ST/ST - Sustainability Report 2023 - EN

Right from the beginning in 2012 Stanley/Stella’s founder Jean Chabert had a vision for a B2B lifestyle brand that would manufacture in a more responsible, ethical and sustainable way. Although there is no easy route to sustainability, we work hard every day to make it a reality by making deliberate, conscious decisions about who we work with, how we work & what materials we choose to use. By developing and sticking to concrete, long-term objectives that are guided by the principles of sustainability, we hope to get closer to being an ecological and ethical model for the fashion retail sector.

Our path to sustainability

“Stanley/Stella is an innovative Belgian apparel company producing premium clothing for printing and decorating, and our goal is to contribute to a fully sustainable supply chain. This report shows our commitments and the steps we are taking to improve our supply chain for a healthier planet and happier people. We like to ‘say what we do and do what we say’ as we believe that sustainability is, first and foremost, a question of commitment and transparency. Through this report, we provide insights into the complex challenges associated with the textile industry, how we tackle those challenges, and what our future aspirations are. 2022 was a pivotal year, with the introduction of the Stanley/Stella Charter and our first Carbon Footprint analysis. In 2023, we want to accelerate our actions for both the environment and society by setting up a decarbonisation strategy to reduce and compensate our carbon emissions, and by engaging in new projects with the local communities where we operate. With every step we take, we aim to continue leading the textile industry towards a better future for our planet and its people. Thank you for following our journey.”

Jean Chabert, Founder and CEO Stanley/Stella

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CEO statement

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Standing by our commitments

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Our people supporting sustainability The Stanley/Stella Charter Our responsible supply chain

8 10 12 14 15

Our memberships Our certifications

Choosing our materials consciously

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Organic cotton Recycled cotton Recycled polyester & recycled nylon Dyes & finishing

18 22 24 26

Minimising our environmental impact

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Carbon footprint Water

30 32

Caring about people

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Social responsibility Fair Wear Foundation Living wages Community engagement

36 40 44 46

The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

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Our partner factories Our distribution network Our logistics partners

54 56 60

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The textile and garment industry is among the least sustainable ​industries worldwide. Placing focus on sustainability is no longer an option, it’s a must. At Stanley/Stella, sustainability has been part of our core values since day one, and is fully integrated in our business culture. We believe that a fairer and more sustainable fashion industry is possible and that it’s our shared responsibility to continuously improve how we create and operate. From the cotton field to our collection, to how we manage our waste, our objective is always to act with transparency for people, the planet, and society. We have dedicated sustainability teams both in our Brussels headquarters and close to our suppliers in Asia, and our commitments are embodied in the Stanley/Stella Charter, which we launched in 2022. These commitments are further reinforced through actions across our supply chain and are supported by various certifications and memberships. Standing by our commitments

We want our commitments to drive action and impact; the way we work must contribute directly to achieving our social and environmental objectives.”

Michel Hublet, Head of Sustainability

Vinod Bhai, Organic cotton farmer, India.

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Standing by our commitments

Standing by our commitments

Our people supporting sustainability

At Stanley/Stella, People and Sustainability are two of the four core values (in addition to Excellence and Innovation) that guide us on our journey. Across our entire operations and organisation, we seek to create working environments that feel positive and empowering, and where consideration for people, the planet, and society is integrated in everyday decisions and actions.

We have several sustainability teams across our locations:

— In our Brussels headquarters, we have a team of four people working on our long-term sustainability strategy and short-term actions. This core team makes sure that sustainability is embedded across functions, and at every level of the company. — In Dhaka, we have a team of three people closely monitoring and liaising with our partner factories on a daily basis. — In Beijing, our China Operations Manager handles the sustainability-related compliance obligations for our local supplier.

— In India, we have a Cotton Sourcing Specialist who supervises local operations.

Shaila Akther Chowdhury, Finance & HR Manager, Bangladesh Liaison Office.

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Standing by our commitments

Standing by our commitments

Nature protection — Preserve soil, water, air and biodiversity through responsible material sourcing, manufacturing, distribution and decoration.

Carbon footprint — Contribute to global carbon neutrality by leading CO 2 reduction activities across our value chain and engaging in compensation initiatives.

Circularity — Minimise product and packaging waste at production and consumption levels, taking steps towards circular business models.

Working conditions and well-being — Respect human rights by providing and advocating for safe and good working conditions.

The Stanley/Stella Charter

Together with our employees, suppliers, and Official Dealers, we aspire to form a community of like-minded individuals, driven by the common desire to positively impact both the Stanley/Stella ecosystem and our industry. The Stanley/Stella Charter, launched in 2022, is our guiding framework which represents what we stand for as a company in the garment industry. It articulates our commitment to addressing critical environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues in our area of influence, and outlines the ten core principles that guide our behaviour and inspire the entire Stanley/Stella community to care about our planet and its people.

