoming the internal authority on regulatory questions. In a company of this size, that can mean the role expands in scope rather than being tightly bounded. The regulatory and certification experience gained is portable and in demand. Deep familiarity with CSDDD, the German supply chain law and textile certification schemes opens doors to larger fashion, retail or manufacturing companies, as well as to audit, consulting or compliance functions. Supplier visits and international trade fairs also build a professional network that supports lateral moves. The posting mentions project responsibility from day one and the company states it values professional and personal development. For an early-career candidate especially, this could be a fast route to end-to-end ownership of sustainability topics that would take longer to reach in a bigger, more departmentalised organisation.

Internally, you would work closely with purchasing and product teams on supplier standards and materials, with management on strategy and reporting, and with colleagues who need guidance on certification or compliance questions. As the named first point of contact, you would also field ad hoc enquiries from across the business, which makes communication and clear documentation important. Externally, suppliers are the most frequent counterpart. The role involves monitoring them, exchanging on standards and occasionally visiting production sites, so the relationship is a mix of partnership and verification. Certification bodies such as those behind Grüner Knopf, GRS and Oeko-Tex are another key group, since you prepare and defend the company's certifications with them. Beyond that, sister companies within the group appear in the posting as regular exchange partners, which suggests coordination on shared standards and reporting. Trade fairs, congresses and business meetings bring contact with industry peers, service providers and potentially NGOs or consumer organisations whose attention the role is asked to monitor.