Impact and dependencies assessment
Columbia Sportswear has not holistically assessed its impacts or how it depends on nature, including biodiversity. It has an opportunity to start such an assessment across its value chains, focused on quantification of its impacts or dependencies.
Key areas and species
Columbia Sportswear does not disclose key species or areas important for biodiversity affected by its operations or suppliers. It has an opportunity to increase its transparency.
Ecosystem conversion and restoration
Columbia Sportswear does not disclose a commitment to ensure zero conversion. While the company’s down and feathers are certified to the Responsible Down Standard for responsible sourcing, no information could be found regarding sourcing practices for other high-risk commodities linked to the apparel and footwear industry. The company does not disclose time-bound targets to achieve conversion-free supply chains. The company does not disclose a commitment or activities to minimise ecosystem conversion. The company’s down and feathers are certified to the Responsible Down Standard for responsible sourcing.
Columbia Sportswear does not disclose a commitment to restore ecosystems. The company does not disclose details and outcomes of ecosystem restoration projects in areas affected by its own operations or by its suppliers.
Resource exploitation and circularity
No evidence was found regarding Columbia Sportswear’s efforts to work towards a circular economy or which organisms it exploits. The company has an opportunity to develop a strategy and publicly report on specific, time-bound targets. The company does not disclose efforts to improve soil health.
Water
No evidence that Columbia Sportswear reduces water withdrawal across the company’s own operations was found. The company does not disclose a time-bound target to reduce water withdrawal across its own operations. The company does not report how much water is withdrawn for its own operations in water-stressed areas. The company does not report a decrease in water pollution. The company discloses its processes for managing and monitoring discharge water quality. The company does not regularly report on water pollution. The company does not disclose targets to reduce water pollution.
Columbia Sportswear does not disclose a commitment to respect the right to water. The company does not disclose its processes for implementing preventive and corrective action plans for identified specific risks to the right to water and sanitation in its own operations.
Solid and air pollution
While Columbia Sportswear commits to aligning with global laws on hazardous substances and established its chemical management policy, no qualitative evidence that the company reduces the production of hazardous substances could be found in the public domain. The company does not disclose a commitment to avoid developing or marketing new chemicals or products with SVHC (substance of very high concern) properties. No evidence that the company is reducing the production of hazardous waste was found.
While Columbia Sportswear discloses 100% plastic free in consumer packaging, no evidence that the company reports on the most relevant part of its value chain (such as its products) at the group level could be found in the public domain. The company does not report on the amount of plastic waste generated and proportions directed from or to disposal. The company does not report on air quality parameters of emissions of harmful air pollutants. The company does not report time-bound targets to reduce air pollutants across the most material parts of its value chain.
GHG emissions
Columbia Sportswear is reducing its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions compared to the previous year. The company does not disclose a time-bound target to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Columbia Sportswear is reducing its scope 3 emissions compared to the previous year. The company sets a target to reduce scope 3 manufacturing emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to the baseline year 2019 and reports progress against the target. No evidence that the company’s scope 3 emissions target is aligned with a 1.5-degree trajectory was found.
Invasive species
Columbia Sportswear has not identified any activities that could lead to the introduction of invasive alien species in its own operations.