Reviewed: How ethical and sustainable is Città?
Reviewed: How ethical and sustainable is Città ?
Ethical Home Edit Rating: BELOW AVERAGE
Sustainability: ✮✮✮✩✩
Social empowerment: ✮✮✩✩✩
Animal friendly: ✮✮✩✩✩
Price: $$ - $$$
Ships to: New Zealand, Australia (except furniture)
Città is a New Zealand owned interiors and furniture store and is a major player in the New Zealand home decor market. With 12 stores across the country, a recent sponsorship deal with the popular renovation show The Block NZ and products regularly featured in the leading interiors publications, Città has a presence in many New Zealand homes.
Città’s first sustainability strategy was published earlier this year. It is built around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sets out a range of aspirational targets under the headings ‘People’, ‘Planet’ and ‘Prosperity’.
“We’re proud to announce that we’ve developed a comprehensive sustainability strategy which will help guide us to become a market leader in minimising our environmental impacts while maximising our social impacts.”
While I am of course thrilled that Città has committed to assessing the impact it has on the planet and its people, it has a long journey ahead.
And given where Città is now, compared to where it wants to be, I must confess to being a bit miffed about its recently re-branded ‘About Us’ statement, which, to me at least, rather implies that Città is further along its ethical and sustainable journey than it actually is.
‘At Citta, we create objects with purpose. Whether an object’s purpose is to be functional or beautiful, or perhaps a bit of both, this philosophy has remained at our core since day one. We also work with purpose, in the way that we strive to partner with artisans and manufacturers to ensure our products are made ethically, sustainably and with respect to their provenance’.
But I digress.
The format and approach taken to Città’s sustainability strategy is good. I love the clear links with the SDGs and I think it has covered all the right bases in terms of its objectives.
I also want to applaud Città for including targets to be achieved over the next 4 years and for its openness in talking to me, providing additional information and answering my questions - many New Zealand brands refuse to talk to me full stop.
CITTA’S APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY
The ‘Planet’ section of Città’s sustainability strategy is comprehensive, covering its approach to plastics, chemicals, water, cotton supply, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), wood, energy use and efficiency, paper and palm oil. It also covers animal welfare which I’ve covered in greater detail below. I won’t go through each of the objectives in depth, but below are some highlights of the good...and the not so good.
What’s good?
There is a lot to like in this section. Città’s goals of signing up 100 percent of suppliers to its Supplier Code of Conduct by 2022 in relation to chemical and water usage sounds promising.
Citta has kindly provided me with a copy of its Suppliers Code of Conduct which outlines requirements for suppliers to follow in respect of the traceability of products and raw materials, environmental management, responsible chemical use, responsible water use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and waste.
While it primarily refers to compliance to national and local laws and regulations, it does outline Citta’s expectations for suppliers to reduce their negative environmental impacts - especially in relation to minimising single-use plastic, ensuring the health of local waterways and reducing GHGs. This is great.
I’m thrilled to see a focus on Città exploring how it can manufacture more of its sofas here in New Zealand (three out of four of its sofa ranges are produced in Auckland), and work more closely with local makers to minimise its carbon footprint. I also applaud the commitment to engage a GHG emissions expert to explore how the company could become carbon net-zero.
If Città meets its targets, by 2020 it will have achieved:
a 5 percent decrease in electricity usage in its showrooms, offices and warehouses from 2018 levels
a 75 percent reduction in paper usage from 2018 levels, with 100 percent of paper being from post-consumer recycled or FSC certified sources
a 50 percent reduction in air freight from 2018 levels (with a view to eliminating all air-freight by 2022)
What’s not-so-good?
Textiles
There are few things that I found disappointing. The first is that according to its strategy, Città is aiming for only a 25 percent reduction in synthetic washable textiles (sheets, clothing, blankets and dressing gowns) by 2020, and no mention of any further target beyond that.
I get the point that ‘polyester is an affordable and highly versatile material that produces well-liked products’, but given its negative environmental impact (synthetic fibres like polyester are made from oil, have a larger carbon footprint, often require harmful dyes, and release microplastic particles (through washing) that are rapidly accumulating in the ocean). is that really a good enough reason to keep using it when there are so many alternatives out there?
I shared a draft of this post with Città, and in response it has told me that it will be setting targets in this area when it revises the strategy in the New Year - it had to start somewhere and will continue to update and evolve its approach as it becomes more informed and educated.
I understand this and I do have sympathy with the need to strike a balance between sustainability, ethics and customer satisfaction. In respect of its dressing gowns, Città tells me that it has so far been unable to identify a natural fibre that can produce the hand-feel that customers expect. This does raise the question of our own role in its sustainability journey - what sacrifices are we as consumers prepared to make for the sake of planet and people?
As an interim solution while it continues to explore other options, Città has made a change to post-consumer recycled polyester for its dressing gowns which is GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified. Whilst recognising that this does not solve the washing issue, it does ensure that no virgin plastic is produced for these products. Città has also put detailed care instructions on these items to help reduce harm to the environment.
Città also tells me that it will no longer be producing polycotton sheets and will no longer offer polyester blankets once current stock runs out.
Wood
I’d like to see some more detail on the timing of when Città plans to become 100 percent Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified for its wood products. Città tells me that it is keen to make the necessary changes, but that price is a significant challenge at present.
Cotton
I am disappointed that Città is going to take until some point in 2020 to develop a company position on its procurement and use of cotton.
