Global Sustainability Report 2019
Governing sustainability Accountability drives performance
We use our global reach to drive positive impact for our employees, our supply chains, and our customers. Our governance structure centralises decision-making, while enabling our local markets to customise their programmes to better address local issues and audiences.
Global governance structure
Global Sustainability Committee
Sound governance helps us operate transparently and with accountability. Throughout 2019, the Global Sustainability Committee (GSC), led by the chair of the C&A AG board, served as the policy- and strategy-setting body for sustainability across C&A. The GSC included retail market and licensee CEOs and representatives of other global functions with global decision-making responsibilities. The Committee set policy and strategy while monitoring and managing accountability of our performance towards the 2020 sustainability goals. Concurrent with the release of our new sustainability strategy in the future, we anticipate refining our approach to this committee.
Our company has a well-organised and streamlined business planning and decision- making process that integrates and embeds sustainability. Our Global Sustainability team collaborates with each of our retail market teams to develop plans with annual milestones and associated KPIs that help us progress towards our 2020 targets. Each retail market business and the GSC sign off on these action plans annually and include sustainability objectives in their annual bonus compensation.
Linking executive compensation to sustainability performance
Globally, all C&A leadership personnel are evaluated quarterly against their defined business goals, of which sustainability performance is a part. Among our executive leadership, our Global Head of Sustainability has the most significant responsibility for implementing our sustainability strategy and meeting our key performance indicators for human rights impacts, environmental management, and other aspects of our sustainability strategy, with bonus compensation directly tied to successful achievement of these goals.
Sustainability teams
Around 135 full-time employees work in sustainability across C&A. Our Global Sustainability Team, led by our Global Head of Sustainability and based in Europe, sets the direction for our global sustainability strategy. A network of regional sustainability leaders and team members work to embed sustainability within each market. Each retail market is equipped with an SSC team that works operationally for the business and is led strategically by the Global Head of Sustainability. These SSC teams manage the day-to-day implementation of our Supplier Code of Conduct, Supplier Ownership Programmes, and Sustainable Chemicals Management programmes in each retail market.
