KPI Guidance Tool
Clothing Footwear and Textiles| Product Category | Assessment Name | KPI Title | Calculation & Scope | Certifications, Standards & Tools | Background Information | Definitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Activewear | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Adult Clothing | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Apparel Accessories (non-leather) | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Baby Clothing and Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Carpets and Rugs | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Children's Clothing | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Curtains, Pillows and Linens | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Other Apparel | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textile Bags and Cases (non-leather) | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Cellulosic material sourcing – Chemical use | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the CanopyStyle Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green bottle range for the Chemical Use and Emissions column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Cellulosic material sourcing – Deforestation | CanopyStyle’s Hot Button Ranking and Report is the primary viscose and cellulosic fiber sourcing analysis tool for the fashion sector. Calculate D1 as the mass of your cellulosic material that was supplied by producers or mills included in the Canopy Hot Button Report and ranked in the yellow to green shirt range for the Hot Button Assessment column, divided by your total mass of cellulosic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Button up to Protect Forests — Producer Progress Criteria: The audit standard and process were developed by Canopy, in partnership with NEPCon, and is supported by the CanopyStyle Leaders for Forest Conservation and brands, retailers and designers looking to implement their sourcing policies for man-made cellulosic textiles. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ranking-criteria-explained/ CanopyStyle Hot Button Report: The Hot Button Ranking of viscose producers is conducted using the consistent application of the tools and standards of the CanopyStyle initiative, including the CanopyStyle Audit. https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/ ForestMapper: This interactive tool is the only one of its kind to visually represent ancient and endangered forests at a global scale. ForestMapper includes information on numerous ecological values divided into four categories: forests, species, carbon and landscapes. https://canopyplanet.org/tools/forestmapper/ | Ancient and Endangered Forests: Intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E1 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed that reduced the use of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List this year compared to last year divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Roadmap to Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Plant-derived material sourcing | Plant derived materials include cotton, linen, and hemp. Regenerated or semisynthetic cellulosic materials such as rayon and viscose are considered in the Synthetic Material Sourcing KPI. Calculate C1 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was traced to the processing facility, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. The processing facility is where pre-spinning material processing takes place such as ginning for cotton, or scutching and heckling/hackling for linen. Calculate C2 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing farm-level environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address pesticide use, fertilizer use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative and Global Organic Textile Standard can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C3 as the mass of your plant-derived material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for farm-level social impacts, divided by the total mass of your plant-derived material supply, then multiply by 100. A comprehensive plan will address worker health and safety, community health and safety, support for smallholders where present, and labor rights, including child labor, as well as all other impacts relevant for the farm. Supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative, Fair Trade International, and Fair for Life can be included in the numerator for this calculation. Calculate C4 as the mass of your cotton material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your material supply, then multiply by 100. The percent entered cannot exceed 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Cotton USA: Cotton USA is the trademark of the nonprofit Cotton Council International (CCI) which works through quality, sustainability, transparent partnerships, and ethical standards to make US cotton the preferred fiber for the clothing, footwear, and textiles value chain. Through their sustainability value, they aim to make US cotton the most sustainably produced in the world. https://cottonusa.org/ Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Global Organic Textile Standard: This is an example of textile chemical use standards. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS): The Recycled Claim Standard and Global Recycled Standard have the goal to increase recycled materials in consumer products by developing voluntary standards for the certification of recycled input. These standards also cover chain of custody, environmental processing, and chemical restrictions. https://textileexchange.org/standards/recycled-claim-standard-global-recycled-standard/ THESIS Help Center Video: Plant-derived material sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Plant-derived material sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750670 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g., synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. | ||
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg Wastewater 101 Toolbox: A free online resource for the textile industry to learn, act, and share experiences related to the treatment of wastewater. https://wastewater.sustainabilityconsortium.org/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Wool and down sourcing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was traced to the animal farm operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of your wool and down supply that was covered by a current comprehensive certification for farm-level environmental impacts or by verifiable, regularly conducted audits for farm-level impacts, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, soil health and erosion, biodiversity and deforestation, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard may be included in the calculation of B2. Calculate B3 as the mass of your wool and down supply that came from animal farm operations that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audit, divided by the total mass of your wool and down supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Efforts should be taken to achieve minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air quality, temperature, and humidity support good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals Material certified to the Responsible Wool Standard and Responsible Down Standard may be included in the calculation of B3. | Responsible Down Standard: The Responsible Down Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of down from ducks and geese. It addresses issues of animal welfare at the farm, transport, and slaughter stages. http://responsibledown.org/for-business/certification/ Responsible Wool Standard: The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard for the certification of wool from sheep. It addressees issues of animal welfare, land management, and traceability. https://textileexchange.org/standards/responsible-wool/ | Animal farm operations: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for rearing animals. This includes the growing of crops for animal feed on this land. Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
|
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Apparel and Home Textiles | Textiles and Sewing Supplies | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Access to Opportunities for Smallholder Farmers | Calculate C1 as the mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply that came from traders, intermediaries (e.g., mills), or cooperatives that confirmed that the smallholders they sourced from have access to basic services, divided by the total mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Examples of basic services include, but are not limited to, clean drinking water, water for irrigation, quality education for smallholder farmers and their families, and health care. If any portion of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply is certified under Fairtrade International or Rainforest Alliance, you may include that portion of your supply in your response for C1. Calculate C2 as the mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply that came from traders, intermediaries (e.g., mills), or cooperatives that confirmed that the smallholders they sourced from have access to agricultural services, divided by the total mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Examples of agricultural services include, but are not limited to, inputs (e.g., seeds and fertilizers), equipment (e.g., irrigation, tools, tractors, implements, and mobile phones), infrastructure (e.g., drying facilities and storage facilities), and extension services. Calculate C3 as the mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply that came from traders, intermediaries (e.g., mills), or cooperatives that confirmed that the smallholders they sourced from receive agricultural training, divided by the total mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Agricultural training programs should provide smallholder farmers with information and knowledge on how to improve their farming practices, increase productivity, and improve the quality of their product. Trainings should be accessible for both male and female farmers and should be designed in such a way that farmers are able to directly implement the acquired knowledge. Agricultural training topics include, but are not limited to, pruning, weeding, shade management, soil conservation and management practices, water conservation, integrated pest management (IPM), fertilizer application, Good Agricultural Practices, and child labor awareness. If any portion of your smallholder farmer-sourced crop supply is certified under Fairtrade International, GlobalG.A.P., or Rainforest Alliance, or verified under SAI Platform Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA), you may include that portion of your supply in your response for C3. Calculate C4 as the mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply that came from traders, intermediaries (e.g., mills), or cooperatives that confirmed that the smallholders they sourced from have access to financial services and markets, divided by the total mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Examples of financial services include, but are not limited to, fair prices, credit, and loans. If any portion of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply is certified under Fairtrade International or the Fair for Life program, you may include that portion of your supply in your response for C4. Calculate C5 as the mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply that came from traders, intermediaries (e.g., mills), or cooperatives that confirmed that the smallholders they source from have access to risk management services, divided by the total mass of your smallholder farmer-sourced cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Risk management services should be designed to increase smallholder farmer resiliency and reduce smallholder vulnerability to external risks, such as large price fluctuations and cotton fiber failures. Examples of risk management services include, but are not limited to, diversification of income sources, long-term contracts and a stable product demand, and insurance. The services identified in C1-C5 can be provided as part of a certification program or through external partnerships. | Fair Trade USA: Fair Trade USA provides several standards that address environmental stewardship, income sustainability, community, individual well-being and empowerment for producers. https://www.fairtradecertified.org/business/standards Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit: Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit is an auditing system that aligns with Ethical Trading Initiative's Base Code as well International Labour Organization Conventions. It has been developed to provide a public auditing methodology and format for companies to use to assess compliance. https://www.sedex.com/our-services/smeta-audit/ THESIS Help Center Video: Access to Opportunities for Smallholder Farmers KPI: Short video tutorial on the Access to Opportunities for Smallholder Farmers KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/529538191 | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ GIZ: Growing Business with Smallholders: The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has created a document that provides guidance and steps for engaging and doing business with smallholder farmers. https://www.endeva.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Guide-Growing_Business_with_Smallholders_large-2.pdf Oxfam: Think Big Go Small: Oxfam has produced a document outlining potential benefits from industry-smallholder interactions, and examples of successful implementation. http://www.oxfam.org/en/policy/think-big-go-small | Smallholder farms: Farms managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on family labor, where seasonal workers work alongside family members in peak seasons (e.g., harvest). The size of smallholder farms ranges generally from two hectares (approximately 5 acres) or less in size up to 50 hectares (approximately 124 acres), depending on the crop type and geographic region of production. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Biodiversity Management - On-farm | Your cotton fiber supply includes all cotton fiber that is used in your final product, whether purchased or grown in company owned operations. This question is focused on assessing, measuring, and improving biodiversity at the entire site (i.e., land and associated buildings) at which agricultural production occurs for a single farming or growing operation. For suppliers that produce in controlled environments, the question addresses the impact of biodiversity associated with the physical footprint of the production structures. The diversity of plants and/or animals contained in the production structures themselves is not within the scope of the question. Calculate B1 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that came from farms that have conducted an on-site biodiversity assessment, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Biodiversity topics to consider in the assessment include but are not limited to: habitat protection and restoration for sensitive species such as pollinators, birds, bats, and native species; crop rotation/intercropping; conservation buffers; cover crops; and invasive species management. For suppliers growing product in controlled environments, biodiversity topics to consider include, but are not limited to: habitat and restoration for sensitive species; invasive species management; diversity of plants and animals outside of the production structures; and whether any nesting ground or migratory paths are disrupted by the presence of the production structures. The tools listed in Certifications, Standards, and Tools below can be used to conduct an on-farm biodiversity assessment. If you are not using these tools, the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops Habitat and Biodiversity Metric, listed in the Background Information, provides step-by-step instructions that may be useful for conducting an assessment. Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that came from farms that have implemented a verifiable, site-specific biodiversity management plan based on findings from an on-site biodiversity assessment, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. In addition to addressing the relevant biodiversity topics listed above, biodiversity management plans should demonstrate awareness of the potential presence of threatened and endangered species. Endangered species are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List (see Background Information for more information). Calculate B3 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that came from farms that can demonstrate improvements in biodiversity based on the implementation of a site-specific biodiversity management plan, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Improvements can be measured using the farm-level sustainability calculators listed under Certifications, Standards, and Tools. Additional tools or programs may be applicable. Calculate B4 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that came from farms that participate in a landscape, supplyshed, or watershed biodiversity initiative, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. To be considered in your calculation for B4, the biodiversity initiative should be a collaborative effort among farmers and other landscape users to conserve, enhance, and/or restore regional natural resources and wildlife, including native, endangered, and threatened species. The biodiversity initiative should have time-bound, quantitative goals to conserve, enhance, and/or restore biodiversity. Companies participating in Field to Market's Continuous Improvement Accelerator that 1) have filed a continuous improvement plan that outlines strategies and time-bound goals to engage farmers on improving biodiversity scores and 2) that can demonstrate improved biodiversity metric scores can report the percentage of their cotton fiber supply that has developed on-site biodiversity management plans in B2 and B3, respectively. Companies participating in Field to Market's Continuous Improvement Accelerator that have Continuous Improvement Project(s) with continuous improvement plans that include strategies for improving farm-level biodiversity can report the percent of their cotton fiber supply enrolled in those projects in B4. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Cool Farm Tool: This calculator is available globally and calculates greenhouse gas emissions associated with farms, processing facilities, and transportation for many agriculture and livestock products. http://www.coolfarmtool.org/CoolFarmTool Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard: Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) is a standard developed by Syngenta Sustainable Solutions for measuring continuous improvement towards sustainable outcomes on farms. It provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture. https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/Sustainable-Outcomes-Standard-Version-1.3.pdf THESIS Help Center Video: Biodiversity Management - Growing Operations KPI: Short video tutorial on the Biodiversity Management - Growing Operations KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/529540641 | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Biodiversity Conservation Guide for Farmers and Ranchers in Alberta: This document outlines six principles for maintaining and enhancing biodiversity on agricultural landscape. The document includes practice recommendations that farmers and ranchers can integrate into biodiversity management plans. https://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4702/$FILE/060-1.pdf Conservation International Biodiversity Hotspots: Conservation International's criteria for biodiversity hotspots include areas where there are at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics and the ecosystem contains only 30% or less of its original natural vegetation. Currently, 35 areas around the world are classified as biodiversity hotspots. https://www.conservation.org/priorities/biodiversity-hotspots Convention on Biological Diversity - Forest Biodiversity: The Convention on Biological Diversity - Forest Biodiversity defines forest biodiversity and provides information on the Forest Biodiversity Programme. https://www.cbd.int/forest/what.shtml FAO Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture: This document describes the multifunctional role of biodiversity in food security, sustainable livelihoods, ecosystem resilience, climate change adaptation, nutrition, and the biological processes necessary for sustainable agricultural production. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i1980e.pdf FAO Biodiversity: Micro-organisms and Invertebrates: Describes the "hidden" biodiversity of microbes and invertebrates in agricultural systems. http://www.fao.org/cgrfa/topics/microorganisms-and-invertebrates/en/ FAO Biodiversity: Soil Biodiversity: Describes the role of soil biodiversity in maintaining critical ecosystem functions. http://www.fao.org/soils-portal/soil-biodiversity/en/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List: The IUCN Red List is a comprehensive list of threatened plant and animal species. The list provides a rating of plant and animal species that are facing a high risk of global extinction. http://www.iucnredlist.org/ National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators: This document outlines a federal strategy undertaken by the U.S. government to address the impact of stressors, including habitat loss, poor nutrition availability, pests and pathogens, and pesticide exposure, to pollinator populations. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/Pollinator%20Health%20Strategy%202015.pdf Planning for Biodiversity Management: This document includes information to help landowners survey and assess the biodiversity characteristics of their land and provides guidance for developing a biodiversity management plan. https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/PlanningBiodiversityManagementWorkshop.pdf Planning for Biodiversity: A Guide for British Columbia Farmers and Ranchers: This document provides guidance for designing, implementing, and monitoring biodiversity management plans on agricultural landscapes. https://www.bcac.bc.ca/sites/bcac.localhost/files/Biodiversity%20Guide%20Chapter%201%20-%20Overview.pdf Pollinator Value of NRCS Plant Releases used in Conservation Plantings: This website contains information on plant species that are useful for creating and improving pollinator habitat. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/plantmaterials/technical/publications/?cid=stelprdb1042141 SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/?q=Fact+Sheet SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/our-work/ Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC): SISC provides guidance for calculating irrigation water use, energy use, nitrogen use, phosphorus surplus, and soil organic matter on U.S. specialty crop farms. https://www.stewardshipindex.org/ USDA NRCS Insects and Pollinators: The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service provides information on how farmers can contribute to pollinator conservation and in turn increase yields on-farm. They also provide financial and technical assistance for implementing pollinator conservation practices. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/plantsanimals/pollinate/ USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - How Farmers Can Help Pollinators: This website outlines the principles of farming to benefit pollinator populations and describes the habitat and other related requirements of native bees. The website also lists other helpful resources related to pollinator protection, including a summary of the 2014 Farm Bill programs that compensate farmers for implementing pollinator conservation practices. