Page 41 - ABFRL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2016-17

ABFRL
SUSTAINABILITY
REPORT /

SUPPLY CHAIN SUSTAINABILITY

In order to ensure a sustainable value chain, we encourage our suppliers to be conscious in their business actions. We
have undertaken the following initiatives to ensure supply chain sustainability and responsible business operations:

GREEN CHANNEL PARTNERSHIP MATERIALS

Green Channel Partnership is a supplier quality system Assuring the quality of materials supplied is a key focus
certi cation and results correlation for accepting area in our supply chain sustainability vision. All the
merchandise quality based on the supplier quality suppliers are mapped to explore innovations in fabric
report and self-certi cation. This results in consistent such as cotton, hemp, viscose and recycled polyester.
availability of quality raw materials, on-time delivery Alliances with sustainable raw material providers are
and minimum inventory. also being built to facilitate responsible sourcing.
We are a member of Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), a
non-pro t organisation, which works towards
safeguarding global standards of better cotton and
amalgamating the complex cotton supply chain, right
from the farmers to the retailers.

The goal of Green Channel Partnership is:
to accept the merchandise based on supplier LAUNDRY AUDIT SYSTEM
self-certi cation, and avoid duplicity of testing
and inspection Laundries cause the largest amount of water and
chemical consumption in the life-cycle of a garment.
to reduce supply chain cycle timeline Hence, we created the laundry audit system to raise
awareness across our supplier base through sharing of
to reduce cost and improve OTIF through better best practices and imparting knowledge on water and
supplier management
chemical management.

%
of our fabric supply chain has been
covered under the Green Channel
Partnership activity in FY 2016-17

SUPPLIER ASSESSMENT ON
RESTRICTED SUBSTANCES LIST (RSL)

In 2012, we became the rst Indian retailer to release a
restricted substances list. We assess our suppliers on
their adherence to the RSL, and have also completed
the assessment of all our laundry units for compliance.
We plan to take this initiative to the next level through
robust interventions in chemical management and the
formulation of a chemical management policy.
TRANSPORTATION
VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT
Optimising the mode of transport and the vehicle
We have in place ABFRL-Vendor Code of Conduct route, reducing the distance travelled, and ascertaining
(VCOC) which serves as a guidance document for the optimum weight and volume of cargo play a crucial
suppliers to establish environmental and social part in reducing our environmental and social footprint.
management systems, and helps us assess our supplier's Regular feasibility assessments are undertaken to
compliance with environmental, social and legal identify the most e cient means of transport and
provisions. Most of our key suppliers have been audited freight movement. Active measures are being taken to
on the VCOC till date, through a robust auditing system. reduce the usage of air transport.
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