3. Engagement with China

In 2016, we proved our commitment to China in the area of sustainability and made strides in the Asia-Pacific Action Plan, one of the main regional programmes included in the 2016-2020 Strategic Environmental Plan. As we enter 2017, we continue to make progress towards our goal of making all stores in the country eco-efficient by 2018, having connected all of them to the eco-efficiency platform. This allows us to identify facilities that consume more resources in order to complete the necessary renovations in the upcoming year and fulfil our commitment.

In the same vein, different organizations like the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) have taken an interest in our eco-efficient store model and our Manual.

Other 2016 highlights include the work we did at the Shanghai office. We refurbished the facility, implemented the Good Office Practices Handbook, and installed new LED lighting with motion and heat sensors that can detect the presence of people and illuminate the rooms where they are working. We also installed new air-conditioning and water conservation systems, as well as purification plants so we can put in water fountains and reduce the number of plastic bottles used.

By partnering with the organization China Environmental Protection Foundation (CEPF), we have been able to launch Closing the Loop at our stores in China. With the aim of reducing the waste produced throughout our value chain, we include defective items and products from other collections to give them a second chance, while at the same time supporting our community by donating them and/or selling them for social causes.