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/plantsanimals/pollinate/farmers/ Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Program: The Xerces Society's Pollinator Conservation Program is the largest pollinator conservation program in the world. The program provides technical assistance to farmers, gardeners, land managers, and others for the creation and restoration of pollinator habitat. http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/ | Biodiversity: The diversity of plant and animal species on the planet which includes both number of species and abundance within a species. The rarity of species such as endemic or threatened and endangered status plays a role in biodiversity assessment and management. Growing operation: An area of land and its buildings (including greenhouses), comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for growing crops delivered fresh to market or to processors. Management plan: An annually updated document that farmers can demonstrate on-site. The management plan should summarize concrete goals and a plan how to achieve these goals. Supplyshed: A group of agricultural producers, including the land on which they grow or raise food, feed or fiber, within a specified geographic region, that are within a given company's supply chain. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Child Labor Use | Calculate B1 as the mass of your cotton supply that came from growing operations where all children below the age of 18 were not employed in hazardous work, divided by the total mass of your cotton supply, then multiply by 100. Hazardous work is defined as work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety, or morals of children (Article 3(d) of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention 182). Hazardous work includes work that is abusive, work underground, underwater, at dangerous heights or in confined spaces, work with dangerous machinery and tools, work with heavy loads, work involving hazardous substances and environments, work for long hours, work at night, work that interferes with schooling, or work in which the child is unreasonably restricted from movement outside the premises. All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom, and forced or compulsory labor are strictly prohibited. Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton supply that came from growing operations where non-employed children did not have access to production, harvest, or other work areas, divided by the total mass of your cotton supply, then multiply by 100. This question does not include supervised tours or community programs where non-employed children have access to production, harvest, or other work areas. Calculate B3 as the mass of your cotton supply that came from growing operations where all workers were of legal age of employment as established by applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdiction of employment, divided by the total mass of your cotton supply, then multiply by 100. In the absence of applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdiction of employment to establish a minimum age for admission to employment, workers must be at least 15 years old, in accordance with Article 2(3) of the ILO Minimum Age Convention 138. Calculate B4 as the mass of your cotton supply that came from growing operations that complied with regulatory restrictions or requirements applicable for child labor below the age of 18, divided by the total mass of your cotton supply, then multiply by 100. Programs to comply with regulatory restrictions or requirements applicable for those under the age of 18 may include a risk assessment of the workplace. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fair Trade USA: Fair Trade USA provides several standards that address environmental stewardship, income sustainability, community, individual well-being and empowerment for producers. https://www.fairtradecertified.org/business/standards Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard: Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) is a standard developed by Syngenta Sustainable Solutions for measuring continuous improvement towards sustainable outcomes on farms. It provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture. https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/Sustainable-Outcomes-Standard-Version-1.3.pdf THESIS Help Center Video: Child Labor Use - Growing Operations KPI: Short video tutorial on the Child Labor Use - Growing Operations KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017255 | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification ILO-IOE Child Labour Guidance Tool For Business: The Child Labour Guidance Tool is a resource companies can use to meet the due diligence requirements detailed in the UNGPs, as they pertain to child labour. This Guidance Tool supports businesses to understand, assess, develop, engage, communicate, monitor, remediate, review, and report on child labor. https://www.ilo.org/ipecinfo/product/download.do?type=document&id=27555 SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit: Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit is an auditing system that aligns with Ethical Trading Initiative's Base Code as well International Labour Organization Conventions. It has been developed to provide a public auditing methodology and format for companies to use to assess compliance. https://www.sedex.com/our-services/smeta-audit/ United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | Child labor: Working children under the minimum legal age to work with or without accompaniment by a guardian. Child: Every human being below the age of 18 years, unless majority is attained earlier under the law applicable to the child (Convention on the Rights of the Child – CRC, Article 1). Growing operation: An area of land and its buildings (including greenhouses), comprised of one or more locations managed together, that is used for growing crops delivered fresh to market or to processors. Hazardous work: Work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety, or moral of children (Article 3(d) of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention 182). Hazardous work activities include work that is abusive, work underground, underwater, at dangerous heights or in confined spaces, work with dangerous machinery and tools, work with heavy loads, work involving hazardous substances and environments, work for long hours, work at night, work that interferes with schooling, or work in which the worker is unreasonably restricted from movement outside the premises. Worst forms of child labor: Labor that negatively affects a child's health, safety, morals, or reasonable ability to receive an education. This includes forced labor, prostitution or pornography, labor for illicit activities, and hazardous work. Hazardous work activities include work that is abusive, work underground, underwater, at dangerous heights or in confined spaces, work with dangerous machinery and tools, work with heavy loads, work involving hazardous substances and environments, work for long hours, work at night, or work in which the worker is unreasonably restricted from movement outside the premises. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Cotton Fiber Supply Mapping | Your cotton fiber supply includes all cotton fiber that is used in your final product, whether purchased or grown in company owned operations. This question measures your knowledge of the origins of your cotton fiber supply and does not affect your ability to use both primary and regional data in questions requiring farm-level metrics. Calculate B1 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that was not traced to the country, region, or farm of origin, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2, B3, and B4 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that was traced to the country, region, and farm of origin, respectively, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. The percentages reported for B1, B2, B3, and B4 must be mutually exclusive and their sum must equal 100%. Any individual source of your cotton fiber supply can only be used once across the response options, and the highest level of specificity should be reported for cotton fiber supply that can be traced to more than one level of origin. For example, if you know the farm, region, and country of origin for 25% of your cotton fiber supply, report 25% in B4 (farm of origin). Then, if you know both the region and country of origin for 25% of your cotton fiber supply, report 25% in B3 (region of origin). Next, if you know only the country of origin for 30% of your cotton fiber supply, enter 30% in B2 (country of origin). Last, if you know neither the farm, region, or country or origin for the remaining 20% of your cotton fiber supply, report 20% in B1. Verify that the sum of the percentages you entered in B1-B4 does not exceed 100%: 20% (B1) + 30% (B2) + 25% (B3) + 25% (B4) = 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. A country is defined as a nation-state recognized by the United Nations. A region is defined as a sub-country area such as an agricultural zone or region, eco-region, or geo-political boundary (e.g., state, county, department). Due to the variance in how "region" may be defined, respondents are encouraged to use a consistent interpretation from year to year when reporting data for this question. A farm is an area of land and its buildings that may be comprised of one or more locations that are managed together. Procurement data, trade networks, or national or subnational crop production data may help to identify the origin of your cotton fiber supply. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform, Field to Market's Continuous Improvement Accelerator, or the Cool Farm Tool to measure farm-level environmental impacts for any portion of your cotton fiber supply, you can enter that portion of your supply in B4. Additionally, the percent of your supply from GlobalG.A.P. certified farms can be included in your response for B4. | Cool Farm Tool: This calculator is available globally and calculates greenhouse gas emissions associated with farms, processing facilities, and transportation for many agriculture and livestock products. http://www.coolfarmtool.org/CoolFarmTool Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ GLOBALG.A.P.: GLOBALG.A.P. offers farm management certification for crops (fruits and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, combinable crops, green coffee, and tea); livestock (cattle and sheep, dairy, calf and young beef, pigs, poultry, and turkey); aquaculture; chain of custody; plant propagation material; compound feed manufacturing; and livestock transport. The program also includes a risk assessment for worker health, safety, and welfare, as well as criteria for animal welfare and food safety. https://www.globalgap.org/uk_en/ | ||
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Deforestation and Land Conversion - On-farm | Calculate B1 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that was grown on fields that have been determined to be low-risk for the conversion of forests to non-forest use, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply from all fields, then multiply by 100. A field can be considered low risk for conversion to non-forest use when one of the following is true: The field is located in a jurisdiction that is assessed to be low risk by a risk classification analysis; the field is located in a jurisdiction that is assessed to be high risk by a risk classification analysis but corrective actions are taken where needed; or the site risk was determined to be low by an on-site audit. In B1 you may include your cotton fiber supply that has been certified by Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that was grown on fields that have had zero conversion of HCV forests since January 1, 2010, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply from all fields, then multiply by 100. In B2 you may include your cotton fiber supply that has been certified by International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC). Calculate B3 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that was grown on fields that have had zero conversion of HCS forests since January 1, 2010, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply from all fields, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that was grown on fields that have had zero deforestation since January 1, 2010 divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply from all fields, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that was grown on fields with zero conversion of HCV and HCS non-forest lands since January 1, 2010 divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply from all fields, then multiply by 100. HCV and HSC non-forest lands include HCV and HCS non-forest native ecosystems and ecologically sensitive regions, including but not limited to grasslands and Gran Chaco region in South America. Zero deforestation means that since January 1, 2010, no existing forest was converted to non-forest use for the production of the cotton fiber used in your products. Offsets or zero-net deforestation are not included in this definition. Land on which deforestation has occurred since 2010 may be considered to have zero deforestation if restored to its previous state as determined by tree cover, species composition, stored carbon, and all other relevant factors. The absence of deforestation must be confirmed using monitoring of the specific land tracts where the cotton fiber originated, such as remote sensing, audits, or other direct observations. The cut-off date of January 1, 2010 after which forest conversion is prohibited is chosen to ensure a common range of periods (not very recent or long standing cut-off dates) that most methodologies and sustainability initiatives establish and apply for forest, HCV, HCS, and deforestation. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your cotton fiber supply. For example, supply included in the calculation of B2, B3, and/or B4 could also be included in the calculation of B1 if the stated conditions are also met. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ International Sustainability & Carbon Certification: ISCC is a certification system covering ecological and social sustainability requirements, greenhouse gas emissions tracking, and traceability in the supply chain. An ISSC certification represents reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, avoidance of high carbon stock land, biodiversity management, sustainable agricultural practices, and human rights protection. https://www.iscc-system.org/ SAI Platform - Farm Sustainability Assessment (SAI-FSA): The SAI Platform Farm Sustainability Assessment (SAI-FSA) is an easy-to-use tool that assesses farm environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The FSA is based on SAI Platform’s Principles and Practices for sustainable agriculture and can be used by farmers as a benchmarking tool for comparing various certification schemes and proprietary codes. http://www.fsatool.com/ THESIS Help Center Video: Deforestation and Land Conversion - On-farm KPI: Short video tutorial on the Deforestation and Land Conversion - On-farm KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017287 The HCS Approach Toolkit: This High Carbon Stock Approach Toolkit takes practitioners through the steps in identifying HCS forest, from initial stratification of the vegetation using satellite images and field plots, through a decision tree process to assess the conservation value of the HCS forest patches in the landscape and ensure communities’ rights and livelihoods are respected, to making the final conservation and land use map. http://highcarbonstock.org/the-hcs-approach-toolkit/ | Greenpeace High Carbon Stock Approach: This website provides information about how to identify High Carbon Stock forests. https://www.greenpeace.org/archive-international/en/campaigns/forests/solutions/HCS-Approach/ High Carbon Stock Approach: This website provides a standardized methodology for identifying natural, high carbon stock forest areas. http://highcarbonstock.org High Conservation Value Resource Network: This resource provides common guidance for how to identify, manage, and monitor High Conservation Value forest areas. https://hcvnetwork.org/ Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ (JNR): This website describes a pathway for existing and new projects to be integrated or 'nested' within broader jurisdictional REDD+ programs in order to quantify carbon benefits for individual conservation projects. https://verra.org/project/jurisdictional-and-nested-redd-framework/ WWF High Conservation Value Forests: This website provides information describing the underlying concept of High Conservation Value forests. http://wwf.panda.org/?93560/High-Conservation-Value-Forests-The-concept-in-theory-and-practice | Cut-off dates: The point in time after which organizations cannot have engaged in unsustainable practices. Deforestation: The direct human-induced conversion of forested land to non-forested land. Ecologically sensitive regions: Include but are not limited to High Conservation Value Areas, Protected Areas, and World Wildlife Fund's Priority 200 Ecoregions. Forest: An area of land that is dominantly covered by trees and that is established naturally or by management activities such as planting or seeding. It does not include land areas that are predominantly under agricultural or urban land use. It includes Primary forest and Secondary forest. High Carbon Stock (HCS) forest: Forest areas with a significant amount of carbon stored within the vegetation and soil. Burning and clearing HCS forests releases stored carbon as greenhouse gas emissions. Different initiatives have set thresholds for identifying High Carbon Stock forests. High Conservation Value (HCV) forest: Forested areas that support natural concentrations and distribution of species including significant species and ecosystems (e.g., endemic or endangered species, refuges), provide the basic services of nature in critical conditions (e.g., watershed protection, erosion control), and are fundamental to meeting the basic needs and traditional cultural identity of local communities. Land conversion: The human-induced change of the prevailing physical and ecological conditions of an area of land to facilitate a new use or function. Examples include conversion of forests for pasture; conversion of native grasslands or other ecosystems for crop production, grazing, or other uses; conversion of farmland for urban development; and draining marshes or wetlands to create dry land. Native ecosystems: Lands that have not been previously cultivated, cleared, drained or otherwise irrevocably altered that retain a dominant and characteristic native community of living organisms (as opposed to invasive or introduced species) which collectively function to provide unique value and services. Non-forest: An area of land that is no longer dominated by trees. Primary forest: A forest that has never been logged or cut and has developed following natural disturbances and under natural processes, regardless of its age. Secondary forest: A forest that has been logged and has recovered naturally or artificially. It also includes degraded forest which is a secondary forest that has lost, through human activities, the structure, function, species composition or productivity normally associated with a natural forest type expected on that site. Zero Deforestation: No existing forest is converted to plantation or non-forest use. This does not include sustainable harvesting of trees for wood or fiber production. Offsets or zero-net deforestation are not included in this definition. Land on which deforestation has occurred may be considered to have zero deforestation if restored to its previous state as determined by tree cover, species composition, stored carbon, and all other relevant factors. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Fertilizer Application - On-farm | Your cotton fiber supply includes all cotton fiber that is used in your final product, whether purchased or grown in company owned operations. Calculate B1 as the average of the most recent nitrogen (N) use intensities for the farms that produced your cotton fiber supply, weighted by the mass of cotton fiber supplied by each farm. For each farm, calculate N use intensity as the mass of N applied, divided by the mass of cotton fiber harvested. Include all N applied with organic and synthetic fertilizers, as well as N applied with irrigation water, from the end of the harvest of the previous cotton crop through the harvest of the cotton crop that produced your fiber supply. Include N applied to a non-harvested cover crop grown between both harvests. Exclude N deposition from the atmosphere. For conversion purposes, 1 lb = 0.454 kg, 1 short ton = 0.907 metric tonnes, and 1 cwt = 0.051 metric tonnes. To convert bushels from volume to weight, see the USDA Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products, listed in the Background Information. Calculate B3 as the average of the most recent phosphorus (P) surpluses for the farms that produced your cotton fiber supply, weighted by the mass of cotton fiber supplied by each farm. For each farm, calculate P surplus as the mass of P applied minus the mass of P recommended, divided by the mass of cotton fiber harvested. Soil test results should be used to determine the amount of recommended P. Recommendations may be provided directly by soil test labs or by extension agents, certified crop consultants, or similar entities. Include all P applied with organic and synthetic fertilizers, from the end of the harvest of the previous cotton crop through the harvest of the cotton crop that produced your fiber supply, and P applied to a non-harvested cover crop grown between both harvests. Data reported in phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) should be converted to P as follows: 1 kg P2O5 = 0.436 kg P. If primary farm data are unavailable for any of your cotton fiber supply, you may use a regional estimate to answer B1 and B3. Do not combine primary data and regional estimates. To answer B1 and B3 using regional estimates, you should only use estimates from a sub-country area such as an agricultural zone or region, eco-region, or geo-political boundary (e.g., state, county, department) where the cotton crop is grown. A regional estimate must be based on a study that is representative of the production system of this cotton fiber supply, based on production data not older than 3 years before the harvest date of this cotton fiber supply, and published in a publicly available document. Calculate B2 and B4 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply for which you were able to obtain primary data, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. If you have reported a regional estimate for B1 and B3, then report 0% for B2 and B4. