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How sustainable is Kickers ?

Kickers & sustainability


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6 out of 21

Sustainability summary

Based on our sustainability criteria, Kickers has achieved the D label. Kickers scores poorly because the brand only shares a few concrete achievements on sustainability in the sustainability report. Kickers has earned the first few points in the area of providing better labour conditions in low wage countries. In order to improve the score, the company can report more achievements in reducing CO2 emissions and environmental policies.

Brand owner: Pentland Group
Head office: Fougeres Cedex, France
Sector: Shoes & footwear
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Kickers sustainability score report

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? Pentland (Kickers UK brand owner) has taken several policy measures to reduce its carbon emissions, such as installing energy efficient light bulbs and decreasing business miles. 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? Kickers brand owner Pentland communicates a carbon footprint over 2010/2011 (see p.20), and aims to reduce carbon emissions. However Pentland does not communicate the footprint from earlier years, therefore it is unclear if Pentland decreased carbon emissions over the last years. 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? Pentland mentions goals to reduce their carbon emission, but does not specify the target percentage or the target year (see p. 20). 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? Kickers brand owner Pentland explicitly states that its supply chain’s footprint is much larger than its own footprint and that it has "a role to play in encouraging suppliers to look for ways to be more efficient" (see p. 16). However, Pentland does not specify this further in actions and targets. Source

Questions about Environmental Policy

0 out of 8
1. Does the brand (company) have a policy to substitute leather and synthetic rubber with environmentally friendlier materials? Kicker (brand owner Pentland) mentions in their 2007 product report environmentally 'preferred' alternatives (see page 16). And in the report of 2011 Pentland communicates to be investigating the use of materials with a lower environmental impact. However in both reports the company does not mention concrete policies or results. 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? Pentland mentions environmentally 'preferred' alternatives, but does not give clear percentages on the total use of materials used (see page 8). 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 at Environmental policies 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? Pentland is a member of the LWG (Leather Working Group) and emphasises the need to not use leather with a heavy environmental impact, but does not communicate a clear and effective policy specifically for sourcing skin from Amazone areas. 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? Pentland communicates about several harmfull substances caused by leather tanning, the company also mentions solutions to minimize this, and is member of the Leather Working Group. However Pentand does not clearly describe any concrete performances (see page 26). 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? Pentland has not made public any policy in this direction. 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%? Pentland mentions PVC in their restricted substances requirements &guidelines (RSL, see page 16), saying that 'PVC is not currently restricted' and 'Substitutes for PVC should be investigated wherever practicable.' Pentland does not communicate a plan to phase out PVC in their products, nor the current status of their use of PVC. 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? Pentland mentions solvent based chemicals in the RSL, but the company does not make clear what the current average level of VOC emission is per pair of shoes, nor what the policy for using solvent based chemicals is. Source

Questions about Labour Conditions/ Fair Trade

5 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? Pentland has a Group Code of Employment Standards for Suppliers, which mentions all standards (p. 14). 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? The Group Code of Employment Standard for Suppliers mentions the following; 1. Yes, legally binding employment relationships (see point 9); 2. Yes, a maximum of 48 hours, overtime (max 12 hours) is voluntary and paid for (point 2); 3. Yes, living wages are paid (point 1). 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 point 8). Source
4. Does this labour conditions policy also apply further down the production chains, at least covering the leather production or the animal farms? Pentland communicates that the Code of Conduct and consequent labour conditions policy are also applied further down the footwear production chain. However the leather production and or animal farms are not specifically mentioned. 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? Pentland 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? Pentland is a long-standing member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). 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? Pentland is a member of ETI, which means that Labour Unions and/or business-independent NGO’s have a formal and co-decisive voice within the initiative and are co-responsible for the integrity and credibility of the initiative. Source
8. Does the brand (company) annually report on the results of its labor conditions policy? Pentland does report annually to the ETI, but the company does not publicly report concrete outcomes or results of its policies to improve labor conditions at its suppliers. So it is not clear what the status is. 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 at labour conditions question 8. Source