Diversity, inclusion and equity — Promote diversity in recruitment and business practices, an inclusive professional environment, and equal opportunities for all.

Community engagement and impact — Contribute to the economic and social development of communities through fair remuneration, education, and our ecosystem engagement.

Accountability and traceability — Take accountability for our actions across our supply chain through full traceability, and human rights and environmental due diligence.

Read the full Stanley/Stella Charter here.

Collaboration —

Stimulate open-minded dialogue and collaborate with our communities and stakeholders within and outside the industry for a bigger and better impact.

Innovation and empowerment — Reinforce business sustainability through digitalisation and innovative thinking and actions.

Transparency and authentic communication —

Openly and accurately communicate with our communities and stakeholders about our social and environmental challenges, the actions we are taking, and where our limits lie.

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Standing by our commitments

Standing by our commitments

Our responsible supply chain

From the sourcing of our raw materials to working with a committed network of Official Dealers who share our values, we strive to have a positive impact throughout our supply chain.

We carefully select our raw materials

We rigorously choose our partners for transport and storage

Across our collections, we use only GOTS certified organic cotton and GRS certified recycled cotton, recycled polyester and recycled nylon.

Opting for sea shipment minimises the carbon footprint of transporting our products to Europe, and we carefully choose our warehouse locations and partners to minimise our carbon footprint.

We team up with a dedicated distribution network

We collaborate with state-of-the-art factories

Our network of Official Dealers share our vision and values, and we encourage and support them in achieving GOTS certification.

Our ten partner suppliers in Bangladesh are GOTS and GRS certified, and our single supplier in China is GRS certified. We have local teams on hand to provide guidance and support, and have been a member of Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since 2012.

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Standing by our commitments

Standing by our commitments

Our memberships

Our certifications

We are proud to approach the environmental and social challenges our industry faces in a constructive and collaborative way. Through our memberships of Fair Wear Foundation and Textile Exchange, we aim to reinforce the positive impact we can have across our operations.

Our supply chain is certified by various independent bodies and standards, demonstrating our commitment to more environmentally friendly practices. But our dedication doesn’t end there. Together with our partners, we continue to go beyond certifications to increase our understanding and drive positive action for our planet and its people.

GOTS

Fair Wear Foundation

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the leading worldwide standard for organic cotton. Based on both ecological and social criteria, it guarantees that cotton is organically grown without the use of genetically modified seeds or hazardous chemicals. It also ensures traceability from post-harvesting of the raw material to the final customer, including transaction certificates at every stage of production.

Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) is an independent organisation that works with apparel brands, garment workers and textile industry influencers to improve labour conditions in garment factories. FWF carries out audits in our partner factories on a regular basis, and establishes Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) where needed to ensure workers’ rights and safe, dignified, and properly paid employment. Stanley/Stella has been a member of FWF since 2012.

Textile Exchange

OCS

Textile Exchange is a global non-profit organisation that works closely with its members to drive industry transformation in preferred fibres, integrity and standards, and responsible supply networks. Stanley/Stella participates in the annual Material Change Index survey, which maps progress towards more sustainable sourcing at the raw material level.

The Organic Content Standard (OCS) is a voluntary international standard that verifies the presence and amount of organic material in a final product. It tracks the flow of the raw material from the source to the final product. This standard applies to Stanley/Stella products that have less than 70% organic cotton.

GRS

The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is the world’s leading standard for recycled textiles. The standard applies to the full supply chain and addresses traceability, environmental principles, social requirements, chemical content, and labelling. All the recycled cotton, recycled polyester, and recycled nylon we use is GRS certified.

OEKO-TEX®

Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX® is one of the world’s best-known standards for assessing harmful substances in fabrics. Our certification confirms that Stanley/Stella products contain no chemical substances that are harmful to human health and the environment, and guarantees that they comply with the EU REACH regulation. Standard 100 also prohibits certain potentially harmful substances even where these are not yet legally banned.

PETA

Stanley/Stella is ‘PETA-Approved’, which means that we do not conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations, or finished products and pledge never to do so. Our products are made from 100% vegan materials with no ingredients of animal origin, ensuring that no harm is caused to animals.

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Choosing our materials consciously

Fibre selection has a considerable impact on how long a garment will last and how easily it can be recycled. This defines a product’s quality and its environmental footprint. By choosing the highest-quality raw materials, there is less need to blend them with other fibres. However, no material is perfect, and there are many trade-offs to be made in finding the best solution. For example, to give our products more stability and longevity, we sometimes need to incorporate synthetic fibres. At all times, we make conscious, carefully weighed decisions about which materials to use.