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. To calculate N use intensity and P surplus, use one of the tools listed below or farm management software. If using the Cool Farm Tool, convert data reported as phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) to P using the conversion factor listed above. Note that the Cool Farm Tool does not provide information about recommended P; this data will need to be obtained from other sources. THESIS Fertilizer Application KPI Calculation Tool can also assist in your N use intensity and P surplus calculations. See Certifications, Standards, and Tools below. If not using one of these tools, base your calculations on the "Nitrogen Use" metric and "Phosphorus Use" metric guidelines given by the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC), listed in the Background Information. | Cool Farm Tool: This calculator is available globally and calculates greenhouse gas emissions associated with farms, processing facilities, and transportation for many agriculture and livestock products. http://www.coolfarmtool.org/CoolFarmTool Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard: Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) is a standard developed by Syngenta Sustainable Solutions for measuring continuous improvement towards sustainable outcomes on farms. It provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture. https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/Sustainable-Outcomes-Standard-Version-1.3.pdf THESIS Help Center Video: Fertilizer Application - On-farm KPI: Short video tutorial on the Fertilizer Application - On-farm KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/529551750 | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ GLOBALG.A.P.: GLOBALG.A.P. offers farm management certification for crops (fruits and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, combinable crops, green coffee, and tea); livestock (cattle and sheep, dairy, calf and young beef, pigs, poultry, and turkey); aquaculture; chain of custody; plant propagation material; compound feed manufacturing; and livestock transport. The program also includes a risk assessment for worker health, safety, and welfare, as well as criteria for animal welfare and food safety. https://www.globalgap.org/uk_en/ SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/?q=Fact+Sheet SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/our-work/ Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC): SISC provides guidance for calculating irrigation water use, energy use, nitrogen use, phosphorus surplus, and soil organic matter on U.S. specialty crop farms. https://www.stewardshipindex.org/ Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products: This publication provides information on agricultural commodity weights and measures. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=41881 | Cover crops: A crop planted to improve or maintain soil, water and biodiversity quality, and to help control pests and disease of agricultural fields. Fertilizer: Any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soils or to plant tissues (usually leaves) to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. Organic fertilizers: Fertilizers derived from animal or vegetable matter. Examples include peat, animal waste (manure or other wastes), plant waste from agriculture, and sewage sludge. Synthetic fertilizers: Fertilizers produced by chemical synthesis from inorganic starting materials. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity - On-farm | Your cotton fiber supply includes all cotton fiber that is used in your final product, whether purchased or grown in company owned operations. Calculate B1 as the average of the most recent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity estimates for the farms that produced your cotton fiber supply, weighted by the mass of cotton fiber supplied by each farm. For each farm, calculate GHG emissions intensity as the mass of all GHGs emitted, divided by the mass of cotton fiber harvested. Include the cotton crop grown between the end of the harvest of the previous cotton crop through the harvest of the cotton crop that produced your fiber supply. For conversion purposes, 1 lb = 0.454 kg, 1 short ton = 0.907 metric tonnes, and 1 cwt = 0.051 metric tonnes. To convert bushels from volume to weight, see the USDA Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products, listed in the Background Information. If primary farm data are unavailable for any of your cotton fiber supply, you may use a regional estimate to answer B1. Do not combine primary data and regional estimates. To answer B1 using regional estimates, you should only use estimates from a sub-country area such as an agricultural zone or region, eco-region, or geo-political boundary (e.g., state, county, department) where the cotton fiber crop is grown. A regional estimate must be based on a study that is representative of the production system of this cotton fiber supply, based on production data not older than 3 years before the harvest date of this cotton fiber supply, and published in a publicly available document. Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply for which you were able to obtain primary data, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. If you have reported a regional estimate for B1, then report 0% for B2. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. To calculate GHG emissions intensity, use one of the tools listed in Certifications, Standards, and Tools below. If not using the tools listed here, base your calculations on the guidelines given in the SAI Platform Sustainable Performance Assessment or in PAS 2050, listed in the Background Information. | COMET-Farm: COMET-Farm is a tool that helps farmers and ranchers determine the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their farming and ranching practices. The tool includes alternative future management scenarios and determines changes in greenhouse gas emissions and carbon relative to the current management scenario. http://cometfarm.nrel.colostate.edu/ Cool Farm Tool: This calculator is available globally and calculates greenhouse gas emissions associated with farms, processing facilities, and transportation for many agriculture and livestock products. http://www.coolfarmtool.org/CoolFarmTool Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard: Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) is a standard developed by Syngenta Sustainable Solutions for measuring continuous improvement towards sustainable outcomes on farms. It provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture. https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/Sustainable-Outcomes-Standard-Version-1.3.pdf THESIS GHG Emissions Intensity - On-Farm KPI Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/ghg-emissions-intensity-on-farm-calculation-tool-2024/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity - Growing Operations KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity - Growing Operations KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448646995 | GLOBALG.A.P.: GLOBALG.A.P. offers farm management certification for crops (fruits and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, combinable crops, green coffee, and tea); livestock (cattle and sheep, dairy, calf and young beef, pigs, poultry, and turkey); aquaculture; chain of custody; plant propagation material; compound feed manufacturing; and livestock transport. The program also includes a risk assessment for worker health, safety, and welfare, as well as criteria for animal welfare and food safety. https://www.globalgap.org/uk_en/ PAS 2050: According to BSI, "PAS 2050 is a publicly available specification (PAS) providing a method for assessing the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of goods and services (jointly referred to as "products")." https://shop.bsigroup.com/Browse-By-Subject/Environmental-Management-and-Sustainability/PAS-2050/ SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/?q=Fact+Sheet SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/our-work/ Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products: This publication provides information on agricultural commodity weights and measures. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=41881 | CO2e: Carbon dioxide equivalent; a metric that expresses the impact of a greenhouse gas in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that has the same global warming potential. Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Irrigation Water Use Intensity - On-farm | Your cotton fiber supply includes all cotton fiber that is used in your final product, whether purchased or grown in company owned operations. Calculate B1 as the average of the most recent irrigation water use intensity estimates for the farms that produced your cotton fiber supply, weighted by the mass of cotton fiber supplied by each farm. For each farm, calculate irrigation water use intensity as the volume of irrigation water applied, divided by the mass of cotton fiber harvested. Include the cotton crop grown between the end of the harvest of the previous cotton crop through the harvest of the cotton crop that produced your fiber supply. Methods of obtaining irrigation water use data include, but are not limited to, flow meters, measurements with rain gauges, estimates based on the effective precipitation rate of the sprinklers used, irrigation district reporting, pressurized pipes, or extrapolation from power records. For conversion purposes, 1 U.S. acre-inch = 102.8 cubic meters or 10.3 hectare-mm, 1 gallon = 0.0038 cubic meters, 1 litre = 0.001 cubic meters, 1 kg = 0.001 metric tonnes, 1 short ton = 0.907 metric tonnes, and 1 cwt = 0.051 metric tonnes. To convert bushels from volume to weight, see the USDA Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products, listed in the Background Information. If primary farm data are unavailable for any of your cotton fiber supply, you may use a regional estimate to answer B1. Do not combine primary data and regional estimates. To answer B1 using regional estimates, you should only use estimates from a sub-country area such as an agricultural zone or region, eco-region, or geo-political boundary (e.g., state, county, department) where the cotton fiber crop is grown. A regional estimate must be based on a study that is representative of the production system of this cotton fiber supply, based on production data not older than 3 years before the harvest date of this cotton fiber supply, and published in a publicly available document. Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply for which you were able to obtain primary data, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. If you have reported a regional estimate for B1, then report 0% for B2. If no irrigation water was used to produce any portion of your cotton fiber supply, enter "0" for B1 and 100% for B2. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Irrigation water use intensity can be calculated directly from farm data or by one of the tools listed below. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform, calculate your response to B1 using information from the Platform's "Water applied" data field. The conversion factors listed above will be necessary to complete your calculation. The Fieldprint Platform's Irrigation Water Use metric results should not be used directly to answer this question due to differences in calculation methodology. For a list of crops currently covered by Field to Market, refer to the description of Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform below. If using the Cool Farm Tool, report data from the "Blue water" results field only. Do not use data from the "Total water" or "Green water" results fields. If not using the tools listed here, base your calculations on the "Applied Water Use Efficiency" metric guidelines given by the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC), listed in the Background Information. | CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Cool Farm Tool: This calculator is available globally and calculates greenhouse gas emissions associated with farms, processing facilities, and transportation for many agriculture and livestock products. http://www.coolfarmtool.org/CoolFarmTool Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard: Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) is a standard developed by Syngenta Sustainable Solutions for measuring continuous improvement towards sustainable outcomes on farms. It provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture. https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/Sustainable-Outcomes-Standard-Version-1.3.pdf THESIS Help Center Video: Irrigation Water Use Intensity - On-farm KPI: Short video tutorial on the Irrigation Water Use Intensity - On-farm KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017121 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - Water Use Intensity - Manufacturing/Processing KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Water Use Intensity - Manufacturing/Processing KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-water-use-intensity-manufacturing-processing-kpis/ | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Calculator for Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops: SISC metrics and the SISC calculator suit the specific needs of fruit, nut and vegetable growers and their supply chain partners. This calculator allows tier one suppliers to request growers to calculate any one, or combination of, the following on farm metrics: yield, on farm energy use/ GHG’s, nitrogen use, phosphorus surplus, applied water use, irrigation water use efficiency, habitat/biodiversity, soil health, and food loss for specialty crop (all fruits, nuts, and vegetable) farms across North America. This calculator, and most SISC metrics, can also be used globally. https://www.stewardshipindex.org/sisc-stewardship-calculator GLOBALG.A.P.: GLOBALG.A.P. offers farm management certification for crops (fruits and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, combinable crops, green coffee, and tea); livestock (cattle and sheep, dairy, calf and young beef, pigs, poultry, and turkey); aquaculture; chain of custody; plant propagation material; compound feed manufacturing; and livestock transport. The program also includes a risk assessment for worker health, safety, and welfare, as well as criteria for animal welfare and food safety. https://www.globalgap.org/uk_en/ SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/?q=Fact+Sheet SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/our-work/ Water Footprint Network: Waterfootprint.org provides various tools, assessments, and information regarding water consumption accounting. https://waterfootprint.org/en/ Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products: This publication provides information on agricultural commodity weights and measures. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=41881 World Resources Institute (WRI) Aqueduct Measuring and Mapping Water Risk: WRI created the global water risk mapping tool, Aqueduct, which used 12 indicators to map where and how water risks and opportunities occur globally. https://www.wri.org/aqueduct | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Irrigation water use: Total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells for purposes of crop irrigation. Collected rainwater is not included. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Labor Rights - On Farm | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract farming operations producing cotton fiber supply used in final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Pesticide Application - On-farm | Your cotton fiber supply includes all cotton fiber that is used in your final product, whether purchased or grown in company owned operations. Calculate B1 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply sourced from farms that have a verifiable EHS program, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Site-based EHS programs must address the protection of workers and the surrounding community from potential negative health effects related to pesticide use (e.g., toxicity from handling chemicals or exposure from drift). EHS programs must also address environmental impacts related to pesticide use, such as soil and water toxicity and death of non-target organisms (e.g., insects, birds, mammals, soil microbes, etc.). For more information about EHS programs related to pesticide use, refer to the certifications and Background Information listed below. Cotton fiber supply for which it can be verified that all applied pesticides were used in compliance with a national and/or local regulatory body (for supply produced in the U.S.) or with World Health Organization, United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization, European, or U.S. standards (for supply produced outside of the U.S.) may be included in your response for B1. In B1, you may include your cotton fiber supply that has been certified by Fair Trade USA, Fairtrade International, Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Organic, Fair For Life, GLOBALG.A.P., or verified by SAI Platform's Bronze FSA. In addition, for supply coming from developing countries, TSC's Responsible Pest Management (RPM) Framework may be used to inform your response in B1 by including % of your supply from developing countries scoring Medium or High on RPM's Drivers Risk management and Worker and Neighbor protections. For more information about RPM and its Outcomes and Drivers, see below under Certifications, Standards & Tools. Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply sourced from farms that shared data on their pesticide use, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Pesticide use data includes crop name, pesticide name, date of application, dosage, and any other relevant information that encourages dialogue between producers and suppliers regarding pesticide management. In addition, TSC's Responsible Pest Management (RPM) Framework may be used to inform your response for B2 by including % of your supply sharing information on RPM's Driver Recordkeeping. For more information about RPM and its Outcomes and Drivers, see below under Certifications, Standards & Tools For B1 and B2, include all farms, regardless of whether they are certified organic, certified under an ecological farming program, use biological and/or plant-derived pesticides, or do not use pesticides. Because both response options may be relevant to the same portion of your cotton fiber supply, you may respond with up to 100% for both B1 and B2. For example, supply included in the calculation of B1 can also be included in the calculation of B2 if appropriate. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ EU Organic: The European Union has a regulatory framework that sets EU organic farming standards and import and inspection requirements, as well as labelling rules and a logo. http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/ Fair Trade USA: Fair Trade USA provides several standards that address environmental stewardship, income sustainability, community, individual well-being and empowerment for producers. https://www.fairtradecertified.org/business/standards Fair for Life Certification Program: The Fair Life program provides certification for fair trade and responsible supply chains. The goal of Fair for Life is to ensure social and economic benefits to socioeconomically disadvantaged agricultural producers and workers and to ensure that smallholder producers receive a fair share. http://www.fairforlife.org/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification GLOBALG.A.P.: GLOBALG.A.P. offers farm management certification for crops (fruits and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, combinable crops, green coffee, and tea); livestock (cattle and sheep, dairy, calf and young beef, pigs, poultry, and turkey); aquaculture; chain of custody; plant propagation material; compound feed manufacturing; and livestock transport. The program also includes a risk assessment for worker health, safety, and welfare, as well as criteria for animal welfare and food safety. https://www.globalgap.org/uk_en/ SAI Platform - Farm Sustainability Assessment (SAI-FSA): The SAI Platform Farm Sustainability Assessment (SAI-FSA) is an easy-to-use tool that assesses farm environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The FSA is based on SAI Platform’s Principles and Practices for sustainable agriculture and can be used by farmers as a benchmarking tool for comparing various certification schemes and proprietary codes. http://www.fsatool.com/ Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard: Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) is a standard developed by Syngenta Sustainable Solutions for measuring continuous improvement towards sustainable outcomes on farms. It provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture. https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/Sustainable-Outcomes-Standard-Version-1.3.pdf THESIS Help Center Video: Pesticide Application - Growing Operations KPI: Short video tutorial on the Pesticide Application - Growing Operations KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/529550783 TSC Responsible Pest Management (RPM) Framework: The RPM Framework is an innovative, science-based multi-stakeholder-developed approach for measuring RPM in crop production to enable improved communication throughout the value chain. https://www.sustainabilityconsortium.org/responsible-pest-management-rpm-framework/ USDA Organic: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a regulatory framework that sets USDA organic farming standards and import and inspection requirements, as well as labelling rules and a logo. USDA Organic is a consumer‐facing label that indicates that food products have been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. https://www.usda.gov/topics/organic | SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/?q=Fact+Sheet SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/our-work/ | Developing countries: Countries with little industrial and economic activity and where people generally have low incomes. Developing countries include all countries other than industrialized countries and countries in transition, namely: all countries in Africa except South Africa, all countries in Asia except Israel and Japan, all countries in Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, and all countries in North and Central America except Canada, USA and Mexico, and all countries in South America except Brazil and Chile. Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Pesticide: A substance or mixture of substances used to prevent, destroy, or control a pest (e.g., weeds, fungi, bacteria, unwanted animal species) that are harmful to or interfere with the production, processing, storage, transport, or marketing of agricultural products. Program: An annually updated document that farmers can demonstrate on-site. The program should summarize concrete goals and a plan for how to achieve these goals. Site-based environmental health, and safety program: A program that seeks to protect workers, communities and the environment by accounting for the specific conditions and circumstances of each physical site or facility. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Verified: Having previously demonstrated, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Soil Erosion - On-farm | Your cotton fiber supply includes all cotton fiber that is used in your final product, whether purchased or grown in company owned operations. Calculate B1 as the average of the most recent soil erosion estimates from the farms that produced your cotton fiber supply, weighted by the mass of cotton fiber supplied by each farm. For each farm, calculate soil erosion as the estimated mass of soil eroded from cotton production fields due to wind or water flow, divided by the mass of cotton fiber harvested. Include the cotton crop grown between the end of the harvest of the previous cotton crop through the harvest of the cotton crop that produced your fiber supply. For conversion purposes, 1 short ton = 0.907 metric tonnes. To convert bushels from volume to weight, see the USDA Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products, listed in the Background Information. If primary farm data are unavailable for any of your cotton fiber supply, you may use a regional estimate to answer B1. Do not combine primary data and regional estimates. To answer B1 using regional estimates, you should only use estimates from a sub-country area such as an agricultural zone or region, eco-region, or geo-political boundary (e.g., state, county, department) where the cotton fiber crop is grown. A regional estimate must be based on a study that is representative of the production system of this cotton fiber supply, based on production data not older than 3 years before the harvest date of this cotton fiber supply, and published in a publicly available document. Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply for which you were able to obtain primary data, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. If you have reported a regional estimate for B1, then report 0% for B2. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Soil erosion estimates can be calculated from field-specific data, using the tools listed below, or derived from regional soil erosion data based on crop type and growing location. