Rank a Brand

How sustainable is Veja ?

Veja & sustainability


Veja

14 out of 21

Sustainability summary

Based on our sustainability criteria, Veja has achieved the B label. This means that the brand scores quite well compared to other brands in the shoe sector. Veja scores especially well on labor conditions, as the brand is fair-trade certified and has a strict policy for the workers. Additionally, the brand uses organic cotton and natural rubber for the shoes. In the area of climate change the company can still make improvements. Veja is one of the most sustainable choices from our shoe list.

Brand owner: Veja
Head office: Paris, France
Sector: Shoes & footwear
Categories : 
Free Tags: sneakers

Compare other brands

What's your sustainability news about Veja?

Veja sustainability score report

Last edited: 6 October 2012 by Mario
Last reviewed: 6 October 2012 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? Veja has a policy to reduce carbon emission in their methods of transportation, organization and production. On top, Veja uses green electricity at its headquarters. To compensate any extra CO2 emissions that the brand are unable to reduce, Veja works with the Pure Project, an association which plants native trees in Peru. Source
2. Has the brand (company) disclosed the annual carbon footprint of its 'own operations' and has the brand already reduced or compensated 10% of these emissions in the last 5 years? Veja has not disclosed the carbon footprint of own operations. 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? Veja has not announced a specific target to reduce its own operations carbon footprint. 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? Veja does not communicate a policy to reduce the carbon emissions in the supply chain that is beyond own operations. Source

Questions about Environmental Policy

5 out of 8
1. Does the brand (company) have a policy to substitute leather and synthetic rubber with environmentally friendlier materials? For the upper Veja uses partly organic cotton canvas instead of leather and when it uses leather it is eco-tanned leather. For the soles Veja uses natural amazonian jungle rubber. Source
2. Does the brand (company) use these environmentally friendlier alternatives for leather and synthetic rubber for more than 25% of the total use of footwear materials? For all shoes, Veja uses Amazonian natural rubber for the soles and for the upper partly organic cotton and/or eco-tanned leather. Source
3. Does the brand (company) use these environmentally friendlier alternatives for leather and synthetic rubber for more than 50% of the total use of footwear materials? See remark to the previous question. 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? Veja does not provide information about the sourcing of leather, while the production facilities are situated in Brazil. 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? Veja only uses eco-tanned leather created with vegetable extract such as Acacia, so no chromium is used in the tanning processes. 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 footwear? Veja claims to use dying processes or substances approved by Ecolabel, but not clear what ecolabel Veja refers to. 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%? Considering the shoe and material descriptions, it is assumed that no PVC is used for the Veja collections. 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? Veja does not provide information about the use of solvent based chemicals like adhesives. Source

Questions about Labour Conditions/ Fair Trade

8 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? Veja does not publish a Cod of Condust on its website. However due to its fair trade certification all steps in the chain were audited and certified bye FLO-cert which ensures that there is no slave or child labor, no discrimination of any kind and a safe andi it has hygenic workplaces. 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. Yes, legally-binding employment relationships (see page 16&17); 2. No, maximum working week is 48 hours and overtime is max 12 hours. But in every case Fairtrade mentions 'unless exeptional circumstances apply', but does not specify this (see page 17); 3. Yes, commitment to implement payment of living wages (see page19&20). 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? This right is mentioned, with reference to parallel means for the situation of law restrictions (see page 12&13). Source
4. Does this labour conditions policy also apply further down the production chains, at least covering the leather production or the animal farms? It is not clear if the fairtrade label applies to the leather production or animal farming sites. 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? All of Veja’s trainers collections are made in a signle factory located in the Vale dos Sinos region, in South Brazil. Veja has an office close to the factory where a team of 7 people work. 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? The factory producing for Veja is FLO-certified. 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? See remark to the previous question. Furthermore 80% of Veja's factory workers are union members. Source
8. Does the brand (company) annually report on the results of its labor conditions policy? FLO-CERT is acknowledged as a ‘Multi Stakeholder Initiative’ (MSI) and is thereby closely monitored. 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%? The factory producing for Veja is FLO-CERT certified thus 'monitored'. Source