By focusing on organic cotton and recycled materials, we’re striving to minimise our environmental footprint.”

Carissa Reilly, Garment Specialist

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Choosing our materials consciously

Choosing our materials consciously

Organic cotton

From day one, we have chosen to use only organic cotton, grown from seeds that have not been genetically modified (non-GMO) and cultivated without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers. We initially sourced all our organic cotton from India, but since 2021, we have diversified our sourcing to include suppliers in other countries such as Turkey. Globally, only a very small portion of the cotton produced annually is organic. Cultivating organic cotton ensures that no harmful chemicals flow into the soil or into adjoining rivers, lakes or seas. This means that the water used for organic farming is not considered as lost water, as it can be used again and can safely return to the soil and other water sources. The overall positive effect on water, soil and biodiversity means that the well-being and livelihood of cotton farmers and their communities are respected and protected. We are proud to be one of the main purchasers of organic cotton in the world, showing our commitment to responsible and sustainable sourcing.*

Facts & figures

Derived from the Arabic word ‘kutan’, cotton has been grown for over 6,000 years.

Worldwide, cotton is the second most important fibre in terms of volume, just after polyester.

Only 1.4% of cotton grown is estimated to be organic.

100% of the cotton we use is GOTS certified organic cotton.

* Source: Textile Exchange’s Material Change Index (MCI) 2023

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Choosing our materials consciously

Choosing our materials consciously

GOTS certification

Going beyond certification

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is based on both environmental and social criteria and certifies that the cotton is organically grown, without the use of genetically modified seeds or any harmful chemical products. Throughout our collections, we choose to work using only 100% GOTS certified organic cotton. Transaction certificates at every stage of production confirm the traceability and organic content of our products from the post-harvested raw material to the final customer.

On our journey to source our cotton in the most responsible way possible, we go beyond GOTS certification to provide our customers with consistently high-quality organic cotton.

Below are some of the initiatives we have taken to reinforce the traceability and organic integrity of our cotton:

Read more about GOTS here.

Transparent mapping of our supply chain

Organic

All our t-shirts are certified organic, as they are 100% organic cotton. Our polos are also certified organic as they are 95% organic cotton.

Made with 85% organic materials

In-depth understanding of cotton farming

Regular visits to farmers and ginners

This certification applies if the organic content is between 70% and 95% of the product weight. Most of our sweatshirts are certified 'Made with 85% organic materials', as their organic content is 85% of the product weight.

Periodic random testing of our yarn and lint cotton

Diversification of the country of origin

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Choosing our materials consciously

Choosing our materials consciously

Cutting waste from our own production is collected in our partner factories.

Recycled cotton

We seek to minimise waste at production level and strive for circular business models, and recycled cotton plays a key role in this. We started using recycled cotton in our accessories range in 2017. Since then, we have increased our recycled cotton product range and even started using our own cutting waste to create new products: our RE-Creator t-shirt and RE-Cruiser hoodie are made with 50% recycled organic cotton sourced from our own cutting waste.

The fabric is shredded in a spinning mill and blended with virgin organic cotton.

Facts & figures

Cotton can be recycled mechanically or chemically. The recycled cotton we use for our Recycled range is mechanically recycled and comes from pre-consumer materials (i.e. offcuts from our own production processes). Recycled cotton fibres are shorter than virgin fibres, which means recycled cotton needs to be mixed with virgin organic cotton to ensure knittable yarn.

In 2022, we recycled 134 tons of our cutting waste into new products for our Recycled range.

The fibres are then spun into new yarn, which is knitted into durable fabric.

Our RE-Creator t-shirt is a 50/50 blend of recycled organic cotton from our own cutting waste and un-dyed virgin organic cotton. This gives the garment a natural heather effect. By reusing materials and eliminating the dyeing process, we minimise the energy, water and chemicals needed compared to traditional production processes. Stanley/Stella’s Recycled range and production facilities are GRS certified.

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Choosing our materials consciously

Choosing our materials consciously

Recycled polyester

We use recycled polyester to add stability to our sweatshirts, to give strength to our accessories, and to produce our outerwear garments. Since 2018, we have been using only recycled polyester made from post-consumer PET bottles. It’s clear that tackling plastic waste has become one of the major environmental challenges of our time – globally, about 14 million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean annually, most of it ‘single-use’. Recycling polyester allows for considerable energy savings in the manufacturing process compared to non-recycled polyester. For all our outerwear in recycled polyester, we exclusively use GRS certified fabrics. Just like with our organic cotton, we seek full traceability of our recycled polyester, including the origin of the PET bottles. Depending on the style, it takes between 38 to 80 plastic bottles of 550ml to produce our jackets. Mainly sourced from China, these bottles might otherwise go to landfill or end up in our oceans.