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine soil erosion estimates, refer to the description of Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform below for a list of crop types currently covered. Models that use USDA RUSLE2 or USDA WEPS estimate soil erosion based on field and soil properties, tillage method, crop type, soil cover, and local climate. For more information, refer to the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (USDA RUSLE2) and Wind Erosion Prediction System (USDA WEPS), listed in Background Information. | Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard: Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) is a standard developed by Syngenta Sustainable Solutions for measuring continuous improvement towards sustainable outcomes on farms. It provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture. https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/Sustainable-Outcomes-Standard-Version-1.3.pdf THESIS Help Center Video: Soil Erosion - Growing Operations KPI: Short video tutorial on the Soil Erosion - Growing Operations KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/529539438 | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ European Integrated Farming Framework: The European Integrated Farming Framework, developed by the European Initiative for Sustainable Development in Agriculture, is a set of guidelines and suggested practices for sustainable agricultural production. The framework addresses human and social capital; energy efficiency; water use and protection; climate change and air quality; soil management; crop nutrition; crop health and protection; animal husbandry, health, and welfare; landscape and nature conservation; and waste management and pollution control. http://sustainable-agriculture.org/integrated-farming/ GLOBALG.A.P.: GLOBALG.A.P. offers farm management certification for crops (fruits and vegetables, flowers and ornamentals, combinable crops, green coffee, and tea); livestock (cattle and sheep, dairy, calf and young beef, pigs, poultry, and turkey); aquaculture; chain of custody; plant propagation material; compound feed manufacturing; and livestock transport. The program also includes a risk assessment for worker health, safety, and welfare, as well as criteria for animal welfare and food safety. https://www.globalgap.org/uk_en/ SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/?q=Fact+Sheet SAI Platform: Sustainable Performance Assessment (SAI-SPA): The SAI Platform provides fact sheets and guidelines for sustainable agriculture assessment including metrics. https://saiplatform.org/our-work/ USDA RUSLE2 Technology: The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, Version 2 (RUSLE2) is a tool developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for calculating soil erosion. Although it was developed by the USDA, RUSLE2 is commonly used outside of the US. http://fargo.nserl.purdue.edu/rusle2_dataweb/RUSLE2_Index.htm USDA WEPS: The Wind Erosion Prediction System is a tool developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to estimate the risk of soil erosion by wind. Although it was developed by the USDA, WEPS is adaptable to regions outside of the U.S. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/tools/weps/ Weights, Measures, and Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities and Their Products: This publication provides information on agricultural commodity weights and measures. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=41881 | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. Soil erosion: The loss of soil from a field due to wind or surface water runoff. |
| Cotton Products | Cotton Products | Yield - On-farm | Your cotton fiber supply includes all cotton fiber that is used in your final product, whether purchased or grown in company owned operations. Calculate B1 as the average of the most recent yield estimates from the farms that produced your cotton fiber supply, weighted by the mass of cotton fiber supplied by each farm. For each farm, calculate yield as the mass of cotton fiber harvested, divided by the hectares planted. If your current yield estimates are recorded as area planted per mass of cotton fiber harvested, take the inverse of each farm's metric and then calculate the average to report B1. If primary farm data are unavailable for any of your cotton fiber supply, you may use a regional estimate to answer B1. Do not combine primary data and regional estimates. To answer B1 using regional estimates, you should only use estimates from a sub-country area such as an agricultural zone or region, eco-region, or geo-political boundary (e.g., state, county, department) where the cotton fiber crop is grown. A regional estimate must be based on a study that is representative of the production system of this cotton fiber supply, based on production data not older than 3 years before the harvest date of this cotton fiber supply, and published in a publicly available document. Calculate B2 as the mass of your cotton fiber supply for which you were able to obtain primary data, divided by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. If you have reported a regional estimate for B1, then report 0% for B2. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If using data from Field to Market’s Fieldprint Platform to respond to this KPI, refer to the description of Field to Market’s Fieldprint Platform below for a list of crops currently covered. | Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard: Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) is a standard developed by Syngenta Sustainable Solutions for measuring continuous improvement towards sustainable outcomes on farms. It provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture. https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/Sustainable-Outcomes-Standard-Version-1.3.pdf THESIS Help Center Video: Yield - On-farm KPI: Short video tutorial on the Yield - On-farm KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/529542196 | Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC): SISC provides guidance for calculating irrigation water use, energy use, nitrogen use, phosphorus surplus, and soil organic matter on U.S. specialty crop farms. https://www.stewardshipindex.org/ | Farming operation: An area of land and its buildings, comprised of one or more locations managed together that is used for growing crops that are delivered for further processing or as ingredients to other final products. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Cotton cultivation - Environmental impacts | Calculate B1 by the total mass of your cotton fiber supply for which participation in initiatives has been determined, divided by your total cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the completion date of this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | Cotton Inc. - Life Cycle Assessment: Cotton Incorporated has created a resource to make several life cycle documents available for public download. http://cottontoday.cottoninc.com/reference-material/ Responsible Sourcing Network Cotton Sourcing Snapshot: This website provides cotton sourcing information and a link to a document that outlines steps companies can make to prevent child labor and forced labor in their cotton supply chains. https://www.sourcingnetwork.org/cotton | Environmental initiatives - Cotton: Examples of environmental initiatives include integrated pest management, precision agriculture, and water management programs. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Cotton cultivation - Social impacts | Calculate B1 as the mass of cotton fiber for which participation in initiatives has been determined, divided by the total mass of cotton fiber supplied, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ | Responsible Sourcing Network Cotton Sourcing Snapshot: This website provides cotton sourcing information and a link to a document that outlines steps companies can make to prevent child labor and forced labor in their cotton supply chains. https://www.sourcingnetwork.org/cotton | Community health and safety: A community or community member's potential injury or exposure to harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of proximity to industrial activities such as those that occur at factories, farms, mines, trucks, and landfills. Examples of exposure include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Community well-being: A community or community member's potential exposure to disruptions from industrial activities that impact the rights, economies, and way of life of local communities. Community: A community is an organized group of people who reside within or in the vicinity of a particular area. The community's culture, health, or economy are affected by the use of the area. Social initiatives - Cotton: Examples of social initiatives for cotton include worker health and safety programs, social compliance programs, and community engagement programs. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Sourcing - On-farm, cotton cultivation | Calculate B1 as the mass of cotton fiber supply for which the agriculture growing regions have been determined, divided by your total mass of cotton fiber supply, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Data sources such as procurement data, trade networks, or national or subnational crop production data may help to identify the agriculture growing regions of your crop supply. A region is defined as a sub-country area such as an agricultural zone or region, eco-region, or geo-political boundary (e.g., state, county, department). Due to the variance in how "region" may be defined, respondents are encouraged to use a consistent interpretation from year to year when reporting data for this question. Variance in how "region" is interpreted may hinder data comparison over time. If using Field to Market's Continuous Improvement Accelerator to measure farm-level environmental impacts for any portion of your cotton fiber supply, you can enter that portion of your crop supply in B1. | Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers a standard that addresses environmental and social issues present in the growing of cotton. https://bettercotton.org/ Better Cotton Initiative: The Better Cotton Initiative offers publically available resources to provided background information on best practices for growing cotton. https://bettercotton.org/resources/ Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | ||
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex Sustainable Textile Solutions (STS): Sustainable Textile Solutions programs support brands, retailers, and industry partners in their efforts to achieve compliance to environmental, health, and safety standards. https://sustexsolutions.com/ THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform: Utilized by Insight and Innovation Projects enrolled in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator, the Fieldprint Platform calculates and aggregates field-level outcomes for land use efficiency, soil conservation, irrigation water use efficiency, energy use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions for U.S. alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat farms. It also provides index scores for soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus impacts on water quality, and biodiversity at the field and farm level. The Platform offers an optional module to quantify soil carbon estimates if projects wish to calculate sequestration alongside avoided emissions. In addition, farmers have the ability to compare individual sustainability performance against project, state, and national benchmarks to assess opportunities for continuous improvement. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/fieldprint-platform/ Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ THESIS Help Center Video: Water use - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Water use - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/528558948 | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Cotton Textiles | Cotton Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification CommodityMap Tool and Program: CommodityMap identifies environmental and social sustainability issues associated with agricultural sourcing regions. In situations where sourcing regions are unknown, CommodityMap can identify the most likely sources using a proprietary trade model. CommodityMap enables companies to prioritize efforts to address environmental and social concerns, allowing for more effective resource allocation. It supports most plant-based ingredients, with global maps of the production of over 150 food and fiber commodities. CommodityMap models several of TSC's THESIS assessment hotspots to help users contextualize THESIS results and better understand, improve and communicate product performance on the sustainability issues it covers. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/commodity-mapping/ Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work: This declaration outlines the universal rights of all workers regardless of citizenship status, gender, or the local level of economic development. http://www.ilo.org/declaration/lang--en/index.htm United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex Sustainable Textile Solutions (STS): Sustainable Textile Solutions programs support brands, retailers, and industry partners in their efforts to achieve compliance to environmental, health, and safety standards. https://sustexsolutions.com/ THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator: Harnessing the power of collaboration across the agricultural value chain and locally-led conservation solutions, Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator provides a process-based standard for delivering sustainable outcomes for agriculture, people and the planet. The hallmark of the Accelerator’s approach lies in a process-based approach to advancing continuous improvement, which is grounded in a foundation that delivers solutions to global sustainable development priorities while also addressing local natural resource concerns. These projects utilize the power of voluntary, and often market-driven, solutions to incentivize improved environmental outcomes and enhance farmer livelihoods. By following a standardized and validated approach, these project pathways can leverage the collective action of the value chain to support resilient ecosystems and enhance farmer livelihoods. The Accelerator currently covers alfalfa, barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, potato, rice, sorghum, soy, sugar beet, and wheat produced in the U.S. and Canada. https://fieldtomarket.org/our-programs/ | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh: The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an agreement between brands and trade unions to improve worker health and safety. It can be a model for factory inspections, remediation, and worker participation & training. https://bangladeshaccord.org/ How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Cotton-polyester Blend Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Air quality - Footwear Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | |||
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Air quality - Supply chain | This question addresses all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. If the cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions to be counted towards the final percentage. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the completion date of this question. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. In order for a facility to count towards the final percentage, it must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations as well as those where there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. These emissions are considered air pollution and may include, but are not limited to, particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and lead. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Facilities should track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations as well as those where there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | Particulate matter: Small particles or liquid droplets, typically considered 10 micrometers or less in diameter, which can have negative health consequences when inhaled by humans. | |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from material suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all material suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | ||
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Leather Impacts - Supply Chain | Calculate C1 as the mass of your leather supply that was traced to the slaughterhouse operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your leather supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C2 as the mass of leather materials that came from suppliers that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audits, divided by the total mass of our leather material supply, then multiply by 100. Verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial/Aquatic Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Farm stage: Minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air or water quality, temperature, and humidity supports good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals. Transportation stage: Animals should not be transported if they are not fit to travel. For those animals fit to travel, the number of journeys and the length of time should be minimized. Loading and unloading procedures should minimize animal stress, prevent injury, and use facilities that promote calm and safe animal movement. Protection from extreme temperatures and other extreme weather conditions is provided. Adequate feed and water is available when required. Slaughter stage: Animals should be treated humanely before and during all slaughter procedures, including pre-slaughter stunning for non-ritual slaughter. The pre-slaughter stunning must render the animal insensible to pain until death occurs. The minimization of fear, stress, and pain is included in humane treatment. TSC provides a list of animal welfare certifications, standards, and programs to assist users in choosing a program that aligns with their needs. See Background Information for more details. Calculate C3 as the mass of your leather supply that came from tannery operations that either maintain a current comprehensive environmental impact certification or verifiable, regularly conducted environmental impact audit, divided by the total mass of your leather supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, chemical use, energy consumption, water usage, air and noise emissions, and waste and effluent management. Material audited by The Leather Working Group may be included in the calculation of C3. Calculate C4 as the mass of your leather supply that came from tannery operations that regularly and verifiably conducted audits for worker health and safety, divided by the total mass of your leather supply, then multiply by 100. The audits should address all worker health and safety concerns, including, but not limited to, equipment training, chemical exposure, noise exposure, dust exposure, and accident record keeping. To be included in C2, C3 and C4, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | |||
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water or your companies does not use materials that produce any microfibers. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Packaging raw material sourcing | The scope of this question is the product category’s sales packaging, which is defined as packaging that leaves a store with the consumer. Include the transportation-related packaging for product that is shipped directly to an end consumer. Calculate C1 as the mass of post-consumer recycled material in the sales packaging of your final products, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. This excludes pre-consumer recycled materials. Calculate C2 as the mass of sustainably-sourced renewable virgin material in the sales packaging of your final products, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. To be included in C2, the material must be third-party verified (e.g. for paper-based packaging FSC, SFI, PEFC would be examples of certifications for verification). If data on packaging materials specific to these final products is not available, you may use more aggregated internal data to calculate C1 and C2 (e.g., company-level data for sales packaging of similar products). The sum of C1 and C2 cannot be greater than 100%. Please refer to THESIS KPI set for Packaging for more detailed packaging indicators. | ISO 14021: ISO 14021 (Environmental labels and declarations -- Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) provides measurement standards for determining how recyclable a particular product is. https://www.iso.org/standard/66652.html THESIS Help Center Video: Packaging Raw Material Sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Packaging Raw Material Sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017161 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - Packaging KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Packaging KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/packaging-calculation-tool-2023/ | Circulytics – Measuring circularity: The Ellen Macarthur Foundation's Circulytics assesses a company’s overall circularity. The tool is designed to support a company’s evolution to a circular economy by informing strategy development and decision making, and identifying opportunities to align with circular economy principles including: designing out waste, keeping materials and products in use, and generating environmental benefits. