C&A publishes first sustainability report

„More demand for clothing means more demands on people and the planet, and the garment industry - including C&A - isn't prepared to deal with these demands in a sustainable way.“ This is how the first sustainability report by fashion retail chain C&A starts, which was published on Tuesday.

Remarkable is the amount of self-awareness behind the above statement, generally the first step toward improvement. The report continues in the same vein: „That's why we're committed to fashion with a positive impact. Fashion made with more sustainable materials. With fewer natural resources and with respect for animal welfare. By empowered women and men who are paid a fair wage. In work environments that are safe and transparent. And by creating endless flows of fibres and clothing to create a circular economy in the apparel industry.“

Clothing companies aim for higher sustainability goals

Though at the moment, this may sound too good to be true, just consider that ten, if not five years ago, no fashion company would have started its sustainability report with these ambitious goals. Let alone the fact that sustainability reports were hard to come by then. In 2015, C&A has set itself lofty goals that it plans to achieve by 2020, for example a sustainable supply chain and using only organic cotton. The company also plans to emphasise three areas: women's empowerment in the entire supply chain from workers to customers, transparency and collaboration, and influencing the industry toward a circular economy.

According to non-profit-organisation Textile Exchange, C&A was the largest buyer of organic cotton in 2015. In addition, the company wants to increase the availability of organic cotton throughout the industry, while supporting other sustainable alternatives to conventional cotton. Currently, C&A uses 40 percent organic cotton for its products; a percetage that it wants to increase to 100 percent by 2020 while increasing sustainable raw materials to 67 percent (from currently 23.5 percent).

To promote transparency and integrity in the supply chain, C&A has introduced a new global Code of Conduct and built a platform to disclose suppliers and factories; 90 percent have been ranked as "excellent" after being audited. In addition, the fashion retailer is building on long-term relationships with its suppliers - some of whom have been working with C&A for over 30 years - to build additional shared commitments to drive performance and leadership.

In terms of C&A's goal to achieve zero discharge of hazardous chemicals, the company has performed independent audits in 52 mills, which make up a large percentage of fabric sourced for its products. For the first time, the retailer has measured the carbon footprint of C&A stores, DCs and offices and plans to reduce the same by 20 percent.

Through collaboration with other brands and global labour unions in the Action, Collaboration, Transformation (ACT) initiative, C&A wants to improve wages in garment factories. In addition, the clothing giant has signed the UN Global Compact initiative, which campaigns for human rights, labour rights and the environment. C&A's first global employee engagement campaign, Inspiring Women, mobilised more than 23,000 employees across the world to raise over 1 million euros (760,000 pounds) for organisations promoting women’s empowerment.

In the spirit of sustainability and saving resources, the full report is only available online; more information at c-a.com/sustainabilityreport2015.

Worldwide, C&A currently employs 60,000 people and operates around 2,000 stores in 23 countries in addition to a growing online presence. Every day, more than 2.5 million people visit C&A.

Image: C&A