Once the PET bottles are collected, they are cleaned and cut into small flakes.

These flakes are melted into chips and blown into polyester staple fibre.

Recycled nylon

For some of our accessories and outerwear products, we use pre-consumer recycled nylon, made from industrial nylon yarn waste. This fabric is known for its durability and strength, while at the same time being extremely lightweight and soft on the skin. We offer nine different products in recycled nylon, all using GRS certified fabrics.

The staple fibre is then woven into yarn to create a durable and breathable fabric.

Our lightweight, mesh-lined Commuter jacket is made with 100% recycled polyester from post-consumer PET waste. To offer protection from the elements in the most eco-friendly way possible, the fabric is treated with a PFC-free water repellent (DWR) finish. All the fabrics used in Stanley/Stella outerwear garments are GRS certified.

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Choosing our materials consciously

Choosing our materials consciously

Dyes & finishing

Our priority is to ensure that dyes, finishing and other additives going into our products are managed through ambitious standards throughout the entire supply chain to reduce and prevent harm to people and the environment. At production sites, our chemical management policies include compliance with the highest standards such as GOTS and Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX®. STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. The certification means that every component of a product, i.e. every thread, button and other accessory, has been tested for harmful substances and that the product is therefore safe for human use. Tests are conducted by an independent OEKO-TEX® partner institute and take into account numerous regulated and non-regulated substances that may be harmful to human health. In many cases, the limit values for the STANDARD 100 label go beyond national and international requirements.

Read more about OEKO-TEX® here.

OEKO-TEX® complies with Annex XVII of the EU’s REACH Regulation. Read more about REACH legislation here.

Inside the laboratory at GMS, Bangladesh.

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Minimising our environmental footprint

Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, clearing forests, and cultivating land for agricultural use contribute to climate change by emitting CO 2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are devastating for the earth. At Stanley/Stella, we recognise that we have a responsibility to mitigate and reduce our impact on the environment, and we place a specific focus on CO 2 emissions across our supply chain and on water use.

Today, the question is not if we want to reduce our environmental footprint, but rather how we turn our commitment into concrete actions.”

Sharif Nehal Rahman, BLO Sustainability Manager

Worker at the spinning mill, India.

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Minimising our environmental footprint

Minimising our environmental footprint

Carbon footprint

Carbon footprint at each stage of our value chain in 2022 (in %)

In 2023, we are setting up a decarbonisation strategy to reduce and compensate our carbon emissions across our entire value chain. As a baseline, we will use our 2022 carbon footprint, which has been measured for the second consecutive year across our entire value chain. Our carbon footprint is calculated according to the standards of the leading GHG Protocol accounting standard and the Bilan Carbone methods. Despite a double-digit increase in sales and production, the total carbon emissions for 2022 amounted to 94,332 tCO 2 e, which is about 4% higher than the year before. This proportionally lower increase in emissions compared to the increase in sales is due to several factors, including: improvements by certain partners in our supply chain, fewer raw materials purchased in 2022, and a different production mix. Better availability of primary data up to our tier 3 suppliers has also contributed positively, with these suppliers clearly performing better than industry averages.

The chart below illustrates our carbon footprint at each stage of our value chain. In 2022, scope 1 and 2 emissions* remained below 1% of the total. Our decarbonisation strategy will therefore require close collaboration with all the partners across our value chain.

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Fibre manufacturing

3

Ginning

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Yarn manufacturing

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Fabric manufacturing

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Garment manufacturing

94,332 tCO 2 e

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Transport & warehousing

Today, we estimate that

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Dealer activity

the carbon footprint ​ of our iconic t-shirts is about 3 times lower than the carbon footprint of a conventional cotton ​ t-shirt.

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End-customer use

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End-of-life

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Stanley/Stella HQ activity

* Scope 1 covers direct emissions from our owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling we use. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions from across our value chain.

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Minimising our environmental footprint

Minimising our environmental footprint

Water

We treat water as the invaluable resource it is. Across our entire supply chain, we aim to minimise the amount of water used and reduce its contamination. Just like for all agricultural production, water is a critical input for the successful cultivation of organic cotton. However, unlike with conventional farming, water used in organic farming is not contaminated by harmful chemicals, thereby avoiding unwanted negative effects on soil and biodiversity. Water is also used for dyeing and washing textiles, and inevitably generates water-based toxic waste. All our partner factories have on-site Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), in line with legal requirements, and have in-house specialists and testing facilities.* This ensures that wastewater can be treated and then released back into nature without harming the environment. At some of our partner factories, the treated wastewater is also used for car washing and gardening. The remaining solid waste is typically preserved for several months until it solidifies fully, and is then sent to contracted brick fields where it is used as fuel.