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/resources/apply/circulytics-measuring-circularity FTC Green Guide's Recyclability Definition: In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission defines when a product or packaging can be claimed recyclable. Please refer these guidelines when determining recyclability. https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-issues-revised-green-guides/greenguides.pdf Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability 2.0: The Global Protocol for Packaging Sustainability (GPPS 2.0) is a common set of indicators and metrics for business regarding sustainable packaging. The Consumer Goods Forum condensed the "Sustainable Packaging Indicators and Metrics Framework", developed by GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition, into GPPS 2.0. https://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CGF-Global-Protocol-on-Packaging.pdf How2Recycle Certification: The How2Recycle Label provides guidance to consumers on how to recycle packaging for consumable goods. The label is intended to be used on all types of packaging and to provide instruction regarding how and where various raw materials can be recycled. http://www.how2recycle.info/ | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Renewable material: “Material that is composed of biomass from a living source and that can be continually replenished. To be defined as renewable, virgin materials shall come from sources which are replenished at a rate equal to or greater than the rate of depletion.” (FTC Green Guides:2012) Sales packaging: "Packaging that leaves a store with the consumer". (Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability 2.0:2011) Sustainably-sourced material: Material for which it can be demonstrated through second- or third-party verification that the virgin raw material has been harvested or produced legally and in a way that minimizes damage to the environment, workers, and communities. Materials such as paper can be included in this definition if the source of the packaging content comes from sustainably-managed forests with no deforestation. |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Sustainable packaging design and production | Calculate C1 as the mass of sales packaging used for your final products that was recyclable, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. Calculate C2 as the mass of sales packaging used for your final products that has demonstrated progress on goals for material and process efficiency during packaging manufacturing, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of sales packaging used for your final products that has demonstrated progress on goals for weight or volume optimization during packaging design, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. Goals must be quantitative and time-bound and progress must be reported publicly. Public reporting may include voluntary corporate reporting, sustainability reporting programs, or reporting as part of regulatory compliance. Calculate C4 as the mass of sales packaging used for your final products that has demonstrated quantified environmental impact reductions, divided by the total mass sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. Include sales packaging with demonstrated impact reductions since the inception of the product or since purchase of the brand, if post-inception. Methods for demonstrating quantified environmental impact reduction include, but are not limited to, life cycle impact assessment, or assessment against ISO Standard 18602 (Packaging and the environment - Optimization of the packaging system), or EN 13428 (Packaging: Requirements specific to manufacturing and composition - Prevention by source reduction). Calculate C5 as the number of units sold in the US and Canada that had sales packaging labeled with How2Recycle divided by the total number of units sold in the US and Canada that had sales packaging, then multiply by 100. Calculate C6 as the number of units sold in regions outside the US and Canada that had sales packaging labeled according to an established third-party standard divided by the total number of units sold in regions outside the US and Canada that had sales packaging, then multiply by 100. Third party standards include those listed in the Certifications, Standards & Tools section of this KPI. Only include regions outside the US and Canada that are covered by the referenced third-party standards in your calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Australasian Recycling Label (ARL): Used in Australia and New Zealand, the ARL details how best to label packaging for recycling to assist consumers in recycling correctly. https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/arl/ EN 13428: Prevention by packaging source reduction: European standard 13428:2004 outlines a method for evaluating if packaging material weight and/or volume have been sufficiently minimized while also taking into consideration other packaging performance parameters. The standard also includes recommended methodology for identifying heavy metals and dangerous substances in packaging formats. http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/european-standards/harmonised-standards/packaging/index_en.htm EPA Energy Benefits Calculator: Use the EPA Energy Benefits Calculator to help quantify environmental impact reductions for packaging design choices. https://www.epa.gov/lmop/landfill-gas-energy-benefits-calculator EPA Energy Benefits Calculator: You can use the EPA Energy Benefits Calculator to help quantify environmental impact reductions for packaging design choices. https://www.epa.gov/lmop/landfill-gas-energy-benefits-calculator Ecoembes Recycling Symbols: Used in Spain, the Ecoembes recycling symbols provide information to consumers for the recycling of packaging up to six different colors: blue for paper and cardboard, yellow for plastics and cans, green for glass, orange for organic materials, red for hazardous waste, and grey for everything else. https://www.ecoembes.com/en/home European Certification of Plastics Recycling (EUCertPlast): The EuCertPlast Certification is a European wide certification program for companies that recycle post-consumer plastic waste. https://www.eucertplast.eu/ How2Recycle Certification: The How2Recycle Label provides guidance to consumers on how to recycle packaging for consumable goods. The label is intended to be used on all types of packaging and to provide instruction regarding how and where various raw materials can be recycled. http://www.how2recycle.info/ ISO 18602: ISO 18602 provides criteria for optimization of packaging systems. It outlines a procedure for reduction of packaging material weight or volume while taking into consideration packaging function. It also provides assessment methodology for substances hazardous to the environment and heavy metals. https://www.iso.org/standard/55870.html Japanese Recycling Symbols: Used in Japan, Japanese recycling symbols tell in a glance to consumers what is recyclable and what is not recyclable, and assist consumers in recycling correctly. https://www.jcpra.or.jp/Portals/0/resource/eng/JCPRAdocuments202012.pdf Le Guide du TRI (Citeo Sorting Guide): sed in France, the Citeo Sorting Guide provides information to companies about which product components should be recycled and which should be disposed. https://bo.citeo.com/sites/default/files/2019-07/20190617_Guide_Info-tri_Citeo_EN.pdf On-Pack Recycling Label: Used in the UK, the On-Pack Recycling Label details how best to label packaging for recycling to assist consumers in recycling correctly. http://www.oprl.org.uk/ The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR): The APR is an international national trade association representing the plastics recycling industry. https://plasticsrecycling.org/about The Triman: Used in France, the Triman is a recycling symbol in e-commerce that sells and ships to France. https://www.msl.io/uploads/downloads/Triman-Users-handbook-english-V21.pdf Woolworths Recycling Labels: Used in South Africa, the Woolworths Recycling Labels detail how best to label packaging for recycling to assist consumers in recycling correctly. https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/howto/good-business-journey/how-to-read-our-recycling-labels/_/A-cmp201960 | Circulytics – Measuring circularity: The Ellen Macarthur Foundation's Circulytics assesses a company’s overall circularity. The tool is designed to support a company’s evolution to a circular economy by informing strategy development and decision making, and identifying opportunities to align with circular economy principles including: designing out waste, keeping materials and products in use, and generating environmental benefits. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/resources/apply/circulytics-measuring-circularity Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability 2.0: The Global Protocol for Packaging Sustainability (GPPS 2.0) is a common set of indicators and metrics for business regarding sustainable packaging. The Consumer Goods Forum condensed the "Sustainable Packaging Indicators and Metrics Framework", developed by GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition, into GPPS 2.0. https://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CGF-Global-Protocol-on-Packaging.pdf Recycle Now: Recycle Now is the national recycling effort in England. The website contains examples of recycling labels that may be used on packaging and how to interpret them. http://www.recyclenow.com/recycle/packaging-symbols-explained Walmart Sustainable Packaging Playbook: Walmart provides an overview of sustainable packaging best practices for suppliers interested in improving and innovating packaging. https://www.walmartsustainabilityhub.com/climate/project-gigaton/packaging | Goals: Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Material and process efficiency: Material efficiency is the ratio between the material input and the benefits derived. Resource conservation (source reduction) of material inputs and/or improving the functionality of the packaging can positively impact material efficiency. Process efficiency is the ratio between the time spent on production steps to the output. Opportunities to improve material and process efficiency include process improvement, product redesign, and technology changes to packaging equipment. It should be noted that continual source reduction has benefits, but there are trade-offs that must be assessed. Sales packaging: "Packaging that leaves a store with the consumer". (Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability 2.0:2011) Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Weight or volume optimization: "Process for the achievement of a minimum adequate weight or volume (source reduction) for meeting the necessary requirements of primary or secondary or transport packaging, when performance and user/consumer acceptability remain unchanged or adequate, thereby reducing the impact on the environment.” (ISO 18601:2013 - Packaging and the environment--General requirements for the use of ISO standards in the field of packaging and the environment) |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g. synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your polyester material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your polyester material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | |||
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Wastewater Generation - Footwear Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from material suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all material suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ THESIS Help Center Video: Water use - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Water use - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/528558948 | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Footwear | Adult Footwear | Worker health and safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Air quality - Footwear Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | |||
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Air quality - Supply chain | This question addresses all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. If the cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions to be counted towards the final percentage. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the completion date of this question. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. In order for a facility to count towards the final percentage, it must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations as well as those where there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. These emissions are considered air pollution and may include, but are not limited to, particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and lead. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Facilities should track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations as well as those where there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | Particulate matter: Small particles or liquid droplets, typically considered 10 micrometers or less in diameter, which can have negative health consequences when inhaled by humans. | |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from material suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all material suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | ||
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Leather Impacts - Supply Chain | Calculate C1 as the mass of your leather supply that was traced to the slaughterhouse operation of origin, divided by the total mass of your leather supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C2 as the mass of leather materials that came from suppliers that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audits, divided by the total mass of our leather material supply, then multiply by 100. Verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial/Aquatic Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Farm stage: Minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air or water quality, temperature, and humidity supports good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals. Transportation stage: Animals should not be transported if they are not fit to travel. For those animals fit to travel, the number of journeys and the length of time should be minimized. Loading and unloading procedures should minimize animal stress, prevent injury, and use facilities that promote calm and safe animal movement. Protection from extreme temperatures and other extreme weather conditions is provided. Adequate feed and water is available when required. Slaughter stage: Animals should be treated humanely before and during all slaughter procedures, including pre-slaughter stunning for non-ritual slaughter. The pre-slaughter stunning must render the animal insensible to pain until death occurs. The minimization of fear, stress, and pain is included in humane treatment. TSC provides a list of animal welfare certifications, standards, and programs to assist users in choosing a program that aligns with their needs. See Background Information for more details. Calculate C3 as the mass of your leather supply that came from tannery operations that either maintain a current comprehensive environmental impact certification or verifiable, regularly conducted environmental impact audit, divided by the total mass of your leather supply, then multiply by 100. The certification or audits should address all material environmental impacts including, but not limited to, chemical use, energy consumption, water usage, air and noise emissions, and waste and effluent management. Material audited by The Leather Working Group may be included in the calculation of C3. Calculate C4 as the mass of your leather supply that came from tannery operations that regularly and verifiably conducted audits for worker health and safety, divided by the total mass of your leather supply, then multiply by 100. The audits should address all worker health and safety concerns, including, but not limited to, equipment training, chemical exposure, noise exposure, dust exposure, and accident record keeping. To be included in C2, C3 and C4, verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | |||
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Microfiber release – Manufacturing | Answer A if your company only works with plant-derived materials (e.g., cotton, linen) which have been proven to biodegrade in water or your companies does not use materials that produce any microfibers. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who monitored microfiber release during wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Monitoring may include, but is not limited to, wastewater and lint analysis. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who utilized alternatives to wet processing, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. Alternatives should replace at least one full stage of wet processing to qualify. Examples include, but are not limited to, inkjet printing and plasma technologies, which replace the dyeing stage of wet processing. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic textile supply that was sourced from manufacturers, either contracted or company owned, who have implemented practices and technologies to minimize microfiber release, divided by your total mass of synthetic textile supply, then multiply by 100. The maximum possible response for each response option is 100%. However, multiple response options may be applicable to the same portion of your supply. For example, supply included in the calculation for C1 could also be included in the calculation for C2 if the stated conditions are also met. Practices and technologies that minimize microfiber release include, but are not limited to, lowering the melting temperature of yarn to improve tensile strength, and adding coatings to yarn to reduce fiber loss. | Microfiber release: Small synthetic fibers less than 10 micrometers in diameter that are released into the environment via wastewater during textile manufacturing that cause a variety of impacts to humans and wildlife, in addition to persisting in rivers, streams, and oceans. | ||
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Packaging raw material sourcing | The scope of this question is the product category’s sales packaging, which is defined as packaging that leaves a store with the consumer. Include the transportation-related packaging for product that is shipped directly to an end consumer. Calculate C1 as the mass of post-consumer recycled material in the sales packaging of your final products, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. This excludes pre-consumer recycled materials. Calculate C2 as the mass of sustainably-sourced renewable virgin material in the sales packaging of your final products, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. To be included in C2, the material must be third-party verified (e.g. for paper-based packaging FSC, SFI, PEFC would be examples of certifications for verification). If data on packaging materials specific to these final products is not available, you may use more aggregated internal data to calculate C1 and C2 (e.g., company-level data for sales packaging of similar products). The sum of C1 and C2 cannot be greater than 100%. Please refer to THESIS KPI set for Packaging for more detailed packaging indicators. | ISO 14021: ISO 14021 (Environmental labels and declarations -- Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) provides measurement standards for determining how recyclable a particular product is. https://www.iso.org/standard/66652.html THESIS Help Center Video: Packaging Raw Material Sourcing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Packaging Raw Material Sourcing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017161 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - Packaging KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Packaging KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/packaging-calculation-tool-2023/ | Circulytics – Measuring circularity: The Ellen Macarthur Foundation's Circulytics assesses a company’s overall circularity. The tool is designed to support a company’s evolution to a circular economy by informing strategy development and decision making, and identifying opportunities to align with circular economy principles including: designing out waste, keeping materials and products in use, and generating environmental benefits. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/resources/apply/circulytics-measuring-circularity FTC Green Guide's Recyclability Definition: In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission defines when a product or packaging can be claimed recyclable. Please refer these guidelines when determining recyclability. https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-issues-revised-green-guides/greenguides.pdf Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability 2.0: The Global Protocol for Packaging Sustainability (GPPS 2.0) is a common set of indicators and metrics for business regarding sustainable packaging. The Consumer Goods Forum condensed the "Sustainable Packaging Indicators and Metrics Framework", developed by GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition, into GPPS 2.0. https://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CGF-Global-Protocol-on-Packaging.pdf How2Recycle Certification: The How2Recycle Label provides guidance to consumers on how to recycle packaging for consumable goods. The label is intended to be used on all types of packaging and to provide instruction regarding how and where various raw materials can be recycled. http://www.how2recycle.info/ | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Renewable material: “Material that is composed of biomass from a living source and that can be continually replenished. To be defined as renewable, virgin materials shall come from sources which are replenished at a rate equal to or greater than the rate of depletion.” (FTC Green Guides:2012) Sales packaging: "Packaging that leaves a store with the consumer". (Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability 2.0:2011) Sustainably-sourced material: Material for which it can be demonstrated through second- or third-party verification that the virgin raw material has been harvested or produced legally and in a way that minimizes damage to the environment, workers, and communities. Materials such as paper can be included in this definition if the source of the packaging content comes from sustainably-managed forests with no deforestation. |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Sustainable packaging design and production | Calculate C1 as the mass of sales packaging used for your final products that was recyclable, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. Calculate C2 as the mass of sales packaging used for your final products that has demonstrated progress on goals for material and process efficiency during packaging manufacturing, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of sales packaging used for your final products that has demonstrated progress on goals for weight or volume optimization during packaging design, divided by the total mass of sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. Goals must be quantitative and time-bound and progress must be reported publicly. Public reporting may include voluntary corporate reporting, sustainability reporting programs, or reporting as part of regulatory compliance. Calculate C4 as the mass of sales packaging used for your final products that has demonstrated quantified environmental impact reductions, divided by the total mass sales packaging used for your final products, then multiply by 100. Include sales packaging with demonstrated impact reductions since the inception of the product or since purchase of the brand, if post-inception. Methods for demonstrating quantified environmental impact reduction include, but are not limited to, life cycle impact assessment, or assessment against ISO Standard 18602 (Packaging and the environment - Optimization of the packaging system), or EN 13428 (Packaging: Requirements specific to manufacturing and composition - Prevention by source reduction). Calculate C5 as the number of units sold in the US and Canada that had sales packaging labeled with How2Recycle divided by the total number of units sold in the US and Canada that had sales packaging, then multiply by 100. Calculate C6 as the number of units sold in regions outside the US and Canada that had sales packaging labeled according to an established third-party standard divided by the total number of units sold in regions outside the US and Canada that had sales packaging, then multiply by 100. Third party standards include those listed in the Certifications, Standards & Tools section of this KPI. Only include regions outside the US and Canada that are covered by the referenced third-party standards in your calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | Australasian Recycling Label (ARL): Used in Australia and New Zealand, the ARL details how best to label packaging for recycling to assist consumers in recycling correctly. https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/arl/ EN 13428: Prevention by packaging source reduction: European standard 13428:2004 outlines a method for evaluating if packaging material weight and/or volume have been sufficiently minimized while also taking into consideration other packaging performance parameters. The standard also includes recommended methodology for identifying heavy metals and dangerous substances in packaging formats. http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/european-standards/harmonised-standards/packaging/index_en.htm EPA Energy Benefits Calculator: Use the EPA Energy Benefits Calculator to help quantify environmental impact reductions for packaging design choices. https://www.epa.gov/lmop/landfill-gas-energy-benefits-calculator EPA Energy Benefits Calculator: You can use the EPA Energy Benefits Calculator to help quantify environmental impact reductions for packaging design choices. https://www.epa.gov/lmop/landfill-gas-energy-benefits-calculator Ecoembes Recycling Symbols: Used in Spain, the Ecoembes recycling symbols provide information to consumers for the recycling of packaging up to six different colors: blue for paper and cardboard, yellow for plastics and cans, green for glass, orange for organic materials, red for hazardous waste, and grey for everything else. https://www.ecoembes.com/en/home European Certification of Plastics Recycling (EUCertPlast): The EuCertPlast Certification is a European wide certification program for companies that recycle post-consumer plastic waste. https://www.eucertplast.eu/ How2Recycle Certification: The How2Recycle Label provides guidance to consumers on how to recycle packaging for consumable goods. The label is intended to be used on all types of packaging and to provide instruction regarding how and where various raw materials can be recycled. http://www.how2recycle.info/ ISO 18602: ISO 18602 provides criteria for optimization of packaging systems. It outlines a procedure for reduction of packaging material weight or volume while taking into consideration packaging function. It also provides assessment methodology for substances hazardous to the environment and heavy metals. https://www.iso.org/standard/55870.html Japanese Recycling Symbols: Used in Japan, Japanese recycling symbols tell in a glance to consumers what is recyclable and what is not recyclable, and assist consumers in recycling correctly. https://www.jcpra.or.jp/Portals/0/resource/eng/JCPRAdocuments202012.pdf Le Guide du TRI (Citeo Sorting Guide): sed in France, the Citeo Sorting Guide provides information to companies about which product components should be recycled and which should be disposed. https://bo.citeo.com/sites/default/files/2019-07/20190617_Guide_Info-tri_Citeo_EN.pdf On-Pack Recycling Label: Used in the UK, the On-Pack Recycling Label details how best to label packaging for recycling to assist consumers in recycling correctly. http://www.oprl.org.uk/ The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR): The APR is an international national trade association representing the plastics recycling industry. https://plasticsrecycling.org/about The Triman: Used in France, the Triman is a recycling symbol in e-commerce that sells and ships to France. https://www.msl.io/uploads/downloads/Triman-Users-handbook-english-V21.pdf Woolworths Recycling Labels: Used in South Africa, the Woolworths Recycling Labels detail how best to label packaging for recycling to assist consumers in recycling correctly. https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/howto/good-business-journey/how-to-read-our-recycling-labels/_/A-cmp201960 | Circulytics – Measuring circularity: The Ellen Macarthur Foundation's Circulytics assesses a company’s overall circularity. The tool is designed to support a company’s evolution to a circular economy by informing strategy development and decision making, and identifying opportunities to align with circular economy principles including: designing out waste, keeping materials and products in use, and generating environmental benefits. