Whether peat-free potting soil, native plants, sustainable wood products or building materials: When you shop at a DIY store, you are making very specific decisions for or against biodiversity. DIY stores and garden centers directly influence our ecosystems with their product ranges, supply chains and areas – and therefore bear a special responsibility. The DIY (do it yourself) sector is one of the most important sales channels for gardening and DIY supplies in Germany and shapes biodiversity in the immediate living environment of many people.
For years, toom Baumarkt has been looking at how this influence can be shaped responsibly. In order to be able to act in an even more targeted manner, the company has carried out a biodiversity check together with UBi – Unternehmen Biologische Vielfalt. This serves as the basis for an “industry check”, which is intended to help other companies in the sector to establish and implement a biodiversity management system. In this interview, Kai Battenberg, Head of Sustainability and Product Compliance at toom, reports on the areas of action that became apparent in the company check – and why biodiversity has long been a top priority at toom Baumarkt.
Can you briefly introduce your company and your role within it?
toom Baumarkt is one of the leading companies in the German DIY sector, offering its customers a comprehensive range of products for gardening, DIY and construction. As Head of Sustainability and Product Compliance at toom, I am responsible for strategic development in the area of more sustainable products and also oversee the implementation of legal requirements in the area of products and supply chains. Together with my team, I implement innovative ideas and measures and actively look for cooperation partners to further advance our efforts in the area of sustainability.
What prompted you to carry out a biodiversity check and what were your expectations?
At toom Baumarkt, the protection and promotion of biodiversity is a central component of our sustainability strategy. With this guiding principle in mind, we have been dedicated to the principle of reducing negative impacts on biodiversity on the one hand and demonstrating ways to promote biodiversity at home on the balcony or in the garden on the other for several years now as part of our product range design. In view of these measures, we were curious to see how the experts from the Global Nature Fund would assess our steps as part of the biodiversity check and what additional areas of action would be identified for us in other areas beyond our product ranges.
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Which findings from the biodiversity check surprised you?
I was particularly surprised by the extent of the findings and recommendations that we received in the course of the biodiversity check. It was much greater than I had expected.
How does your company now proceed with the knowledge gained from the biodiversity check?
The check is another important source for us as a company to promote biodiversity in the long term, as in addition to the results of the analysis, many recommendations are also given for possible engagement.
In some cases, it addresses issues that we have been working on for a long time, such as peat, where we are continuing to work intensively with nurseries to reduce the proportion of peat in ornamental plants. We have been 100 percent peat-free in our soil range since the beginning of 2025. In some cases, however, there are also new findings in relation to biodiversity, such as with cement and mortar products or in the area of real estate, where we have also received important input from the check.
Which areas of the company or supply chains do you consider to be particularly relevant for biodiversity?
The garden area has always played an important role for us. On the one hand, we have implemented many risk-based measures in the area of pesticides. This means that we have removed pesticides from our range that pose an increased risk to people and the environment. This began with the discontinuation of products containing glyphosate and those that are particularly hazardous to bees and was continued as part of a cooperation with the Austrian NGO Global 2000, which screens all pesticides from our range according to a traffic light system in terms of risks to people and the environment. As a result, we have discontinued 48 items and replaced them with more environmentally friendly alternatives. As a DIY store with an extensive range of ornamental plants, we also see it as our main task to pay attention to biodiversity protection during the production of plants and to avoid pesticides that are harmful to the environment and bees. This not only reduces the environmental impact of pesticides, but also ensures that our beneficial insect-friendly plants are harmless to pollinating insects. We work with an insect expert in the field of beneficial plants to ensure that every plant marketed as beneficial is actually useful for insects.
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What advice would you give to other companies considering a biodiversity check?
A biodiversity check offers an excellent opportunity to record the current status of your own commitment and at the same time gain new impetus for optimizing your own biodiversity strategy. It is worthwhile in every respect.
Finally, a more personal question: What experiences have shaped your view of biodiversity and sustainability?
I have always been interested in the connections and interactions in ecosystems. Therefore, biodiversity is also a very interesting and extremely important topic for me personally.
Biodiversity as a strategic field of action
The example of toom Baumarkt shows how companies can take a strategic approach to biodiversity – not only in the product range, but also in the supply chain and on the company premises. If you want to find out where your own company stands in terms of biodiversity, you can find initial guidance on our biodiversity check page. You can also download the DIY industry check here.
Interview partner:
Kai Battenberg
Head of Sustainability and Product Compliance at toom Baumarkt GmbH
Humboldtstraße 140-144
51149 Cologne
Germany