* To ensure the safety of the treated wastewater, tests are done for pH, DO, BOD, COD and TDS both on-site and in government laboratories.

Glossary

pH is a scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

pH

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) is the amount of gaseous oxygen (O 2 ) dissolved in water.

DO

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria while decomposing organic matter under aerobic conditions. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is the amount of oxygen required for the chemical oxidation of total organic matter in water. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) represents the total concentration of dissolved substances in water. TDS is made up of inorganic salts, as well as a small amount of organic matter.

BOD

COD

Different stages of water treatment at the ETP at Dird factory, Bangladesh.

TDS

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Caring about people

At Stanley/Stella, fair and safe working conditions, and well-being in the workplace are at the heart of our operations and organisation. In our Brussels headquarters and local liaison offices, we have a number of mechanisms to promote well-being and ensure a positive working environment for all those involved in bringing our collections to life. In 2022, we inaugurated our new offices in Dhaka which reflect the same sustainability, innovation and excellence principles as our Brussels office. We work closely with our partner factories to improve working conditions in line with our Fair Wear Foundation membership. We also strive to ensure worker remuneration that is more in line with a living wage. Finally, as we believe it is our duty to support the local communities that are part of our ecosystem, we have initiated various projects to make our commitments even more concrete.

Supporting people is our main duty, through ensuring safe and good working conditions and driving initiatives that benefit local communities.”

Céline Charveron, Sustainability Ambassador

Santi Rani Das, Jr. sewing operator at Dird factory, Bangladesh.

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Caring about people

Caring about people

Social responsability

Like most global fashion brands, we don’t own the mills, factories, and production facilities that make our garments. Still, we see it as our responsibility to ensure a safe and fair working environment. That’s why we partner only with suppliers who share our vision. We have developed various tools and policies to clearly document and communicate the social requirements we expect them to adhere to.

Fabric quality check line at GMS, Bangladesh.

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Caring about people

Caring about people

Code of Conduct

As well as committing to social, environmental and safety standards, all our partner factories need to sign and comply with the Stanley/Stella Code of Conduct. This Code states our commitment to fair and ethical work practices, and outlines the principles we consider essential to our business’ operation. Its standards are derived from the fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and are in line with the Fair Wear Foundation’s Code of Labour Practices (CoLP). Our Code of Conduct covers seven pillars:

Continuous monitoring and reports

Prohibition of child labour

Non-discrimation

Our local teams in Bangladesh and China are in close contact with our suppliers. They visit them frequently and develop action plans with the support of various monitoring reports and tools. These include:

Prohibition of forced and compulsory labour and disciplinary measures

Freedom of association

Working hours

Compensation

Workplace health & safety

Daily

Monthly

Quaterly

Annually

Overtime monitoring tool to have a view on the working hours for our sewing lines, allowing us to identify any overtime at our partner factories and directly address issues.

Sustainability observation report, giving us a general view on social safety, building and fire safety, and health safety at our partner factories.

Evaluation on social and environmental criteria through our Supplier Sustainability Scorecard.

Monitoring through our Sustainability Audit Report tool, which looks at more than 150 social, environmental, and safety criteria.

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Caring about people

Caring about people

Fair Wear Leader status —

This category is for member companies who are doing exceptionally well, and are operating at an advanced level. Leaders show best practices in complex areas such as good working conditions and freedom of association. The eight pillars of FWF are:

Employment is freely chosen

No discrimination in employment

Payment of a living wage

Fair Wear Foundation

Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) is an independent, non-profit organisation that works with brands, factories, trade unions, NGOs, and governments to provide better working conditions for garment workers around the world. Stanley/Stella has been a member of FWF since our company was founded, and, thanks to our achievements we've been awarded Leader status. Every year, our whole company is audited by FWF and the results are published in a detailed Brand Performance Check report. This report describes our efforts on social issues and provides the results of monitoring and remediation measures in each of our partner factories. Three of the main actions linked to our FWF membership are social audits and Corrective Action Plans (CAPs), an easily accessible complaints helpline for factory workers, and training for workers to improve awareness and knowledge about their rights.

Safe and healthy working conditions

No exploitation of child labour

A legally binding employment relationship

Reasonable hours of work

Freedom of association

Read our latest Brand Performance Check report here.

