C&A, an international German chain of fashion retail clothing stores, has unveiled its first Global Sustainability Report, in which, the retailer outlines its aims to use more sustainable raw materials, reduce environmental impact and create a culture of sustainability among employees by the year 2020.
“In 2015, we focused on building strong governance and accountability to support our new sustainability strategy. Building sustainability into our business management system has been crucial to supporting our aspiration to create fashion with a positive impact,” mentioned Jeffrey Hogue, Global Chief Sustainability Officer, C&A.
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During the year 2015, the company increased usage of more sustainable cotton to 40 per cent. Recognizing the efforts, Textile Exchange named C&A ‘the world’s largest user of organic cotton’ for the third time. The retailer further aims to source 100 per cent of its cotton from more sustainable suppliers in the coming years. To reach its goal of only sourcing from A and B suppliers, the retailer introduced new global Code of Conduct and trained sourcing teams and suppliers globally.
Besides, the company audited 100 per cent of the factories that produce C&A clothing. It also conducted first complete measurements of C&A’s global carbon and water footprints, created a new sustainable chemicals management team and strategy, and completed independent chemicals management audits at 52 key fabric mills. The report also mentions that during the year, the retailer became a signatory to the UN Global Compact, a sustainability initiative supporting universal principles on human rights.
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C&A employs more than 60,000 people and operates around 2,000 stores in 23 countries globally.