In response to my grumpiness, Città has said that it wanted to undertake due diligence in this area before taking a stance and that as a result, is in the process of moving conventional cotton products to GOTS certified cotton where possible. It is also favouring suppliers who can offer this. Città adds that the change will take time, but that many of its products, particularly those in the new season collection, including towels, bedding and cushion covers, are made with organic cotton.
This is good news - and I recognise that change can’t be expected to occur overnight. However, I would like to see Città take a stronger stance to minimise the negative impact of its cotton products, such as signing up to the Uzbek Cotton Pledge (to ensure that any cotton used has not involved forced labour), exploring using cotton from Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) approved farms, and including something specific on minimising harm from cotton production in the Supplier Code of Conduct.
Based on the above, I’ve given Città a three star rating (AVERAGE) for its approach to sustainability. It’s a good start, but there is room for improvement in some areas.
Image credit: Città
SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT
The ‘People’ section of Città’s sustainability strategy includes four objectives focused on staff, manufacturers and suppliers and one objective that relates to educating consumers.
I’m pleased that Città aims to become a living wage employer in New Zealand in 2020 - this is great news for its employees based here. I also like Città’s approach to educating its staff, manufacturers, suppliers and consumers about sustainability (I am hoping that this education also applies to ethics too!).
However, I’ve given Città a two star rating (BELOW AVERAGE) for its approach to social empowerment for a couple of reasons.
One: I think it’s great that Città is aiming to have 100 percent of its suppliers signed up to its Supplier Code of Conduct by 2020, which include provisions on community development, employment, fair wages and working conditions.
It is also good that it proposes to engage external auditors to ensure suppliers are actually following the Code (Città has told me that someone from the company has visited 90 percent of its factories, with the remainder to be visited by external auditors. The CEO and buyers will also be visiting five of Città’s suppliers - in India, Hong Kong and China - in a few weeks).
However, it is important to note that the Supplier Code of Conduct is new - it was recently drawn up to formalise Città’s relationships with existing suppliers. As such, I imagine that some suppliers will likely need some time to adapt and adjust to the requirements.
Città acknowledges that there is more work to be done to “define what “ethically sourced” and “fair pay” means to us based on the highest international standards”. Until Città decides for itself what these standards are, it is hard for us as consumers to make a call as to whether its approach goes far enough.
Two: The strategy sets out that Città’s goal for 2019 is to ‘gather detailed information (and certifications where applicable) on our supply chain and the current working conditions’. This is great. But….it does suggest that until recently, Città didn’t really have much of an idea about what was going on across its supply chains in terms of how its workers are treated, what they are paid and how safe their working conditions are. Not great. Not great at all.
Image credit: Città
ANIMAL RIGHTS
It is good to see that Città has included an objective around animal welfare in its sustainability strategy. And I get it when it says that it isn’t always easy to know what’s gone on when sourcing products derived from animals from other countries. Leather sourcing in particular poses significant challenges.
However, I’m a bit perplexed by the statement in the strategy that says ‘there are cultural differences to consider around animal welfare’.
I strongly advise Città to form its own view on what it considers to be acceptable for animal welfare (in line with international standards) and then source appropriately, avoiding any practices that do not align. I’m a bit concerned that the statement above could be used as an excuse to gloss over animal welfare issues on the basis of cultural differences.
In response, Città has referred me to its Supplier Code of Conduct which includes a section on animal welfare. While it’s great to see that ‘Citta require the highest standards of care and treatment of all animals within our supply chain and are committed to cruelty-free practices’, the practical requirements for suppliers to follow aren’t especially comprehensive.
The Supplier Code of Conduct states that that no animal testing is to be conducted or commissioned - good. That’s clear and unambiguous.
It also requires all animal products supplied to Città to be accompanied by documentation confirming the origin and the humane treatment of any animal used. This is great in principle, but I am sceptical about what this means in reality - what is considered humane to some may be very different to what is humane to others.
For example, while the Supplier Code of Conduct requires compliance with local and national regulations, these may be significantly lacking or non-existent in some countries. And it is great that the Code includes compliance with the Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), but this is a legal requirement anyway, and doesn’t apply to the majority of animals likely to be used in Città’s products (goats, cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese etc).
I’ve given Città a two star (BELOW AVERAGE) rating for their animal friendliness. I’d like to see Città make some definitive statements on animal welfare to leave no room for ambiguity. For example, statements relating to responsibly sourced feathers and down, and a clear position on the sourcing of leather, wool and fur. Certification isn’t always an option, but clearer guidance to suppliers on what is, and what isn’t, acceptable can only benefit us all.
CONCLUSION
I have given Città an overall two-star rating (BELOW AVERAGE).
Città deserves a pat on the back for being (as far as I know) the first major New Zealand home decor and furniture company to develop a comprehensive sustainability strategy that makes all the right noises and includes some impressive aspirational targets. If it meets the goals it has set itself, Città looks set to become a pretty ethical and sustainable company by 2022. However, it is far from being ethical and sustainable right now in terms of the materials it uses in its products and packaging, its knowledge about the treatment of workers across its supply chains and its approach to animal rights.
My rating is based on what Città is doing now rather than on what it is aspiring to do in the future. Only time will tell whether it delivers on its promises, and until it is a little further down the track, I’d advise Città to ease off on positioning itself as an ethical and sustainable retailer - to do so now does a disservice to those brands that have built their businesses around the highest standards from the start.
However, I very much look forward to reviewing Città’s score as it makes progress in implementing its approach to people, planet and prosperity in the coming months and years.
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