Impact and dependencies assessment
Gildan Activewear has not holistically assessed its nature-related impacts and dependencies. It has an opportunity to start such an assessment, including its business relationships.
Key areas and species
While Gildan Activewear discloses the locations in or adjacent to areas important for biodiversity within its operations, it has yet to expand the disclosure to include its suppliers.
Ecosystem conversion and restoration
As a first step, Gildan Activewear should commit to zero conversion across its own operations and business relationships. Following this commitment, it should work towards defining time-bound targets to achieve conversion-free supply chains and disclose some evidence of its progress in that direction. Regarding ecosystem restoration, Gildan Activewear discloses details of restoration projects undertaken in areas where it operates. However, it has yet to commit explicitly to restoring all negative impacts resulting from its own operations and those of its suppliers.
Resource exploitation and circularity
Gildan Activewear is encouraged to disclose its inputs (including its material footprint) according to an international standard. As part of its work, Gildan Activewear can make progress towards reporting quantitative metrics on its group-wide circularity performance. Gildan Activewear should also work towards defining targets to improve soil health in its production and sourcing practices.
Water
While Gildan Activewear reports how much water is withdrawn from water-stressed areas, and repots how much water is withdrawn for its operations in water-stressed areas, the company increased water withdrawal in 2021 compared to 2020. Regarding water pollution, Gildan Activewear should work towards disclosing its processes for managing and monitoring water quality and decreasing water pollution in the coming years. Lastly, while Gildan Activewear is committed to respecting the rights to water and sanitation, its next step should be to disclose its processes for implementing preventive and corrective action plans for identified specific risks to these rights.
Solid and air pollution
Gildan Activewear is encouraged to disclose a commitment to avoid developing or marketing new chemicals or products with SVHC (substance of very high concern) properties. This should be followed by reporting a reduction in the production of hazardous substances. Gildan Activewear is reducing the production of hazardous and plastic waste. However, progress is still needed to report on the amount of plastic waste directed from or to disposal. Concerning air pollution, Gildan Activewear reports regularly on the emissions of harmful air pollutants. However, it has yet to define time-bound targets to reduce these emissions across its own operations and those of its suppliers.
GHG emissions
While Gildan Activewear has a time-bound target to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions and reports progress against it, it must align its target with a 1.5-degree trajectory. Besides, the group’s scope 1 and 2 emissions increased in 2021 compared to 2020. On the other hand, Gildan Activewear discloses segments of its scope 3 emissions and reports quantitative reductions for these segments. However, it does not yet have a time-bound reduction target for its scope 3 emissions, which should be aligned with a 1.5-degree trajectory.
Invasive species
While Gildan Activewear reports not having identified any activities that could lead to the introduction of IAS in its operations, it is encouraged to include its business relationships in this identification process.