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/resources/apply/circulytics-measuring-circularity Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability 2.0: The Global Protocol for Packaging Sustainability (GPPS 2.0) is a common set of indicators and metrics for business regarding sustainable packaging. The Consumer Goods Forum condensed the "Sustainable Packaging Indicators and Metrics Framework", developed by GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition, into GPPS 2.0. https://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/CGF-Global-Protocol-on-Packaging.pdf Recycle Now: Recycle Now is the national recycling effort in England. The website contains examples of recycling labels that may be used on packaging and how to interpret them. http://www.recyclenow.com/recycle/packaging-symbols-explained Walmart Sustainable Packaging Playbook: Walmart provides an overview of sustainable packaging best practices for suppliers interested in improving and innovating packaging. https://www.walmartsustainabilityhub.com/climate/project-gigaton/packaging | Goals: Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Material and process efficiency: Material efficiency is the ratio between the material input and the benefits derived. Resource conservation (source reduction) of material inputs and/or improving the functionality of the packaging can positively impact material efficiency. Process efficiency is the ratio between the time spent on production steps to the output. Opportunities to improve material and process efficiency include process improvement, product redesign, and technology changes to packaging equipment. It should be noted that continual source reduction has benefits, but there are trade-offs that must be assessed. Sales packaging: "Packaging that leaves a store with the consumer". (Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability 2.0:2011) Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Weight or volume optimization: "Process for the achievement of a minimum adequate weight or volume (source reduction) for meeting the necessary requirements of primary or secondary or transport packaging, when performance and user/consumer acceptability remain unchanged or adequate, thereby reducing the impact on the environment.” (ISO 18601:2013 - Packaging and the environment--General requirements for the use of ISO standards in the field of packaging and the environment) |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g. synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your polyester material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your polyester material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | |||
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Wastewater Generation - Footwear Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from manufacturing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all manufacturing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ Textile Effluent Treatment Technology: The Journal of Cotton Science has produced a document addressing the treatment of textile effluent and specific wastewater management methods. http://www.cotton.org/journal/2007-11/3/upload/jcs11-141.pdf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from material suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all material suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ THESIS Help Center Video: Water use - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Water use - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/528558948 | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Footwear | Baby and Children Footwear | Worker health and safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Environmental Protection Agency National Ambient Air Quality Standards: According to the EPA's website, "The Clean Air Act, which was last amended in 1990, requires the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (40 CFR part 50) for pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment. The Clean Air Act identifies two types of national ambient air quality standards. Primary standards provide public health protection, including protecting the health of 'sensitive' populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary standards provide public welfare protection, including protection against decreased visibility and damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings." https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | Hazardous Air Pollutants List from EPA: This site lists the original list of 187 air pollutants classified as hazardous by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This list is periodically revised and should only be considered a starting point. https://www.epa.gov/haps | |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Animal Welfare Certifications and Audits | Calculate C1 as the mass of leather materials that came from suppliers that either maintain a current comprehensive animal welfare certification or verifiable, regularly conducted animal welfare audits, divided by the total mass of our leather material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Verifiable, regularly conducted audits should be performed by a second party or third party. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain can initiate these audits. Regulations, audits, and certifications that align with the animal welfare standards as described in Section 7 of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial/Aquatic Animal Health Code and are well-enforced by the implementation of auditing systems can be included in your calculation. Farm stage: Minimization of pain, risk of injury, and transmission of diseases or parasites to animals; a physical environment in which the air or water quality, temperature, and humidity supports good animal health; a structural and social environment that allows animals to rest comfortably, provides opportunities for physical and cognitive activity, and allows for the opportunity to perform all beneficial natural, individual, and social behaviors. Animals should have access to sufficient water and appropriate feed, so as to be free from hunger and thirst. The handling of animals should foster a positive relationship between humans and animals and should not cause injury, panic, lasting fear, or avoidable stress. Genetic selection should take into account the health and welfare of animals. Transportation stage: Animals should not be transported if they are not fit to travel. For those animals fit to travel, the number of journeys and the length of time should be minimized. Loading and unloading procedures should minimize animal stress, prevent injury, and use facilities that promote calm and safe animal movement. Protection from extreme temperatures and other extreme weather conditions is provided. Adequate feed and water is available when required. Slaughter stage: Animals should be treated humanely before and during all slaughter procedures, including pre-slaughter stunning for non-ritual slaughter. The pre-slaughter stunning must render the animal insensible to pain until death occurs. The minimization of fear, stress, and pain is included in humane treatment. TSC provides a list of animal welfare certifications, standards, and programs to assist users in choosing a program that aligns with their needs. See Background Information for more details. Please refer to THESIS Assessment for Animal Welfare (Beef Cattle, Pigs) for more detailed animal welfare indicators. | TSC List of Animal Welfare Certifications and Programs: TSC has compiled a list of animal welfare standards, certifications, and programs. This list may assist users in choosing a program that fits their needs. https://www.sustainabilityconsortium.org/tsc-downloads/animal-welfare-organizations-and-programs/ | Animal welfare: Animal welfare refers to the well-being of an animal and how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. A good state of welfare varies substantially between different contexts, but in general an animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well-nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and not suffering from pain, fear, and distress. Ensuring animal welfare is a human responsibility that requires treatments such as good housing, good care, good feed, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing. The treatments that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane management (adapted from The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)). Animal-based priority ingredients: Priority ingredients that come from animals, either as primary meat products or byproducts, such as beef, chicken, dairy, eggs, fish, pork, and turkey. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. |
|
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from leather material suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all leather material suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. Suppliers can include tanneries and wet processing facilities. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard Leather Working Group Auditing Protocol: This environmental auditing protocol and reporting mechanism has been developed and refined by brand, tanner and supplier members. The protocol is a dynamic improvement tool and is regularly reviewed by the members of the Leather Working Group to ensure that it is both challenging but realistic and achievable. It aims to tackle important topical issues, and reflect improvements or changes of technology within the sector. https://www.leatherworkinggroup.com/how-we-work/audit-protocols | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Greenhouse gas emissions intensity - Manufacturing | Included in the scope of this question are fuels combusted and electricity used in facilities that perform final manufacturing activities, as well as trace gases released during manufacture. This may include some or all of your organization's corporate scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as scope 1 and 2 emissions from any final manufacturing facilities not within your organization's financial or operational control (e.g., contract manufacturers). Excluded from the scope of this question are GHG allowances, offsets, and credits. You may calculate B1 using product-specific data or estimate intensity via facility data that is not product specific. If using product-specific data, calculate B1 as the average of each product's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass produced of each product. If using facility data, calculate B1 as the average of each final manufacturing facility's greenhouse gas emissions intensity, weighted by the total mass of final product produced/revenue from final product produced/number of units produced. If the manufacturing facilities produce more than one category of product, only weight using the total mass of production specific to the product category in question. Calculate B2 as the mass of final products for which you are able to obtain data, divided by total mass of final products produced, then multiply by 100. For each final manufacturing facility, follow the instructions in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard to calculate scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions generated from electricity purchased or produced, fuels combusted, and trace gases released, and then add them together. Worksheets are available on the GHG Protocol website to facilitate these calculations. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The data required for the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire combined with production data can be used to calculate your response. The data required for "Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization" in GRI 302: Energy or "Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions" and "Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions" in GRI 305: Emissions can also be used to calculate your response. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" may be used to answer this KPI. | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Calculation Tool - GHG emissions intensity KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/calculation-tool-for-greenhouse-gas-emissions-intensity-manufacturing/ THESIS Help Center Video: GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. This is a step-by-step video on how to use the GHG emissions intensity Calculation Tool. https://vimeo.com/863813590 | Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard Leather Working Group Auditing Protocol: This environmental auditing protocol and reporting mechanism has been developed and refined by brand, tanner and supplier members. The protocol is a dynamic improvement tool and is regularly reviewed by the members of the Leather Working Group to ensure that it is both challenging but realistic and achievable. It aims to tackle important topical issues, and reflect improvements or changes of technology within the sector. https://www.leatherworkinggroup.com/how-we-work/audit-protocols | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Hazardous Chemical Discharge Management | For C, informed substitution implies that factors such as cost and performance, technical feasibility, life cycle impacts, economic and social accountability, and potential to result in lasting change have been taken into consideration to ensure that substitutes and the final product are safer based on their health and environmental profiles. For D, goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Public disclosure of goals and progress must have occurred within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Examples of tools and protocols for screening chemicals and assessing alternatives include green chemistry, alternatives analysis, restricted substances lists, and other tools that are listed in the Background Information. To calculate E1, subtract the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used this year across all manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed from the number of chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List used last year across all manufacturing facilities where your product was cut and sewed. If more chemicals on the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List were used this year than last, enter zero. Calculate E2 as the number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed for which you were able to obtain primary data, divided by the total number of manufacturing facilities where your product is cut and sewed, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: GreenScreen is a "Chemical Hazard Assessment" method that can be used to identify chemicals of high concern and determine safer alternatives. The tool was developed and is administered by Clean Production Action. A second tool, the GreenScreen List Translator, is a publicly available abbreviated version that screens and classifies chemicals based solely on their presence on authoritative hazard lists. https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/ GreenSuite: GreenSuite is an environmental sustainability tool that can be customized to specific users' needs. Environmental issues throughout the supply chain are covered by this web based solution. http://greensuite360.com/index.html Greenlist Process: According to their website, "In 2001, SC Johnson developed the Greenlist Process to classify ingredients in order to minimize the human and environmental impacts of their products." The process is now available for license to other companies and organizations. https://www.scjohnson.com/en/our-purpose/sustainability-report/explaining-the-sc-johnson-greenlist-program-an-excerpt-from-our-2017-sustainability-report NSF/GCI/ANSI 355-2011 - Greener Chemicals and Processes Information: According to this website, "The purpose of the Information Standard is to provide the chemical enterprise with a voluntary and standardized way to define and report environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its gate-to-gate manufacturing process impacts." http://www.worldcat.org/title/nsfgciansi-355-2011-greener-chemicals-and-processes-information/oclc/772118815 PRIO: PRIO is a web-based tool developed by the Swedish government to facilitate the assessment of environmental and health risks of chemicals. https://www.kemi.se/prioguiden/english/start Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Priority Chemicals - Management KPI: Short video tutorial on the Priority Chemicals - Management KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528286 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Exposure Assessment Tools and Models: According to their website, "The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed several exposure assessment methods, databases, and predictive models to help in evaluating what happens to chemicals when they are used and released to the environment and how workers, the general public, consumers and the aquatic ecosystems may be exposed to chemicals." https://www.epa.gov/ceam/tools-data-exposure-assessment United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Sustainable Futures: According to their website, "The goal of the Sustainable Futures Initiative (SF) is to make new chemicals safer, available faster, and at lower cost. It works by giving chemical developers the same risk-screening models that EPA uses to evaluate new chemicals before they enter the market." https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures | BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol: The BizNGO Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol is a "decision framework for substituting chemicals of concern to human health or the environment with safer alternatives." https://www.bizngo.org/alternatives-assessment/chemical-alternatives-assessment-protocol United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Existing Chemicals Program: According to their website, "EPA's existing chemical programs address pollution prevention, risk assessment, hazard and exposure assessment and characterization, and risk management for chemical substances in commercial use." The current chemicals management program is undergoing review and update, including how the agency identifies and prioritizes priority chemicals for review and assessment under TSCA. https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-control-act-tsca-compliance-monitoring#chemicals United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice - Alternatives Assessments: The EPA's Safer Choice [formerly Design for the Environment (DfE)] partnership program provides guidance for informed decision-making regarding the hazards posed by different materials used in consumer goods. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice | |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Labor Rights - Manufacturing | The scope of this KPI includes company owned and contract manufacturing facilities performing final cut, sew, and dyeing operations for final product. Calculate B1 as the mass of your final product that is covered by an internal policy that has quantitative time-bound goals related to child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Where freedom of association and collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product that has been reviewed by a risk assessment which identifies high-risk areas for labor rights abuses, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, a risk assessment must have been conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. The risk assessments and standard must be verifiable and must address labor rights abuses such as discrimination on grounds of gender, age, ethnicity or disability, physical violence, sexual harassment and abuse, child labor, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining or any other range of behaviors and practices as outlined by internationally-recognized labor standards. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions which can inform your responses. In addition, to determine if an operation is in a high-risk area for labor rights abuses, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic risk assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. The AMFORI Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B3 as the number of staff responsible for procurement activities that have been trained on labor rights issues in the supply chain, divided by the total number of staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Include both full-time and contracted employees. The training must be verifiable. Staff training should cover child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Staff training should be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for labor rights issues and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional staff training may be required to perform job duties. Calculate B4 as the number staff responsible for procurement activities that have been evaluated via performance metrics on labor rights improvements in the supply chain, divided by the total staff responsible for procurement activities, then multiply by 100. Evaluation on labor rights should include, child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples of improvements include decreased incidence of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination, or an Increased worker participation in collective bargaining. Calculate B5 as the mass of your final product that was produced in operations that were low risk, that were high risk but corrective actions were taken, or that were audited on child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining in the last three years, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B5, audits must be verifiable and address child labor, discrimination, forced labor, and freedom of association and collective bargaining, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining is restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Labor Rights - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520093618 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Forced labor: Any task or service performed by a person against their will or under threat of negative consequence. Forced labor includes debt bondage, human trafficking, withholding of wages or identity papers, threats of violence, unreasonable restriction of movement, and exploitation of marginalized workers. Freedom of collective bargaining: The right to negotiate the conditions of employment as a group rather than individually without fear of repercussions. