Brand owner: VF Corporation
Head office: Greensboro, NC, USA
Sector: Sport & outdoor - clothing & shoes
Categories :
Free Tags: Outdoors, Accessories, Footwear, Summit Series, Running, Snow
| 1. Is there a policy for the brand to minimize, reduce or compensate carbon emissions? |
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The North Face has taken several policy measures to reduce carbon emissions, such as the use of solar energy, reclycing programmes and transportation improvements. | Source |
| 2. Has the brand (company) disclosed the annual absolute carbon footprint of its 'own operations' (Scope 1 & 2) and has the brand already reduced or compensated 10% of these emissions in the last 5 years? |
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The North Face has published its carbon footprint, but this footprint only accounts for US emissions. | Source |
| 3. Has the brand (company) set a target to reduce its absolute ‘own operations’ carbon emissions by at least 20% within the next 5 years? |
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The North Face has set the goal to reduce its carbon footprint by 25% in the period 2008-2010, per unit sold. Although The North Face mentions on its website to work also on the reduction of absolute CO2 emissions, it is not communicating a clear target for that. | Source |
| 4. Does the brand (company) also have a policy to reduce/compensate carbon emissions generated from the product supply chain that is beyond own operations (Scope 3)? |
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The North Face has a concrete policy to reduce carbon emissions in the supply chain, such as reducing energy consumption of its suppliers with the 'bluesign standard' (see link). | Source |
| 1. Does the brand (company) have a policy to substitute raw materials such as leather and synthetic rubber with environmentally friendlier materials? |
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For its most recent collection (2011) The North Face used 12.9% organic cotton on total cotton use and 7% PET bottle recycled polyester on total fabric use (see also source next question). | Source |
| 2. Does the brand (company) use these environmentally friendlier alternatives for raw materials such as leather and synthetic rubber for more than 25% of the total use of materials? |
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See remark on environment question 1. | Source |
| 3. Does the brand (company) use these environmentally friendlier alternatives for raw materials such as leather and synthetic rubber for more than 50% of the total use of materials? |
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See remark on environment question 1. | Source |
| 4. Does the brand have a clear and effective policy to avoid the use of leather that originates from cattle farms in deforestated Amazone areas? |
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All leather is audited by the British Leather Corporation. BLC, though, does not mention a specific policy to avoid the use of leather originating from these farms. | Source |
| 5. Does the brand (company) have a clear and effective policy to minimize environmental pollution of chromium and other harmful substances from leather tanning processes, e.g. by waste water treatment or by vegetable tanning? |
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See remark on environment question 4. BLC does hold an effective policy towards minimizing the environmental pollution, and holds regular audits (see page 18). | Source |
| 6. Is there a policy for the brand (company) to eliminate all hazardous chemicals from the whole lifecycle and all production procedures to make the clothing and footwear? |
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The North Face's clothing is for 27% Bluesign certified, which means that high standards are maintained for suitable chemical use and water policies during production. | Source |
| 7. Does the brand (company) have a clear target to phase out PVC in their products, and has the brand already achieved a PVC phase out level of more than 90%? |
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The PVC in the footwear has already been phased out, but no clear goals or information on the PVC in the other products is available (page 18). | Source |
| 8. Has the brand (company) a clear and effective policy to minimize the use of solvents based chemicals in their shoe production, and has the brand already achieved a level of average max. 40 grams of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions per pair of shoes? |
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No information on Volatile Organic Compounds is available on the website. Sustainability information should be easily accessible for consumers to make responsible choices. | Source |
| 1. Does the brand (company) have a supplier Code of Conduct (CoC) which includes the following standards: No forced or slave labor, no child labor, no discrimination of any kind and a safe and hygienic workplace? |
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All standards are mentioned in VF Corporation's (brand owner of The North Face) Global Compliance Principles (see page 1 & 2). | Source |
| 2. Does this CoC include at least two of the following workers rights: 1. to have a formally registered employment relationship 2. to have a maximum working week of 48 hours with voluntary and paid overtime of 12 hours maximum 3. to have a sufficient living wage? |
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1. Not mentioned; 2. Maximum working week of 60 hours, not clear whether overtime is voluntary; 3. Minimum legal wage, instead of living wage is mentioned (see page 1 & 2). | Source |
| 3. Does this Code of Conduct include the right for workers to form and join trade unions and bargain collectively; and in those situations where these rights are restricted under law, the right to facilitate parallel means of independent and free association and bargaining? |
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Freedom of association is mentioned, but nothing found about situations in which this right is restricted by law (see page 2). | Source |
| 4. Does this labour conditions policy also apply further down the production chains, at least covering the leather production or the animal farms? |
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The CoC does not mention any other facilities other then the supply factories. | Source |
| 5. Does the brand (company) have a published list of direct suppliers, that have collectively contributed to more than 90% of the purchase volume? |
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VF Corporation publishes the location of their suppliers from around the world. However, no significant list of direct suppliers has been made available (see page 7 & 8). | Source |
| 6. Is the brand (company) a member of a collective initiative that aims to improve labor conditions, or does the brand (company) purchase its supplies from accredited factories with improved labor conditions? |
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VF Corporation's owned factories undergo certification by WRAP, but is unclear what the current percentage of certfied factories is. Also, VF Coporation does not communicate any membership to an MSI. | Source |
| 7. Do independent civil society organizations like NGO's and labor unions have a decisive voice in this collective initiative or in these certification schemes? |
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See remark for labor conditions question 6. | Source |
| 8. Does the brand (company) annually report on the results of its labor conditions policy? |
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VF Corporation conducts audits on its suppliers at least once a year (see page 18), but does not report regularly. The most recent report is from 2011, the one before from 2005. | Source |
| 9. Has the brand’s labor conditions policy resulted in a ‘compliance level’ of at least 30% of the purchase volume, or a ‘monitored level' of at least 80%? |
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Although regular audits are held, no information on compliance or monitored levels is provided in the report. | Source |