Brand owner: Columbia Sportswear Company
Head office: Portland, OR, USA
Sector: Sport & outdoor - clothing & shoes
Categories :
Free Tags: Sports, Outdoors, Snow
| 1. Is there a policy for the brand to minimize, reduce or compensate carbon emissions? |
 |
Columbia has several policy measures to reduce CO2 emissions, such as solar panels at its headquarters and reducing energy and material usage (see link, section 'Environment'). | 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? |
 |
Columbia has not published the carbon footprint of its own operations on its website. | 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? |
|
See remark for carbon emissions policy question 2. | 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)? |
|
Columbia has not announced any detailed plans for reducing carbon emissions in its supply chain. | Source |
| 1. Does the brand (company) have a policy to substitute raw materials such as leather and synthetic rubber with environmentally friendlier materials? |
|
Columbia mentions eco-conscious product attributes and environmentally 'preferred' alternatives (recycled polyester) (see link, section Product) | 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? |
|
Columbia mentions environmentally 'preferred' alternatives, but does not give clear percentages on the total use of materials used. | 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? |
|
See remark for environmental policy question 2. | 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? |
|
Columbia does not openly communicate a policy to prevent the destruction of rainforest caused by cattle farm expansion for meat and leather production. Sustainability information should be easily accessible for consumers to make responsible choices. | 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? |
|
Columbia reports to have a Restricted Substances List but does not publish the list on its website (see link, section Product). | 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? |
|
Columbia has not published a clear commitment to eliminate all hazardous chemicals from the whole life cycle of products. | 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%? |
|
See remark for environmental policy question 5. | 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? |
|
Columbia reports to have reduced its VOC emissions by 50% since 2009. However, the company does not mention if it has achieved a level of average max. 40 grams of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions per pair of shoes (see link, section Product). | 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? |
|
All standards are mentioned in Columbia 'Standards of Manufacturing Practices' (see link). | 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 found; 2. Supplier must comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding work hours, but maximum workweek and hours of overtime are not specified; 3. No, mentioning of legal wage, not living wage. | 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. | Source |
| 4. Does this labour conditions policy also apply further down the production chains, at least covering the leather production or the animal farms? |
|
Columbia does not make clear if the Code of Conduct and consequent labour conditions policy also applies further down the footwear production chain, such as leather tanning or cattle farms. | 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? |
|
Columbia does not provide a significant list of direct suppliers on its website. | 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? |
|
Columbia is a Category B licensee of FLA, which means that only the college/university products of the brand are FLA affliated, not the rest of the brand's products (see link, section 'Industry'.) | 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? |
|
Columbia is a Category B licensee of FLA, which means that only the college/university products of the brand are FLA affliated, not the rest of the brand's products (see link, section 'Industry'.) | Source |
| 8. Does the brand (company) annually report on the results of its labor conditions policy? |
|
Columbia outlines very general assessment and monitoring practices, but does not include numbers, percentages or regions (see link). | 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%? |
|
See remark labour conditions policy question 8. | Source |