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Labor rights: The universal rights of workers, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or other distinguishing characteristic. These include protection from the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination, as well as freedom of association and collective bargaining as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Leather Material Supply Mapping | Calculate B1 as the mass of your leather material supply for which you are unable to identify the country, region, or site of origin, divided by the total mass of your leather material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2, B3, and B4 as the mass of your leather material supply for which you have identified the country, region, or site of origin, divided by the total mass of your leather material supply, then multiply by 100. The percentages reported for B1, B2, B3, and B4 must be mutually exclusive and their sum must equal 100%. Any individual source of your leather material supply can only be used once across the response options, and the highest level of specificity should be reported for leather material supply that can be traced to more than one level of origin. For example, if you know the slaughterhouse, region, and country of origin for 25% of your leather material supply, report 25% in B4 (slaughterhouse of origin). Then, if you know both the region and country of origin for 25% of your leather material supply, report 25% in B3 (region of origin). Next, if you know only the country of origin for 30% of your leather material supply, enter 30% in B2 (country of origin). Last, if you know neither the slaughterhouse, region, or country or origin for the remaining 20% of leather material supply, report 20% in B1. Verify that the sum of the percentages you entered in B1-B4 does not exceed 100%: 20% (B1) + 30% (B2) + 25% (B3) + 25% (B4) = 100%. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. A country is defined as a nation-state recognized by the United Nations. A region is defined as a sub-country area such as an agricultural zone or region, eco-region, or geo-political boundary (e.g., state, county, department). Due to the variance in how "region" may be defined, respondents are encouraged to use a consistent interpretation from year to year when reporting data for this question. The Leather Working Group Protocol can be used to report the supply mapping data by referencing Raw Material Traceability data reported. Procurement data, trade networks, or national or subnational product production data may help to identify the origin of your product supply. | Leather Working Group Auditing Protocol: This environmental auditing protocol and reporting mechanism has been developed and refined by brand, tanner and supplier members. The protocol is a dynamic improvement tool and is regularly reviewed by the members of the Leather Working Group to ensure that it is both challenging but realistic and achievable. It aims to tackle important topical issues, and reflect improvements or changes of technology within the sector. https://www.leatherworkinggroup.com/how-we-work/audit-protocols | ||
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Synthetic material sourcing | This KPI covers synthetic (e.g., polyester, nylon) and semisynthetic (e.g., rayon, viscose, lyocell) materials. Calculate C1 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was traced to the production facility of origin, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. The production facility is where the chemical processes (e.g. synthesis, regeneration) to produce the fiber or material are carried out. Calculate C2 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for managing facility environmental impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C3 as the mass of your synthetic material supply that was covered by a verifiable comprehensive plan for facility social impacts, divided by the total mass of your synthetic material supply, then multiply by 100. Calculate C4 as the mass of your polyester material supply that was assessed and met criteria for C1, C2, and C3, divided by the total mass of your polyester material supply, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | |||
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of leather material supply from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total leather material supply from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of leather material supply from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total leather material supply from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of leather material supply from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total leather material supply from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of leather material supply from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total leather material supply from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of leather material supply from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total leather material supply from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Leather Working Group Auditing Protocol: This environmental auditing protocol and reporting mechanism has been developed and refined by brand, tanner and supplier members. The protocol is a dynamic improvement tool and is regularly reviewed by the members of the Leather Working Group to ensure that it is both challenging but realistic and achievable. It aims to tackle important topical issues, and reflect improvements or changes of technology within the sector. https://www.leatherworkinggroup.com/how-we-work/audit-protocols Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from leather material suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by total mass purchased from all leather material suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers may include tanneries and wet processing facilities. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage. | THESIS Help Center Video: Water use - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Water use - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/528558948 | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Leather Working Group Auditing Protocol: This environmental auditing protocol and reporting mechanism has been developed and refined by brand, tanner and supplier members. The protocol is a dynamic improvement tool and is regularly reviewed by the members of the Leather Working Group to ensure that it is both challenging but realistic and achievable. It aims to tackle important topical issues, and reflect improvements or changes of technology within the sector. https://www.leatherworkinggroup.com/how-we-work/audit-protocols | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Leather Goods | Leather Accessories | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the leather supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the leather supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the leather supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the leather supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the leather supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the leather supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the leather supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the leather supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the leather supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the leather supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard: Rainforest Alliance has two certifications: farm and chain of custody. The standard encompasses all three pillars of sustainability—social, economic, and environmental. RA is currently developing a new certification program, following their 2018 merger with UTZ. Since 2018 RA has also become the sole owner and operator of the 2017 SAN Standard. https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/business/solutions/certification/agriculture/ SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | IS0 26000 Social Responsibility: ISO 2600 is not a certification tool, but it offers guidance about social responsibility to all sorts of organizations regardless of their activity, size or location. https://www.iso.org/iso-26000-social-responsibility.html Social Accountability International Guidance Document for Social Accountability 8000: According to Social Accountability International, "this guidance document provides various tools and information for users of the Social Accountability 8000 standard, including definitions, background information, and examples." https://sa-intl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/SA8000-2014-Guidance-Document.pdf United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | Corrective actions: Prompt actions taken to eliminate the causes of a problem, thus preventing their recurrence. First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Labor Rights - Supply chain | To determine if a country is low risk or high risk for labor rights violations for B1, utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. This assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. On-site risk assessments and audits, where necessary, can be conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every two years using a standard based on internationally recognized principles. The assessments, audits, and standard must be verifiable and must address freedom of association & collective bargaining, forced & child labor, fair income, and equality of opportunity & treatment, as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B1 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from low risk countries with corrective actions taken for any known high risk sites, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from high risk countries that have high risk sites for which you took corrective actions, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from high risk countries, but an audit determined the site risk to be low, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The sum of B1, B2, and B3 must not exceed 100%. The Business Social Compliance Initiative Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response for B1. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your on-site risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses for B2 and B3. Other standards, certifications, and tools may also be applicable. If audits are conducted as part of a certification process, then the certified supply may be included in response B3. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ | SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit: Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit is an auditing system that aligns with Ethical Trading Initiative's Base Code as well International Labour Organization Conventions. It has been developed to provide a public auditing methodology and format for companies to use to assess compliance. https://www.sedex.com/our-services/smeta-audit/ United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | Corrective actions: Prompt actions taken to eliminate the causes of a problem, thus preventing their recurrence. First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | THESIS Help Center Video: Water use - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Water use - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/528558948 | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Nylon Textiles | Nylon Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | Safer Choice (EPA): In order to identify scientific evidence of probable serious effects to human health and the environment, organizations should reference relevant criteria in the U.S. EPA Safer Choice Program. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Labor Rights - Supply chain | To determine if a country is low risk or high risk for labor rights violations for B1, utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. This assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. On-site risk assessments and audits, where necessary, can be conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every two years using a standard based on internationally recognized principles. The assessments, audits, and standard must be verifiable and must address freedom of association & collective bargaining, forced & child labor, fair income, and equality of opportunity & treatment, as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B1 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from low risk countries with corrective actions taken for any known high risk sites, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from high risk countries that have high risk sites for which you took corrective actions, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from high risk countries, but an audit determined the site risk to be low, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The sum of B1, B2, and B3 must not exceed 100%. The Business Social Compliance Initiative Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response for B1. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your on-site risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses for B2 and B3. Other standards, certifications, and tools may also be applicable. If audits are conducted as part of a certification process, then the certified supply may be included in response B3. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ | SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit: Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit is an auditing system that aligns with Ethical Trading Initiative's Base Code as well International Labour Organization Conventions. It has been developed to provide a public auditing methodology and format for companies to use to assess compliance. https://www.sedex.com/our-services/smeta-audit/ United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | Corrective actions: Prompt actions taken to eliminate the causes of a problem, thus preventing their recurrence. First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™: Cradle to Cradle Product Certification™ provides a standard of performance for manufacturers regarding product sustainability and material safety. Individual product assessments are performed by independent and trained third parties and certifications are made by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. http://www.c2ccertified.org/product_certification THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | THESIS Help Center Video: Water use - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Water use - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/528558948 | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Polyester Textiles | Polyester Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Air quality - Manufacturing | Calculate B1 as the mass of products that were produced in final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities that tracked and reported annual air emissions, divided by the total mass of products produced by all final cut, sew, and dyeing facilities, then multiply by 100. Include all company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities that performed final cut, sew, and dyeing operations. If the final cut, sew, and dyeing steps are performed in different facilities, then each must report their air emissions in order to be included in your calculation. Facilities included in this calculation must track all air emissions required by locally applicable regulations, as well as those emissions for which there is scientific evidence of serious effects to human health or the environment. Air emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen and sulphur oxides from boilers, hydrocarbons from drying ovens, carbon monoxide from sizing, aniline vapors, and ammonia from printing/dyeing, and VOCs and ozone from textile finishing, and may be emitted as dust, oil mists, acid vapors, odors, and boiler exhausts. Testing of emissions must occur according to a rigorous and internationally accepted testing methodology. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Information entered into the Higg Index Facility Environment Module (Higg FEM) "Air Emissions - Level 1, Questions 1-3" may be used in responding to B1. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | THESIS Help Center Video: Air quality - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Air quality - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/533750750 | ||
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Greenhouse gas emissions - Supply chain | Scope 1 and 2 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard. Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported emissions, divided by total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. If suppliers completed the CDP Climate Change Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report emissions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Energy Use & GHG - Level 1" for their facilities may be used to answer this KPI. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with cotton production, include energy use for field operations and activities through the first point of sale. This may include on-farm drying and any transport of the crop prior to sale. | Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Energy Efficiency Assessment and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Tool for the Textile Industry (EAGER Textile): This tool was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to aid in evaluating the impacts of introducing energy efficiency measures into a textile facility. According to the China Energy Group, "the EAGER tool will calculate the typical energy savings (electricity, fuel, final, and primary energy), CO2 emissions reduction, cost, and simple payback period...[the tool] is designed to work for textile facilities that have one or more of the following processes: spinning, weaving/knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and man-made fiber production." https://china.lbl.gov/eager-textile Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Calculation Tools: This site provides a list of sector toolsets developed by GHG Protocol, third-party databases, and other tools based on the GHG Protocol standards that can be used to calculate greenhouse gas inventories for use in emissions calculations. https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools THESIS Help Center Video: Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/465914322 THESIS KPI Calculation Tool - GHG Supply Chain KPIs: TSC has created THESIS KPI Calculation Tools to help suppliers in answering specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for THESIS. Each tool includes step by step instructions on how to use the tool to generate your KPI response. Download this tool to use for Greenhouse Gases Supply Chain KPIs. https://sustainabilityconsortium.org/download/thesis-kpi-calculation-tool-ghg-supply-chain-kpis/ | CDP Climate Change Questionnaire: The CDP Climate Change Questionnaire provides questions that assess a company's greenhouse gas emissions, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Standard: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides guidance and is a useful resource published by the World Resources Institute with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as a guide for monitoring and accounting for greenhouse gas emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard | Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation in the atmosphere, e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. |
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Labor Rights - Supply chain | To determine if a country is low risk or high risk for labor rights violations for B1, utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. This assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. On-site risk assessments and audits, where necessary, can be conducted by second or third parties and must have been conducted at least once every two years using a standard based on internationally recognized principles. The assessments, audits, and standard must be verifiable and must address freedom of association & collective bargaining, forced & child labor, fair income, and equality of opportunity & treatment, as outlined by the United Nations Global Compact or the International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Where freedom of association & collective bargaining are restricted by law, employers can use other forms of non-union employee representation and relations to respect this aspect of workers' rights. Calculate B1 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from low risk countries with corrective actions taken for any known high risk sites, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from high risk countries that have high risk sites for which you took corrective actions, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of fabric used in your final product that came from high risk countries, but an audit determined the site risk to be low, divided by the total mass of fabric used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. The sum of B1, B2, and B3 must not exceed 100%. The Business Social Compliance Initiative Countries' Risk Classification tool listed below may be used to inform your response for B1. The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your on-site risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses for B2 and B3. Other standards, certifications, and tools may also be applicable. If audits are conducted as part of a certification process, then the certified supply may be included in response B3. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ | SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit: Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit is an auditing system that aligns with Ethical Trading Initiative's Base Code as well International Labour Organization Conventions. It has been developed to provide a public auditing methodology and format for companies to use to assess compliance. https://www.sedex.com/our-services/smeta-audit/ United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | Corrective actions: Prompt actions taken to eliminate the causes of a problem, thus preventing their recurrence. First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Internationally-recognized labor principles: Internationally-recognized labor principles include the United Nations Global Compact and International Labour Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or equivalent. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. |
