As an outdoor company, we make every effort to respect and
preserve natural resources. Our goal is to limit our impact on
the communities we touch while sustaining the land we love.
PLANET WATER
Access to clean water is a pressing global issue. We’re proud to partner with the Planet Water Foundation, a U.S. nonprofit that helps combat our global water crisis by bringing clean water to the world’s most disadvantaged communities.
UK NATIONAL PARKS
We are proud to announce a five-year partnership between Columbia Sportswear and the UK National Parks. We will be outfitting the dedicated rangers and staff of the National Parks, who protect and promote the most precious and beloved landscapes in the UK.
CONSERVATION
Columbia is dedicated to helping preserve your favorite places for outdoor adventure. We partner with a variety of conservation-focused nonprofit organizations, to provide annual product and cash donations, that help us meet our shared goal of conserving the outdoors. Some of our current partnerships include:
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT MANAGEMENT
Higg Index in the Supply Chain
Columbia employs a team that is dedicated to assessing environmental impacts from manufacturing. Our objective is to measure, track and improve the energy, waste, water and chemical impacts associated with manufacturing our products. We use the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module to assess supplier performance and identify overall strengths and weaknesses in our supply chain. We have been using the Higg Index framework with our finished goods facilities since 2013 and have been seeing consistently positive improvements, such as increased energy measurement and target-setting at a supplier level. See our most recent Corporate Responsibility Report for further details on our progress.
Columbia employs a team that is dedicated to assessing environmental impacts from manufacturing. Our objective is to measure, track and improve the energy, waste, water and chemical impacts associated with manufacturing our products. We use the Higg Index Facility Environmental Module to assess supplier performance and identify overall strengths and weaknesses in our supply chain. We have been using the Higg Index framework with our finished goods facilities since 2013 and have been seeing consistently positive improvements, such as increased energy measurement and target-setting at a supplier level. See our most recent Corporate Responsibility Report for further details on our progress.
Our Impacts
After completing two consecutive years of global greenhouse gas emissions reporting, impact trends are beginning to emerge for Columbia Sportswear Company. Product manufacturing is the primary contributor to our emissions. Material inputs (77%) and material processing (15%) are the primary contributors to our GHG emissions, followed by product assembly (6%) and finally owned and operated facilities accounting for less than 2% of emissions. Please see the Corporate Responsibility Report for further details.
After completing two consecutive years of global greenhouse gas emissions reporting, impact trends are beginning to emerge for Columbia Sportswear Company. Product manufacturing is the primary contributor to our emissions. Material inputs (77%) and material processing (15%) are the primary contributors to our GHG emissions, followed by product assembly (6%) and finally owned and operated facilities accounting for less than 2% of emissions. Please see the Corporate Responsibility Report for further details.
NOTE: Includes all brands (Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, SOREL, prAna)
Clean by Design
In 2019, we partnered with the Apparel Impact Institutes’ (Aii) Clean by Design program and one of our key manufacturing partners, Formosa Taffeta Co., Ltd., to roll out Clean by Design in three of their facilities – one in Chinese Taipei, and two in China. The Clean by Design program focuses on facility energy and water efficiency optimization. Results are expected in August 2020 and, based on progress thus far, we expect to see significant improvements in all areas.
In 2019, we partnered with the Apparel Impact Institutes’ (Aii) Clean by Design program and one of our key manufacturing partners, Formosa Taffeta Co., Ltd., to roll out Clean by Design in three of their facilities – one in Chinese Taipei, and two in China. The Clean by Design program focuses on facility energy and water efficiency optimization. Results are expected in August 2020 and, based on progress thus far, we expect to see significant improvements in all areas.
BLUESIGN® SYSTEM PARTNER
Columbia is a bluesign® System Partner. The bluesign® system reduces the environmental impact concerning the entire supply chain through its holistic approach towards inputs stream management. This helps to eliminate harmful substances right from the beginning of the manufacturing process and sets and controls standards for environmentally friendly and safe production. This not only ensures that the final textile product meets very stringent consumer safety requirements worldwide but also provides confidence to the consumer to acquire a sustainable product. See our most recent Corporate Responsibility Report for further details on our progress.
CORPORATE FACILITIES & LOGISTICS
We are committed to transporting our products using efficient, responsible shipping and packaging practices, and to measuring and managing impacts associated with the operations of our global real estate portfolio. Efficient resource management in logistics and operations starts with standard operating procedures and guidelines that set the stage for consistent practices. Some of our current guidelines include:
- Packaging material guidelines
- Packing dimension guidelines
- Container loading and optimization standards
- Green building standards
- Lighting control management systems
- Automated temperature control management systems