Global Sustainability Report 2018
Popular search terms:
Sustainable Cotton, Workers, Farmers,
Enabling customers Looking good, feeling good, doing good
Over 3.5 million consumers visit our stores each day. They trust us to live by our values. We believe they shouldn't have to choose between looking good, feeling good, and doing good. They deserve great clothes that have been sourced and made in a way that respects people, the environment and animals, and at no extra cost. No decision or trade-off should be necessary.
As issues such as climate change and worker safety become more tangible, they have become more important to our customers. For many years, we have acted on their behalf to make our clothes responsibly and source our materials sustainably. 71% of the cotton we use is organic cotton or sourced as Better Cotton, and we offer groundbreaking products such as our Gold level Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM T-shirts and jeans.
In 2018, we reached a key milestone in our sustainability journey with the launch of #WearTheChange, our first global, multi-channel sustainability communications platform, in Europe, Brazil, and China. #WearTheChange was launched in Mexico later, bringing sustainability to life for many more of our customers around the world.
Read more about our sustainable products
Our 2018 performance
Customer survey
In 2018, we surveyed over 6,000 customers in partnership with GlobeScan, for the fourth year running. In unprompted responses, C&A was recognised as the most sustainable retail fashion brand for the fourth year in a row in Brazil and the Netherlands. We were also recognised as the most sustainable retail fashion brand in Germany for the first time. In addition, trust in C&A remained strong and stable, with C&A rated top among apparel retailers trusted to act in a socially and environmentally responsible way in the same three countries.
Also during 2018 we conducted an additional survey of six other European markets — Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland — to better understand customer perceptions of our sustainability performance and which issues are most important to our customers in those markets.
Read more about our customer survey
Organic, quality materials
Our 2018 customer survey showed that in a number of markets, ‘bio’, or organic materials, are a key tangible driver for C&A’s perception as a sustainability leader – especially in the Netherlands. The durability and quality of our products also continued to be cited as positive drivers of our sustainability reputation.
Read more about our commitment to organic cotton
#WearTheChange
In 2018, we launched #WearTheChange, our first global, multi-channel sustainability communications campaign. It was launched in Europe in February 2018, across in-store, online, and print touchpoints, and rolled out to Brazil and China in April, with customised adaptations for each market. #WearTheChange was introduced in Mexico later in 2018, with the full launch around Earth Day 2019. All products promoted under #WearTheChange are produced and sourced in a way that is more sustainable than conventional methods: for example, made of organic cotton or Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM. The platform also extends beyond products to raise awareness among customers of our other sustainability initiatives.
Who we’re working with
Enabling our customers to make sustainability the norm
Our passion for our customers underpins all that we do, and we care deeply about what is important to them. We work hard on their behalf to create clothing that respects people, the environment, and animal welfare, and we actively listen to our customers to understand their concerns and address their priorities.
We ask ourselves these important questions every day:
- Have we done everything to create and produce our product in the most sustainable way and ensure durable quality?
- Are we doing all we can to be open and honest about our business practices?
- Are we building a responsible and transparent supply chain and leaving a positive impact?
- Are we creating more sustainable lives for our customers, our employees and our partners all over the world?
- Are we challenging ourselves to find better, more sustainable solutions?
With initiatives such as the rollout of our gold level Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM T-shirts globally, rollout of gold level Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM jeans in some markets, and the launch of our #WearTheChange platform, we are working to address our customers’ concerns for the future. By offering more sustainable products to our customers, and showing what’s possible through innovative affordable everyday fashion, we’re helping make sustainable fashion the new normal.
