Supply Chain

We have focused most of our efforts to mitigate our impact on the planet from the parts of our business over which we have the most direct control. But we know that ultimately we can create greater change by moving further into our supply chain, where a significant portion of the emissions related to our business originate. We are working with our global strategic suppliers to assess their environment impacts. We are also collaborating with the broader apparel industry to come up with wide-scale solutions.

We are a founding member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), and in 2014 we became the first retailer to executive a large-scale rollout of the Higg Index, SAC’s environmental measurement tool, with suppliers. Beginning in 2017, we expanded our use of the Higg Facility Environmental Modules (FEM) 3.0 to collect self-assessment data not only from our suppliers but also our mill’s. By 2020, we expect all Gap Inc. supplier mill facilities to participate in and report for Higg FEM 3.0 including verification by a third party.

By leveraging our partnerships, we can analyze and improve the environmental performance of our supply chain. In 2019, we achieved over a 90% response rate from our supply chain on the Higg FEM 3.0: 97% of our cut-and-sew manufacturers and 91% of fabric mills and dyehouses use the Higg FEM 3.0, which is among the highest response rates of any brand SAC members. 

THE SHORT STORY 
SUPPLY CHAIN

• To more fully address our environmental footprint, we partner with our suppliers to monitor and improve their environmental performance. 

• We are a founding member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), an industry collaboration focused on creating shared standards. 

• We were the first retailer to execute a large-scale rollout of the Higg Index, the SAC’s environmental measurement tool, with suppliers. In 2019, we achieved over a 90% response rate from our supply chain on the Higg FEM 3.0. 

Our suppliers’ involvement is key to our ability to calculate our energy, GHG and water baselines, helping us drive social and environmental performance. The data we procure using these tools is also instrumental in our goal-setting and sustainability strategies. In 2019, we established a science-based target that includes our Scope 3 GHG emissions; we also created a robust supply-chain climate strategy using real data from the SAC’s Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) 3.0. We appreciate our suppliers’ partnership and Gap Inc.’s cross-functional collaboration that made this important process possible.

We leverage an online dashboard that allows our suppliers to see their environmental performance and identify opportunities to reduce GHG emissions, energy use and water consumption. Our long-term strategy centers on training suppliers on more sustainable manufacturing practices, engaging them on the Higg Index and our goals, and working with them to establish environmental impact reduction goals of their own. 

More information on our supply-chain programs: Mills + Laundries.