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How sustainable is Lee ?

Lee & sustainability


Lee-jeans-logo

4 out of 17

Sustainability summary

Brand owner: VF Corporation
Head office: Greensboro, NC, USA
Sector: Denim & jeans
Categories : Male, Female
Free Tags: Lee, Shirts, Pullover, Jackets, Jeans, Dress

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Lee sustainability score report

Last edited: 13 May 2013 by Mario
Last reviewed: 13 May 2013 by Mario

Questions about Climate Change/ Carbon Emissions

1 out of 4
1. Is there a policy for the brand to minimize, reduce or compensate carbon emissions?? VFC (brand owner of Lee) has taken several policy measures to redcue its carbon emissions, such as the installation of more efficient lighting and HVAC systems, lighting sensors, variable speed controllers, proper insulation and timers. 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? VFC publicly reports its carbon footprint on the CDP website. In 2011, it had a total footprint of 286044 metric tons of CO2eq/yr (scopes 1-2), compared to 277629 metric tons of CO2eq/yr in 2009 (scopes 1-2). This represents a reduction of only 2.94% in their own operations (See pages 7 & 8 of VF Corporation's 2011 Climate Change Response). Source
3. Has the brand (company) set a target to reduce the carbon footprint of its 'own operations' by at least 20% within the next 5 years? VF Corporation is in the process of identifying carbon reduction opportunities, setting GHG reduction targets and developing a comprehensive carbon management strategy. 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? VF Corporation mentions the target to reduce carbon emissions in the supply chain, but does not provide any clear goals on reducing carbon emissions in the supply chain (See page SM3 of VF Corporation's 2011 Climate Change Response). Source

Questions about Environmental Policy

1 out of 4
1. Does the brand (company) use environmentally 'preferred' raw materials for more than 5% of its volume? Neither Lee nor VF Corporation provides concrete information about the use of organic raw materials for Lee clothing. Source
2. Does the brand (company) use environmentally 'preferred' raw materials for more than 10% of its volume? See remark for environmental policy question 1. Source
3. Does the brand (company) use environmentally 'preferred' raw materials for more than 25% of its volume? See remark for environmental policy question 1. Source
4. Is there a policy for the brand (company) to eliminate all hazardous chemicals from the whole lifecycle and all production procedures? VFC has a publicly available restricted substance list and VFC's Chemical Restrictions are applicable to all products manufactured for VFC. Furthermore VFC reports on rules for wasterwater treatment in the production process (See link). Source

Questions about Labour Conditions/ Fair Trade

2 out of 9
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? All standards are mentioned in VF Corporation's 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? 1. Not mentioned; 2. No, maximum working week of 60 hours, not clear whether overtime is voluntary; 3. No, mention of minimum legal wage, not living wage (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? Freedom of association is mentioned, but nothing found about situations in which this right is restricted by law (see page 2). Source
4. Does the brand (company) have a published list of direct suppliers, that have collectively contributed to more than 90% of the purchase volume? VF Corporation publishes the number of factories by region. However, no significant list of direct suppliers has been made available (see page 50). Source
5. 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? VF Corporation's owned factories undergo certification by WRAP, but is unclear what the current percentage of certified factories is. Source
6. Do independent civil society organizations like NGO's and labor unions have a decisive voice in this collective initiative or in these certification schemes? WRAP is not acknowledged as a Multi Stakeholder Initiative (MSI). Source
7. Does the brand (company) annually report on the results of its labor conditions policy? VF Corporation conducts audits on its suppliers at least once a year. However, it does not report concrete results (see pages 39, 54). Source
8. 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%? Factories producing for VF Corporation are monitored by WRAP or a a VF-employed auditor, but no clear results or monitored percentages are mentioned (see pages 34, 54). Source
9. Does the brand (company) have a clear and effective health and safety policy for the workers in the finishing process of jeans, at least covering the ban on sandblasting? Lee openly communicates in its Global Compliance report that a commitment is made to ban sandblasting (p.58). Source