Fields of Action & Targets
Clear organization – six fields of action
The company has established efficient sustainability management structures to ensure consistent execution of the sustainability strategy. The Sustainability Committee, headed by the Chief Executive Officer, is the central body for coordinating the sustainability strategy. It is staffed by the persons responsible from all relevant divisions.
Strategic, targeted measures and a clear organization – characteristics of the sustainability activities at HUGO BOSS. To ensure that the company’s commitment is focused and meaningful, six fields of action have been defined which concentrate on the following key topics: We, Environment, Employees, Partners, Products, and Society.
Our fields of action and targets
- We: Vision and strategy
The strategy under which HUGO BOSS focuses its sustainability activities is developed here. Together with its stakeholders, HUGO BOSS conducts analyses, decides on the most important sustainability topics, and designs measures to live up to its responsibility more and more each year.
Targets in the “We: Vision and strategy” area
- Implement a comprehensive, Group-wide stakeholder management strategy (by 2020)
- Enabling a structured exchange between stakeholders and the operative Company management (ongoing)
- Integrate the sustainability principle within the HUGO BOSS Group through different events (ongoing)
- Environment
HUGO BOSS runs its own production sites and dispatches its goods over a supply chain that spans the entire globe. As such, CO2 emissions, waste, and waste water are unavoidable – but can be reduced through efficiency. HUGO BOSS does all it can to reduce the environmental impact of its business activities at its own sites and its logistics – for example, through smart buildings, environmentally-friendly technologies, and optimized transportation modes.
Targets in the environment area
- Reducing energy use (30%), CO2 emissions (scopes 1 and 2) (40%), and water consumption (40%) in relation to Group sales, compared to the baseline year 2016 (by 2025)
- Implementation of a sustainable store concept for the new construction and renovation of stores in all regions (by 2025)
- Increase of more environmentally-friendly modes of transport (sea freight and rail shipping) by 2%, with a simultaneous reduction in shipping emissions (scope 3) by 4% in proportion to shipment weight (in kg) compared to the baseline year 2016, for finished goods delivered to Germany (by 2018) (This meets the targets set by the COP21 agreements)
- Employees
Companies can only grow sustainably with their employees. HUGO BOSS creates a working environment where each individual can participate and achieve their potential. The Code of Conduct and high HUGO BOSS Social Standards create the framework.
Targets in the employees area
- Revision of the global OHS strategy with the goal of establishing a uniform standard Group-wide that is measured and coordinated through a system of KPIs (by 2020)
- Further development and implementation of a job grading system in the HUGO BOSS AG which focuses on the value of the different job positions (by 2019)
- Group-wide strengthening of employee involvement by regular
implementation of employee surveys at all HUGO BOSS sites (ongoing)
- Partners
A sustainable framework for procurement and production processes is absolutely essential for HUGO BOSS, given its international production and business operations. The HUGO BOSS Social Standards require all partners to uphold human rights, to provide a safe workplace, and to compensate their employees fairly. HUGO BOSS also cooperates closely with its suppliers when it comes to reducing environmental impacts in the supply chain.
Targets in the partners area
- Achieve full transparency for all finished goods suppliers with regard to social, environmental, and economic performance factors, as well as full transparency for their digitally-supported supply chains (by 2025)
- Source more than 90% of all goods from suppliers (including internal production sites) that achieve at least a “satisfactory” result in social audits (ongoing)
- All strategic finished goods suppliers must meet GSCP Level 1: They must be legally compliant and raise awareness for environmental topics among their employees (by 2020)
- Products
HUGO BOSS products combine top quality and sophisticated design with ethical standards and compliance with environmental and health demands. The primary goal is to achieve innovative, sustainable product solutions that unleash the full potential of HUGO BOSS. Whether shoes made of pineapple leaf fibers, virtual 3D prototypes, or plasma treatment of wool: HUGO BOSS explores new horizons to meet its customers’ expectations.
Targets in the products area
- Development of a comprehensive sustainable material policy defining clear roadmaps and timebound targets for the most used materials across the organization (by 2020)
- Implement the HUGO BOSS circular design strategy within the framework of the “2020 Circular Fashion System Commitment” (by 2020)
- Launch dedicated sustainable and innovative capsule collections across the brand portfolio on a yearly basis (ongoing)
- Society
HUGO BOSS sees itself as part of society. That’s why the company wants to contribute to its future viability. With UNICEF education projects in Africa, career support programs for women in Turkey, and events that help provide access to the arts for children from socially deprived families: HUGO BOSS strengthens society by supporting the development potential of its members.
Targets in the society area
- Reaching 2,100 women from weak economic background with trainings in the ISKUR project (by 2025)
- Reaching 1,400 children through the HUGO BOSS Education Association (by 2025)
- Implementing a strategic flagship project with quantifiable community value added (by 2020)