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Caring about people

Caring about people

Audits and Corrective Action Plans (CAPs)

We commission audits at our suppliers to gain an in-depth understanding of the social conditions of their workers and of their internal processes. Fair Wear Foundation representatives carry out formal FWF audits in our partner factories every three years, including talks with factory management and interviews with workers, both on- and off-site. Once the audit is completed, the findings are summarised in an audit report and shared with the factory and the Stanley/Stella Sustainability team. Based on this report, a CAP is set up if needed and continuously followed up by our local teams. In 2022 we initiated a total of five audits; four in Bangladesh and one in China, all conducted by the FWF audit team.

FWF helpline

Anti-harassment committee at Dird factory, Bangladesh.

All our partner factories have their own internal mechanism for raising concerns and complaints, including workers’ committees. If workers don’t feel comfortable with this internal solution, the Fair Wear Foundation external helpline makes sure their issues are properly addressed by its member brands. All our partner factory workers are aware of the complaints procedure and FWF helpline. Our Sustainability Manager in Dhaka handles complaints and discusses the root cause with suppliers until a solution is found. In 2022, we monitored and resolved one complaint in Bangladesh.

Workplace Education Programmes (WEP)

Training programmes provide factory management and workers with an opportunity to openly address issues and opportunities in the workplace. Together with Fair Wear Foundation, we organise these programmes in all our partner factories. The goal is to raise awareness about labour rights and give people the knowledge and skills they need to improve their working environment and relations, from setting up an anti-harassment committee to strengthening the communication between management and the workers. In 2022, we organised two advanced training sessions on violence and harassment prevention in our partner factories in Bangladesh.

Workplace Education Program supported by our Sustainability Manager at Dird factory, Bangladesh.

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Caring about people

Caring about people

Living wages

We choose to work with some of the most ethical and responsible factories and strive for all of them to pay fair wages that cover the cost of living. In Bangladesh, the local government sets the minimum wage to ensure fair pay for garment workers, while at the same time, maintain competitiveness for garment producers. Our partner factories guarantee this legal minimum wage and fundamental legal requirements such as in-house childcare facilities, maternity leave, and medical facility. They also offer additional benefits like free transportation, performance and attendance bonuses, and progressive pay scales. However, the minimum wage does not correspond to a living wage as defined by the Global Living Wage Coalition (GLWC).* On our side, we strive to get all our partner factories to pay a fair wage that covers the cost of living and we remain engaged in finding new and innovative ways of paying workers a living wage. With the commitment and support of our CEO and top management to achieve living wages, we continue to invest in concrete projects such as the Fair-priced Grocery Shops (FGS) to directly increase workers’ spending power and to improve their livelihoods. In 2022, FGS projects were run successfully in four factories: Meghna, Executive High Fashions, AusBangla and Interstoff. In two phases, almost 10,000 workers benefited from discounts of up to 50% on basic commodities like rice, oil, lentils, salt, sugar and soap. Although we acknowledge that this is not a long-term solution to the huge living wage issue, this initiative brings concrete benefits and is highly appreciated by the workers of our partner factories.

*The GLWC defines a living wage as the ‘remuneration received for a standard work week by a worker in a particular [time and] place sufficient to afford a decent standard of living for the worker and her or his family. Elements of a decent standard of living include food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transport, clothing and other essential needs including provision for unexpected events’.

Shilpy Akter Rahka Sewing operator visiting the Fair-priced Grocery Shop at Interstoff, Bangladesh.

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Caring about people

Caring about people

Community engagement

Beyond striving for safe and equitable working conditions and fair remuneration in our partner factories, we also aim to contribute directly to the development of local communities. Some projects are already underway, and we aim to develop more in the future.

Our projects for the cotton farmer communities

Enabling access to clean, safe, and reliable water is not only key to maintaining people’s health and dignity, it also plays an essential role in many livelihoods, such as small food-related industries. In July 2022, we installed a solar-powered submersible pump to offer reliable, year-round access to safe drinking water to a remote community in India. This project is financially and environmentally sustainable thanks to its use of solar power, and has enhanced quality of life for the whole community.

Inauguration of the solar water pump, Bhejiguda, Odisha, India.

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Caring about people

Our projects for the factory worker communities

Health is a fundamental human right, and everyone should have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them. In 2023, we initiated a partnership with the non-profit organisation Drip by Drip, which is dedicated to bring medical support in villages around textile factories. Together with Agroho, their implementation partner in Bangladesh, we are financing a mobile hospital that visits the villages close to our partner factories and offers access to free medical consultations and medication.

Drip by Drip https://dripbydrip.org/

Medical visit to Pandhoa village with Agroho, Bangladesh.

