52% of participating brands were awarded this logo
Conditions d'attribution du logo 'Chaîne de production':
Criteria: The brand collaborates with suppliers that have environmental labels or have set up environmental programmes. It carries out regular audits of its suppliers. It monitors and controls it’s consumption of resources, energy and water.
The AND criteria are necessary, the OR criteria are optional but it is necessary to meet at least one of those criteria.
In order to control their suppliers, companies can set up audits, in addition to audits, companies can set up reporting systems that allow them to monitor the business of their plants and sub-contractors thanks to quantified indicators. These quantified indicators will make it possible to monitor changes in business, amounts of raw materials used and related waste in a tangible manner. Each company can develop its own system. Nevertheless, an international specification was developed by UNEP (United Nation Environment Programme): the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), the Global compact developped by the UN or the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project). The Eu recently voted the REACH directive (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances) that focuses on the use and effects of chemicals on man and the environment.
The audit, which is carried out by an auditor, is a systematic, independent and documented process that makes it possible to collect objective information in order to identify how well elements of the target system will meet the requirements of the specifications in the area concerned. There are different types of audits:
The ISO 9000 standards, relative to quality, adds the following to the above definition:
When quality and environmental management systems are audited simultaneously, we speak of a joint audit.
http://www.globalreporting.org/Home
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) was created at the end of 1997 in order to develop directives that are applicable worldwide and report on economic, environmental and social performance. Initially, it was meant for companies, but has since included any governmental or non-governmental organisation. The GRI, which has regrouped them under the coalition for environmentally responsible economies (CERES) in association with the United Nation Environment programme (UNEP), is based on the active participation of companies, NGO, accounting firms, businessmen associations and other willing parties all over the world. It makes it possible to standardise analysis models thanks to 90 standards and indicators, which are used in reporting on social and environmental responsibility policies. The GRI, which is on the verge of becoming a worldwide reference, incites companies to go from a declaration to an actual assessment.
Today, it includes over 5000 members that regularly contribute to its productions and their improvements.
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
www.cdproject.net
The CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) is an organisation that includes over 280 institutional investors that manage 41,000 billion dollars in assets all over the world. It has the objective of clarifying the investment choices of its members by informing them on the consequences of the “carbon constraint” and climate change for companies.
Every year, the CDP sends out a questionnaire on the effects of climate change (on strategy, risks and opportunities, etc.) to major companies all over the world. The CDP contributes to improving the quality of the information published by companies, specifically by creating a global database on GHG emissions.
The first edition of the study (CDP1) in 2003 focused on the 500 largest companies in the world (FT500). The rate of participation has continued to increase and, in 2006, the CDP4 survey was extended to include a greater number of companies, specifically by setting up regional and national studies (Asia, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom). In France, this study was undertaken among the 120 largest French companies (SBF120).
The REACH Directive
REACH stands for "Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances". This European Directive, which was adopted in December 2006, is aimed at registering the 30,000 chemical substances that are used in industry and common consumer products (paint, detergents, hygiene, cosmetics, perfumes, etc.). All companies that manufacture, use or import chemical substances are concerned and must assess the toxicity of these substances themselves in order to register them with an independent agency (European Chemicals Agency), which is based in Helsinki. The most hazardous substances could be prohibited by this agency. Companies must find substitute products that are safer for health and the environment. REACH has the objective of eliminating chemical substances that can lead to different diseases and cancers.
Industrial companies had until 30 November 2008 to pre-register molecules that they manufacture or import in amounts of over a tonne per year with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). However, among the 5400 French companies that were potentially concerned, only 1258 had pre-registered as of the beginning of October 2008. It is interesting to note that the pre-registering phase allows representatives of the sector to exchange data and helps them avoid all having to test the same molecule. Nevertheless, industrial companies are taking a real risk by not complying with this directive: those whose substances have not been pre-registered by the deadline will be forced to pre-register them automatically, in spite of an incomplete application and under pain of having them eliminated from the market.
A little light at the end of the tunnel is providing a small measure of comfort: some American states, such as California, are interested in REACH and are thinking of adopting it.
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/reach/