The Very Group
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2019-2020)
Reporting Period: 2019-2020
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:7,699 tCO2e
Total Energy Consumption:33,851,976 kWh
ESG Focus Areas
- Labour and Human Rights
- People and Colleague Culture
- Environment
- Community
- Anti-corruption
- Data Security and Privacy
- Financial Services
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced carbon emissions by 25% due to reduced business travel during the pandemic.
- 60% of lights in head office utilize energy-efficient LED fittings.
- 44.56% of waste successfully recycled.
- New fulfilment centre (Skygate) is an A-rated energy-certified building with water harvesting technology and potential for solar panel installation.
- Significant reduction in road miles and carbon emissions due to rail freight for imported goods.
Social Achievements
- Launched health and wellbeing training program for over 10,000 factory workers and their families.
- Joined Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme and signed up to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles.
- Implemented programs in India and Bangladesh to improve worker wellbeing, productivity, and communication, resulting in significant drops in absenteeism and migration rates.
- Developed a pre- and post-departure worker training app (Kordus) to support migrant workers in Malaysia.
- Provided support to colleagues impacted by fulfilment centre closures, including apprenticeships and training.
Governance Achievements
- Maintained a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, with 97% participation in annual training.
- Improved defences against cyber-attacks and implemented multi-factor authorization for employees.
- Regularly assess and measure resilience to cyber threats using information security KPIs.
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- 100% sustainable cotton by 2022.
Medium-term Goals:
- 10,000 workers trained across the supply chain.
- Roll out Kordus app for migrant worker recruitment.
Short-term Goals:
- Fully map tier 2 supply chain.
- Open six community centers in Southern India.
- Move electricity supply to renewable source.
- Achieve at least 80% recycled content in despatch bags.
- Launch clothing take-back scheme.
Environmental Challenges
- COVID-19 pandemic impacted people, supply chains, and customers.
- Supply chain disruptions due to political changes in Malaysia affecting migrant worker recruitment.
- Risks of human rights abuses in supply chains with prevalence of migrant labor, contract workers, refugees, young workers, and vulnerable workers.
Mitigation Strategies
- Provided food and hygiene parcels to vulnerable workers during the pandemic.
- Installed hand washing stations in worker communities in Bangladesh.
- Provided best practice guidance and training materials to factories to ensure safe reopening.
- Continued to support factories with orders during the pandemic.
- Developed Kordus app to improve transparency and efficiency in migrant worker recruitment.
- Worked with partners to address human rights risks in high-risk areas through in-country team visits, training, and capacity building.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Annual ethical audits for all tier 1 factories.
Responsible Procurement
- Very Group Code of Conduct
- Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy
- Homeworker Guidelines
- Child Labour Remediation and Young Workers Policy
- Migrant and Contract Worker Policy
- Syrian Refugee Remediation Policy
- Access to Remedy Policy
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: UN Global Compact
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Increased use of BCI cotton