In our focus on sustainability, we work towards implementing the 10 Principles of UN Global Compact. Read more about the principles http://www.unglobalcompact.org/abouttheGc/TheTenprinciples/index.html. Our Code of Conduct is based on these principles, and our suppliers have all signed our Code of Conduct. We work strategically to create close relationships with our suppliers that can evolve into business partnerships. We visit them on a regular basis to inspect the production facilities in order to see if they live up to the standards we set in our Code of Conduct. We only work with suppliers that have been certified in one way or another. Approximately 90% of our suppliers have, for example, either a BSCI or Oeko-Tex certificate or both, and 95% of our technical outerwear suppliers are Bluesign certified – just to mention a few examples.
We require that all of our suppliers adhere to the REACH directive. REACH is a regulation of the European Union, adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment. Read more about REACH http://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach. In our Chemical Restrictions, we have also banned all substances on REACH’s observation list. We test our products regularly, using independent testing companies to ensure that our restrictions and REACH directives are kept at all times.
The partnership we have with our suppliers is greatly appreciated, as this ensures honest communication about the challenges we face during our journey to become increasingly sustainable as a brand and as an industry.
Our responsibility is to ensure future generations by choosing environmentally friendly materials for the products and setting standards that our suppliers have to adhere to and live by, as our children are the future.
