Sustainability

Lowes’ Schoolwear is committed to supplying school communities with reliable and sustainable uniforms. Our buying team work with our uniform makers to comply with environmental law, regulatory requirements and environmental license conditions. To ensure compliance, our factory source supply accreditation with regular audits conducted on wages and benefits, working hours, discrimination, abuse of freedom and ensure they do not engage child or slave labour. Inspections will be assessed and converted by third party to validate all certification and aid in closing out audits conducted in factories, so that processes are put in place to continue to improve conditions of employment. As a large business Lowes is required to report annually on risks of modern slavery in our operations and supply chains, and actions to address those risks, and for related purposes, under the Commonwealth Modern Slavery Act.

Lowes Schoolwear is also committed to minimising the environmental impact of operations through the adoption of sustainable practices and continual improvement in environmental performance. We recognise that our biggest direct environmental impact comes from our distribution activities and retail stores. Our Environmental Policy subsequently focuses on the following areas where we believe we can affect positive changes: packaging; waste; transportation; energy and emissions. Examples of our everyday actions include: the recycling of waste such as paper/cardboard; the recycling-reusing of items such as clothes hangers; using LED lighting to reduce carbon emissions, along with other carbon initiatives; reducing the amount of driving within the organisation; and reducing the number of flights taken.

Principles for procuring sustainably Principles of sustainable procurement include:

• adopting strategies to avoid unnecessary consumption and manage demand (this includes the consumption of energy and water)
• giving consideration to the purchase of goods and infrastructure that can be reused, repaired and recycled, and that include recycled content
• minimising environmental impacts over the life of the goods and services by choosing products or services that have lower adverse impacts associated with any stage in their production, use or disposal
• fostering innovation in sustainable products and services through the design and implementation of procurements
• ensuring that fair and ethical sourcing practices are applied and that suppliers are complying with socially responsible practices, including legislative obligations to employees.

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