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Caring about people

Caring about people

Our projects for the local communities close to our HQ

Our community engagement involves identifying and supporting those who need help in all the locations we operate in – including those close to our HQ in Belgium. That’s why we decided to partner with three Brussels-based associations that support refugees, migrants, homeless people and asylum seekers: BXL Refugees, Convivial, and Solidarité Grands Froids. During the first quarter of 2023, we donated around 11,000 garments to these associations. We will continue to develop our partnerships through donations as well as through employee volunteering and other activities. In early 2023, we also supported earthquake victims in the Turkish villages close to where we source our organic cotton, both financially and by donating garments. In addition, to further instil circularity in how we operate, we are liaising with Circular.brussels so our old computers can be refurbished and distributed to local schools and philanthropic organisations.

For more information about the main associations we support, visit their websites:

BXL Refugees http://www.bxlrefugees.be/en/

Convivial https://www.convivial.be/

Solidarité Grands Froids http://www.solidaritegrandsfroids.be/fr/

Circular.brussels https://www.circular.brussels/en/

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The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

Building strong partnerships and taking a collective approach are essential to the development of our activities. Every supplier we work with is chosen with the utmost care. We only work with a limited number of partner factories, and every new factory is rigorously audited and monitored by our Sustainability team and validated according to various social and environmental criteria. On the customer side, the decorators, resellers, and Print-on-Demand suppliers who make up our exclusive partner network are trusted collaborators who we consider as an extension of the Stanley/Stella family. They, along with our logistics partners, share our sustainable DNA and commitment to quality.

We want to take the lead with our partners to find and scale up solutions to the global challenges the textile industry faces.”

Abdulla Al Rumi, Bangladesh Liaison Office Country Manager

Cardon Wendso, Embroidery operator at Pubos, France.

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The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

Discover all the partner factories that made our collections in 2022

For each factory, you can see the location, the type of products made, the number of employees, the ratio of male and female employees, and the year our partnership started.

Partner factory

Partnership since

Location

Products

Employees (May 2023)

Ahsan

Chandra, Pollibidyut Road, Kaliakoir, Gazipur, 1750, Bangladesh

Knitted garments

3,130 (30% Women, 70% Men)

2012

AusBangla

Lengurdi, Araihazar, Narayangonj, 1450, Bangladesh

Accessories

693 (70% Women, 30% Men)

2017

CKDL

Dhaka EPZ (Extension), Ganakbari, Ashulia, Dhaka, 1349, Bangladesh

Outerwear

4,798 (62% Women, 38% Men)

2021

Dekko Knitwears

Mirpur Industrial Area, Mirpur, Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh

Knitted garments

934 (44% Women, 56% Men)

2021

Our partner factories

We believe that finding the right suppliers is about finding partners who share our values and vision to build supportive, long-term, and collaborative relationships. That’s why we have decided to work with only ten partner factories in Bangladesh and one in China. Through close collaboration with our partner factories, and thanks to the presence of local teams in South Asia, we make sure that actions are put in place to ensure our values and vision are respected in day-to-day operations. Since 2018, we have published the names and address details of all our manufacturing partners in our annual Sustainability Report, as transparency is a fundamental component of any sustainability policy.

Dird

Rajendrapur, Sreepur, Gazipur, 1741, Bangladesh

Knitted garments

8,445 (58% Women, 42% Men)

2012

GMS

Tansutrapur, Kaliakoir, Gazipur, 1750, Bangladesh

Knitted garments

23,485 (44% Women, 56% Men)

2020

Interstoff

Chandar, Kaliakoir, Gazipur, 1740, Bangladesh

Knitted garments

5,467 (33% Women, 67% Men)

2015

Knit Asia

Shafipur, Kaliakoir, Gazipur, 1740, Bangladesh

Knitted garments

3,517 (50% Women, 50% Men)

2022

Meghna

Gilarchala, Shreepur, Gazipur, 1740, Bangladesh

Knitted garments

8,166 (41% Women, 59% Men)

2018

Shuangxi

Luoyang Industrial Area, Quanzhou, Fujian, China

Outerwear & accessories

345 (62% Women, 38% Men)

2015

Target

Outpara, Chandona Chowrasta, Gazipur, 1702, Bangladesh

Beanies

970 (40% Women, 60% Men)

2020

Worker on a sewing line at Dird, Bangladesh.

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The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

Our distribution network

We produce blank apparel and work with an exclusive network of Official Dealers who transform our garments using various decoration techniques, including embroidery, Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing, and screen printing. Once decorated, the garments are destined for merchandising, events, and retail brands. We work closely with our Official Dealers to encourage and train them to implement GOTS certified printing techniques, using non-harmful inks and sustainable production methods. By enhancing the sustainability of not only our garments, but also their decoration, we hope to further positively impact our supply chain and ensure our products have the least possible impact on the planet.