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Product Design | Calculate B1 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a life cycle assessment, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. A life cycle assessment should be conducted against ISO 14040 (Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and framework). Calculate B2 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize material efficiency, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Material efficiency may include, but is not limited to, design to reduce total amount of materials needed to cut and sew a product, design to reduce material waste during cut and sew process. Addressing material efficiency during the design stage may include, but is not limited to employing zero waste patternmaking to reduce material waste during the cut and sew process, and using whole garment knitting techniques to reduce the amount of yarn wasted during the knitting process. Calculate B3 as the unit volume of your products designed to reduce laundering impacts, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Laundering impacts may include, but are not limited to, energy use during laundering and microfiber release during laundering. Addressing laundering impacts at the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing fabrics made from natural fibers that biodegrade, or adding care instructions to a garment's label that specify practices known to reduce energy use like cold water wash. Calculate B4 as the unit volume of your products that underwent a durability assessment as part of the design process, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Both physical and emotional durability should be considered in this assessment. Attributes to consider while assessing physical durability may include, but are not limited to stability/longevity of materials used, and strength/quality of cut and sew techniques. Attributes to consider while assessing emotional durability include a product's flexibility or changeability to adapt to changing tastes over time. Calculate B5 as the unit volume of your products that were designed to maximize resource utilization, divided by the total unit volume of your product, then multiply by 100. Resource utilization maximization may include, but is not limited to, materials that are able to be reused or recycled. Addressing resource utilization maximization during the design stage may include, but is not limited to choosing single fiber fabrics that can be recycled, and using simple construction methods that can be disassembled after use. Perform this calculation using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. | THESIS Help Center Video: Product Design KPI: Short video tutorial on the Product Design KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520107448 | B Corp Certification: B Corp offers certification at a company level and focuses on social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. https://bcorporation.net/ BlueSign: Bluesign is a third party verification and consultant service. Verification is performed for social and environmental impacts, and consulting services are available for multiple supply chain, manufacturing, and production stages. https://www.bluesign.com/en/business/services Cradle to Cradle Certified (TM) - Material Health: The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, a non-profit organization, administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard, and provide guidance on chemical hazard assessments and their use for material assessments. The Cradle to Cradle™ Material Health Assessment Methodology examines product chemical composition break down and data collection rules and guidelines, guidance and criteria for chemical profiling methods, assessment of metabolism considerations, and guidance for the evaluation of material assessments. http://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification ISO 14040: ISO 14040 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Principles and Framework" document for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/37456.html ISO 14044: ISO 14044 is the International Organization for Standardization's "Requirements and Guidelines" standard for conducting life cycle assessments. https://www.iso.org/standard/38498.html ISO/TC 207/SC 5: ISO/TC 207/SC 5 is the International Standardization Organization's life cycle assessment standard. https://www.iso.org/committee/54854.html | |
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Recycled content | Calculate B1 as the mass of fiber in your final products that can be defined as recycled content, divided by the total mass of fiber in your final products. Only include post-consumer recycled content. Exclude packaging from this calculation. Calculate B2 as the mass of your products for which you were able to obtain data on recycled content, divided by the total mass of your products, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Recycled material available for textile manufacturing can vary based on fiber type. This should be considered when evaluating the ratio of recycled content based upon specific textile products. Calculate B3 as the mass of your recycled material supply that was assessed and met criteria for B1 and B2 that is polyester divided by the total mass of your recycled material supply, then multiply by 100. | THESIS Help Center Video: Recycled Content KPI: Short video tutorial on the Recycled Content KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/531017179 | Post-consumer recycled material: "Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities in their role as end‐users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of materials from the distribution chain.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) Pre-consumer recycled material: “Material diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilization of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it.” (ISO 14021:2016 - Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)) |
|
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Wastewater generation - Supply Chain | Calculate B1 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for COD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B2 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for BOD, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B3 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met or exceeded the standard for TSS, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B4 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for pH, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Calculate B5 as the mass of textile fabric from wet processing facilities that have undergone supplier audits and met the standard for temperature, divided by the total textile fabric from all wet processing facilities, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits should include verification that discharged wastewater is meeting the standards set forth by the American Apparel & Footwear Association Global Textile Effluent Guidelines for 95% of the sampling period: - Measurements for BOD and TSS should be below or equal to 30 ppm. - Measurements for COD should be below or equal to 100 ppm. - Measurements for temperature should be below or equal to 37 degrees Celsius. - Measurements for pH should be between 6.0 - 9.0. Testing should follow a rigorous and internationally accepted methodology and frequency. Local or corporate standards may be stricter. The water quality metrics ideally approach ambient conditions. Suppliers who have entered and communicated information required by the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Wastewater - Level 2, Question 7" may be used in responding to B1-B5 if the chosen wastewater standard meets or exceeds the values listed above, or if the values of the parameters listed in the detection table meet or exceed the values listed above. The information reported to the FEM is at the facility level; if your products are produced in multiple facilities you may aggregate the data to represent the entirety of final product produced. | AWS International Water Stewardship Standard: The International Water Stewardship Standard is a globally-applicable framework that helps water users understand their water use and impacts. Developed by the Alliance for Water Stewardship, the standard addresses 1) sustainable water balance, 2) good water quality, 3) healthy important water-related areas, and 4) good water governance. https://a4ws.org/the-aws-standard-2-0/ American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) - Restricted Substance List: The AAFA provides guidelines for restricted chemicals and substances. https://www.aafaglobal.org/AAFA/Solutions_Pages/Restricted_Substance_List BHive: The BHive enables the creation and management of chemical inventories, identifies chemical products that meet sustainability credentials. The BHive enhances supply chain transparency as factories, brands, and retailers can view and compare the safety of chemical products. https://www.thebhive.net/ Cascale Higg Index: Cascale has developed indicator-based assessment tools called the Higg Index, which evaluates the sustainable practices associated with production of apparel and footwear. https://cascale.org/tools-programs/higg-index-tools/ Detox to Zero by OEKO-TEX: This analysis and assessment tool creates transparency and provides textile and leather producers the ability to control the use of hazardous substances. The tool focuses on continuous improvement and gradual reduction of harmful substances in production processes. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/detox-to-zero-by-oeko-tex THESIS Help Center Video: Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Wastewater generation - Supply Chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/448595442 | Roadmap to Zero by ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals): This plan is intended to reduce and eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals. https://www.roadmaptozero.com/ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Effluent Limitation Guidelines: This source provides current wastewater discharge guidelines and provides resources for reducing environmental impacts from wastewater discharge. https://www.epa.gov/eg | Biological oxygen demand (BOD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required/consumed for the microbiological decomposition (oxidation) of organic material in water bodies. Chemical oxygen demand (COD): An indicator for the amount of oxygen required to oxidize an organic compound to carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water. The measurement is a proxy for the amount of organic compounds in water. Measuring COD in wastewater provides an estimated level of organic pollutants. The standard for measurement can be referenced in ISO 6060. Total suspended solids (TSS): A water quality measurement that reflects the amount of particulates in a sample. The dry weight of residue in a filter is used to calculate units in milligrams per liter (mg/L). Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. pH: A measure of a substance's acidity or basicity. The measurement is based upon the molar concentration of hydrogen (H) ions in an aqueous solution of the substance. Pure water is at a neutral pH of 7. For wastewater quality testing, measuring pH allows for benchmarking pH levels to ambient conditions existing naturally in the surrounding environment. |
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Water use - Supply chain | Calculate B1 as the mass purchased from fabric suppliers that reported their annual water use, divided by the total mass purchased from all fabric suppliers, then multiply by 100. Perform this calculation using purchasing data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Water use is defined as the total amount of withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. Supplier water use reporting can occur through public disclosure or private disclosure from the supplier to your organization directly or through another party. If suppliers completed the CDP Water Security Questionnaire, refer to their answers to determine if they report water use. Suppliers who have entered and communicated the information required by the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) "Water Use - Level 1" may be included in percentage calculated for response option B1. If using Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform to determine water use during cotton production, report data from the "Irrigated yield" field of the summary report, not the "Yield difference due to irrigation" field. | THESIS Help Center Video: Water use - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Water use - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/528558948 | CDP Water Information Request: The CDP Water Information Request provides questions that assess a company's water use, goals, and management. The report provided by CDP provides the overview of the results from companies responding to the request. CDP can be contacted to respond to the Water Information Request. https://www.cdp.net/en/guidance/guidance-for-companies GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines: The GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines provide a standard set of metrics for companies to report on material environmental, social, and economic impacts, actions, and outcomes. https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/ | Water use: Water use is defined as total withdrawals from municipal and private water providers, surface water, groundwater, or wells. |
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing | This question aligns with the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Injury and Illness rate. This rate can be normalized for global applicability. Calculate B1 according to OSHA's injury and illness rate by multiplying the number of recordable injuries and illnesses by 200,000. Divide this number by the total employee hours worked to produce your final product. If multiple facilities manufacture the final product, the injury and illness rate will need to be adjusted using a weighted average based on each facility's percentage of total production. Include all employees at a facility that participate in the production of the final product. This includes both full-time and contracted employees. Calculate B2 as the mass of your final product for which you were able to obtain data, divided by the total mass of your final product, then multiply by 100. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. THESIS General Guidance document provides guidance to calculate the weighted average. See Background Information for access to this document. The Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool is an online calculator that will compute your injury and illness rate. The OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses provides forms and information for computing your facility injury and illness rate. | Incidence Rate Calculator and Comparison Tool: This tool calculates the injury and illness incidence rate for employers. https://data.bls.gov/iirc/ OSHA Forms for Recording Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: This webpage contains information on how to record workplace injuries and illnesses and provides the worksheets needed to correctly do so. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/forms THESIS Help Center Video: Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker Health and Safety - Manufacturing KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/520108472 | How to Compute a Firm's Incidence Rate for Safety Management: This website from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides in-depth guidance on computing injury and illness numbers. https://www.bls.gov/iif/osheval.htm SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ | Company-owned or contract manufacturing facilities: Facilities responsible for manufacturing and assembly of final products, whether these facilities are internal or external to the respondent’s organization. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |
| Rayon Textiles | Rayon Textiles | Worker Health and Safety - Supply Chain | To be included in B1-B5, risk assessments, training programs, safety plans, performance monitoring systems, and audits must be verifiable and address health and safety issues such as worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. The assessments and audits must be conducted by second or third parties. The risk assessment must be conducted once per year while the audit must have been conducted at least once every three years, both using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles such as International Labour Organization Occupational Safety and Health Conventions (e.g., No. 155). The standards and websites listed in Background Information below may be helpful for conducting your risk assessment(s) and for understanding appropriate corrective actions, which can inform your responses. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for examples of initiatives that meet these requirements. Calculate B1 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that have performed a risk assessment to identify high risk areas for health and safety, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in our final product, then multiply by 100. To determine if an operation is high risk for health and safety, you may utilize a country risk analysis tool. The tool should measure the strength of a country's ability to govern and enforce laws, regulations, and internationally recognized principles. The country risk assessment may be a first party systematic review assessment, or external risk analyses tools may be utilized. It must be conducted at least once per year. The country risk assessment can be complemented with risks associated with specific activities, regions, and suppliers. Calculate B2 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that train workers on health and safety procedures, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B2, the training on health and safety procedures must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and must be renewed as appropriate to maintain competency and implementation of good practices for workers on health and safety procedures and to prevent training exhaustion. Additional worker training may be required to perform job duties. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B3 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product that came from operations that implement a verifiable worker health and safety plan, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B3, a worker health and safety plan must be verifiable and must be available in the language of the employee, including migratory and seasonal workers, and be prominently displayed in the workplace where employees normally report. The plan should include best practices specific to ergonomics; repetitive motions; chemical and particulate exposure; appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE); and proper use of tools, machinery. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B4 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that have a worker health and safety performance monitoring system in place, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. To be included in B4, a worker health and safety performance monitoring system should include metrics on issues including, but not limited to, incidence of worker injuries and prevalence of diseases. On-site audits, where necessary, should be conducted by second or third parties and must be conducted at least once every three years using a standard based on internationally-recognized principles. Calculate B5 as the mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, that came from operations that were audited in the last three years on worker health and safety issues, divided by the total mass of the textile fabric supply used in your final product, then multiply by 100. Audits should be conducted by second or third parties at least once every three years, or more often depending on the requirements of the standard organization. See the Certifications, Standards & Tools for more information. Government regulations or parties in the supply chain may initiate these audits. To be included in B5, the audits must be verifiable and address preventive measures, freely provided personal protective equipment, identification of worker health and safety hazards and effects on the exposed people, statistics and reasons behind injuries, design of work area, processes, installations, machinery/work equipment, operating processes and work organization, as outlined by internationally-recognized labor principles. Examples include, but are not limited to, principles outlined by the United Nations Global Compact, the International Labour Organization Standards on Occupational Health and Safety. Perform these calculations using data from a 12-month period that ended within 12 months of the date you respond to this question. Audits must have been conducted in the 36 months prior to the end of the 12-month period. | Amfori Country Risk Classification: This list classifies countries' risk of social injustice in an effort to assist companies in determining high and low risk for their sourcing and operations. http://duediligence.amfori.org/CountryRiskClassification Fairtrade International Certification: Fairtrade International provides several standards (e.g. for smallholders and workers), and a certification through FLOCERT. Fairtrade aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and workers amongst others via fair trade relationships. https://www.fairtrade.net/about/certification SA8000® Standard: Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-governmental organization that aims to advance human rights at work via the SA8000® Standard. SA 8000 measures social performance in eight areas that are relevant for workplaces in factories and organizations worldwide. https://sa-intl.org/programs/sa8000/ THESIS Help Center Video: Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI: Short video tutorial on the Worker health and safety - Supply chain KPI. Use case-sensitive password 'thesis' when prompted. https://vimeo.com/536528345 | United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum: United Nations Global Compact Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum present an introduction to, analysis of, and business recommendations for minimizing social sustainability risks in the supply chain. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/library/9 | First party systematic risk assessment: A first party systematic risk assessment is conducted by the organization itself for management review and other internal purposes and may form the basis for an organization’s declaration of conformity. Risk assessment: A systematic process to evaluate potential risks within an operation, system, or supply chain. It can include an on-site audit by a second party or third party or a country risk classification analysis that judges the site risk due to prevailing conditions, controls, or other mitigating factors. Second-party audit: An audit conducted by a party having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or by another entity on their behalf. Third-party audit: An audit conducted by external, independent auditing organizations, such as those providing certification of conformity to a standard. Verifiable: Having the ability to demonstrate, through a reputable assessor, the truth or accuracy of a claim. Worker exposure to harmful elements: Contact with potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological elements that occurs as a result of one's job-related activities. Examples include chronic interaction with chemicals, dusts, radiation, environmental elements, allergens, noise, and vibrations. Worker health and safety: Worker health and safety consists of worker injury and worker exposure to harmful elements. Please see the corresponding terms. Worker injury: Physical damage to an individual due to a single act that causes immediate damage or repetitive acts that cause damage over time. Examples of causes of injury include repetitive motions, non-ergonomic motions, damage from use of tools and machinery, falls, and burns. |