Environmental sustainability has become a key issue for our sector. Increasing pressure by consumers, regulators and investors has driven the fashion industry towards a greater awareness and understanding of their impact, with the consequent increase of policies and strategies aiming to reduce the environmental impact of their activities. The most effective tool we have to guarantee that environmental protection policies are respected throughout the procurement chain are the audits envisaged by our “Sustainable supply chain” project. In this section, we will examine the topics covered during the audit to guarantee use of low environmental impact materials, the management of waste and production waste, the impact of water, greenhouse gas emissions and the reduction of transport emissions.

Use of low environmental impact materials:

One of the essential aspects of our audit is to guarantee that the company uses low environmental impact materials when producing its products. The audit includes an assessment of the procurement chain of materials used for production, their environmental impact and the company’s policies for promoting the use of low environmental impact materials.

Management of waste and production waste:

The management of waste and production waste is another essential aspect of the audit. With the aim of minimising waste production, promoting recycling and minimising our impact on the planet, we implement a control process on our suppliers that aims to assess the company’s management of its waste and production waste, the quantity of waste produced, the percentage of waste that is recycled and the percentage of waste that is instead disposed of in a landfill.

Impact of water:

Responsible water use is another important concern. During our audits, we undertake to assess the quantity of water used, the quality and correct management of waste water and to verify the presence of any policies implemented by the supplier to reduce its wastage.

Greenhouse gas emissions:

The impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the climate and human health is an increasingly pressing concern and this is why during the audit performed of our suppliers, we seek to assess the greenhouse gas emissions produced by their activities and any policies implemented by the company to reduce them.

During the site inspection, we check use of renewable energy and the promotion of initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, like the installation of solar panels or energy efficiency drives.

Upon completion of the audit, a report is issued highlighting all non-conformities found during the inspection. Depending on the severity of the default and the danger for workers and the environment, a deadline is set by which to solve the problem.  If the supplier should fail to collaborate with the requests made, Oniverse reserves the right to review its commercial relations with the supplier.