Lululemon’s motto is “Be Human, Be Well, and Be Planet,” according to The Guardian. The Canada-based company stresses the importance of sustainability and the environment in its business, but it’s being called out for doing the opposite.
What did yoga teachers say about Lululemon?
Yoga teachers around the globe wrote a letter petitioning the company to improve its manufacturing process to meet its sustainable marketing campaigns, per The Hill. Currently, 477 yoga teachers and 500 students have signed the letter.
The Guardian reports that last year, Lululemon was responsible for emitting 20,374 tons of CO2-equivalent from directly controlled activities and 381,797 tons of CO2-equivalent from its supply chain.
The yoga teachers and students want the company to live up to the sustainability values it claims to follow.
According to Good on You, a source that rates brands on their ethical and sustainable practices, “Lululemon talks about ways to improve environmental impact. Although this is positive, it doesn’t reflect any meaningful action. For a global brand such as Lululemon, there is no excuse not to do its part for the environment.”
Is Lululemon threatening the environment?
An author in the petition letter wrote that “Lululemon’s reliance on coal as a source of energy is extremely harmful to people and the environment, particularly in countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, where its products are made,” according to The Hill.
According the letter, pollution from Lululemon’s production is a threat to human and health and climate change, per The Guardian. The Hill reported that the authors cited a Harvard study that found fossil fuels are responsible for 1 in 5 deaths worldwide.
What did Lululemon say in response to the letter?
In a statement to The Guardian, the company said it is focused on creating a sustainable industry.
“We know that a majority of impact is in Scope 3 (greenhouse gas emissions), including industry supply chains, and we are committed to continuing to innovate across the supply chain and are actively working with industry partners to be a part of the solution,” the statement said.
