Zara Info

Brand Owner: Inditex
Head Office: A Coruña, Spain
Sector: Fashion, Clothing & Shoes
Categories: Retailer
Free Tags: Affordable Fashion, Flash Fashion
Rank a Brand score:
7 out of 16

Zara Logo

Zara
Last Updated: 21 July 2010
Last Verified: 21 July 2010

Zara Score Report

Questions about Carbon Emissions
2 out of 4
Left_corn     Right_corn
1. Is there a policy for the brand to minimize, reduce or compensate carbon emissions? Inditex (brand owner of Zara) has various policy measures to reduce carbon emissions, such as installing sources of renewable energy and building eco-efficient stores (see Strategic Environmental Plan 2007-2010 in link). SOURCE
2. Has the brand (company) published the carbon-footprint of its 'own operations' and has the brand already reduced 10% of these emissions in the last 5 years? Inditex publishes its carbon footprints. However, the 2009 footprint has not decreased since 2006 (see Annual Report 2009 page 158 in link on left side of Inditex homepage). SOURCE
3. Has the brand (company) set a target to reduce its ‘own operations’ carbon footprint by at least 20% before the year 2012? Although Inditex has set up the Inditex ProKyoto project and has set the goal to reduce 20% of its Greenhouse Gas emissions associated with logistics and distribution by 2020, Inditex has not set any goals for 2012 for reducing its carbon emissions of all own operations (see Annual Report 2009 page 144 in link on left side of Inditex homepage). SOURCE
4. Does the brand (company) also have a policy to reduce/compensate carbon emissions generated from the supply/production chain? Inditex has set itself a commitment that 50% of the energy consumed by the production processes should come from cleaner and more efficient energy resources before 2012. This objective has already been achieved. Furthermore, a lifecycle carbon footprint calculation project is planned (see page 142 & 154 of Annual Report 2009, left side of Inditex homepage). SOURCE
Questions about Environmental Policy
0 out of 4
Left_corn     Right_corn
1. Does the brand (company) use environmentally 'preferred' raw materials for more than 5% of its volume? Zara uses organic cotton for some selected lines, but it is unclear what the percentage is of organic cotton related to total production. (Click 'Company', 'Corparate' and then 'Our Commitment'. Scroll down to 'In Our Products'.) SOURCE
2. Does the brand (company) use environmentally 'preferred' raw materials for more than 10% of its volume? Zara uses organic cotton for some selected lines, but it is unclear what the percentage is of organic cotton related to total production. (Click 'Company', 'Corparate' and then 'Our Commitment'. Scroll down to 'In Our Products'.) SOURCE
3. Does the brand (company) use environmentally 'preferred' raw materials for more than 25% of its volume? Zara uses organic cotton for some selected lines, but it is unclear what the percentage is of organic cotton related to total production. (Click 'Company', 'Corparate' and then 'Our Commitment'. Scroll down to 'In Our Products'.) SOURCE
4. Does the brand (company) report on its environmental policy related to the 'wet processes' within the production cycle, like bleaching and dying of fabrics? Inditex has developed the ‘Safe to Wear’ and ‘Clear to Wear’ programs, but these programs are mainly focused on product safety and mainly covers legislation (see page 90-92 of Annual Report 2009, left side of Inditex homepage). SOURCE
Questions about Labour Conditions/Human Rights
5 out of 8
Left_corn     Right_corn
1. Does the brand (company) have a supplier Code of Conduct (CoC) which includes the following standards: No forced or slave labour, no child labour, no discrimination of any kind and a safe and hygienic workplace? All standards are mentioned in ‘Inditex code of conduct for external manufacturers and suppliers’. 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 paid overtime of 12 hours maximum 3. to have a sufficient living wage? 1. Yes, legally-binding employment relationships (see ‘Regular employment’); 2. Yes, maximum workweek of 48 hours, overtime is voluntary (see ‘Working hours are not excessive’); 3. Yes, “wages should always be enough to meet at least the basic needs of workers and their families and any other which might be considered as reasonable additional needs" (see ‘Wages are paid’). 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 ‘Respect for freedom of association and collective bargaining’). SOURCE
4. Does the brand (company) have a published list of direct suppliers, that have collectively contributed to more than 90% of the purchase volume? Not found on Zara or Inditex website. SOURCE
5. Is the brand (company) a member of a collective initiative that aims to improve labour conditions, or does the brand (company) purchase its supplies from accredited factories with improved labour conditions? Inditex is a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) since 2005. SOURCE
6. Do independent civil society organizations like NGO's and labour unions have a decisive voice in this collective initiative or in these certification schemes? Inditex 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
7. Does the brand (company) annually report on the results of its labour conditions policy? Inditex has published a report on the auditing of factories, but the rating system (outcome) is not clear (see page 297-302 of Inditex Annual Report 2009). SOURCE
8. Has the brand's labour conditions policy resulted in a 'compliance level' of at least 30% of the purchase volume, or a 'monitored level' of at least 80%? Report and rating system are not clear (see page 297-302 of Inditex Annual Report 2009). SOURCE