Showroom of our Official Dealer Black Star GmbH, Germany.

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The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

Our GOTS certified Official Dealers

Spain

Ziraketan

This map shows our GOTS certified dealer network as of May 2023. You can always find an up-to-date list on our website.

France

Affective Fair Fibers

Headquartex Indieviduals Kokolo Main Gauche Tip Beyno Brod Textile Kelcom Roma Sericenter Pubos Teeshirt-Minute.com

Austria

Galvi Promotion Products Geschützte Werkstätten Petzner Textildesign Textilveredelung

Belgium

Alfa Shirt Biznizpoint JG Concept M. Concept Mataro Advice (SquareNut) Tedeko Print & Compagnie The Printing Company

United Kingdom

2 Surface Leather I Dress Myself My Needs Are Simple Sustainable Supply

Bulgaria

Italia

Organic Tee Star

Qcinque Camac Arti Grafiche

Czech Republic

Jellyfish Op Tiger

The Netherlands

Fox Productions Clothing Groenewas Katoenfabriek Superette Araco Sockshouse

Germany

Black Star Campus Sportswear Dakota Textildruck und Warenhandel Die Textilmacher EasyMerchandising Eco Merchandise / Luvgreen egocentric Merchandising Fairtrademerch – D. Finke & S. Laustroer Grafik-Idee Textilwerbung Holfelder Laroid Textilveredelung Made for brands Monkeydrive Printing Factory Printworks Textildruck RK Textil – rainer Klemenz Spreeprint Textildruck Textilhandel Cotton N More Unicum Merchandising Wildner Willy Maisel Wizard Gesellschaft für Textilkonzepte Rheinwalt Better- The Fashion Revolution

Norway

D2 Productions

Poland

Lynka Sema Print KNK Production & Development HFT71

Romania

Tshirt Factory We are Mono

Sweden

Gröna Tryck Hobby Reklam / tshirt.se Swagg Screen & Textil

Textilekonzepte Einstein Newton Kultgut Boender & Beutel / X-Print Textildruck Europa

Slovakia

Merchyou

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The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

The Stanley/Stella ecosystem

Our logistics partners

Based on our calculations, we estimate that our garments travel nearly 24,000km to get from the cotton fields in India and Turkey, to our partner factories in Bangladesh and China, and finally to our warehouses in Europe. Most of this transport is by sea and road. In 2022, we started to expand our European logistics network to further improve our service level while also keeping our carbon footprint in mind.

We now have three warehouse locations in Europe:

Germany

With its central location, Germany is the ideal choice for a European Distribution Center (EDC). Our German warehouse is managed by DSV and has a DGNB Gold sustainability rating. Located in Duisburg, it can be reached by barge from the port of Antwerp, with a rail connection foreseen by the end of 2023. This new EDC allows us to offer next-day delivery in Germany and reinforce our service to Belgium and the Netherlands, while at the same time minimising our carbon footprint.

Belgium

Our warehouse in Antwerp is managed by Katoen Natie (KTN) which has taken impressive measures to become more sustainable. Among other initiatives, they rely on renewable energy produced by local turbines, use LED lighting, and 90% of their sourced cardboard comes from fully recycled materials.

United Kingdom

Opened following Brexit, our UK warehouse receives container shipments directly from our partner factories, eliminating the need to pass through our continental European hubs. This streamlines transport, allowing us to reduce emissions and offer next-day delivery to our UK customers.

Autostore at our warehouse managed by DSV, Germany.

* Read more information about the DGNB Gold sustainability rating here: https://www.dgnb.de/en

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Paper

We believe that the textile and garment industry can act in a responsible way and care about people, the planet, and society. We don’t need to tell you more about the reasons why we’re fully committed to sourcing organic cotton, reducing our carbon footprint or urging our suppliers to pay a living wage to their workers because we believe these points are important to you too. We thank you for joining us on our journey, and for sharing your support, enthusiasm and ideas. If you’d like to find out more about our path to sustainability or get involved:

Cover

Gmund Cotton Max White - 300 g/m²

Pages

Circle Silk Premium White 100% reclycled - 130 g/m²

Contributors

Please contact us:

Head of Sustainability: Michel Hublet Sustainability Ambassador: Céline Charveron Communication Expert: Edith Castus Sustainability team members: Marten, Isabelle, Nehal, Rahat, Mehedi Graphic design: Benjamin Valla

stanleystella.com

@wearestanleystella

sustainability@stanleystella.com

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stanleystella.com

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