Group says lululemon is ‘greenwashing’ as its emissions rise, wants competition probe

A non-profit organization in B.C. says it has asked Canada’s Competition Bureau to investigate athletic-wear giant lululemon, arguing the company is misleading customers about its environmental impacts.

A statement from Stand.earth says lululemon has been using the slogan “Be Planet” as part of its “impact agenda” released in 2020, but the company’s own reports reveal a doubling of greenhouse-gas emissions since then.

lululemon’s 2022 impact report says its “products and actions help lead (the) industry toward a climate-stable future where nature and people thrive.” It also says the Vancouver-based company aims to meet a series of climate action targets by 2030, including a 60-per-cent reduction in emissions intensity for “Scope 3” operations, which encompasses the making and shipping of clothing globally.

2:39 BIV: Chip Wilson boosts net worth over $400 million

But lululemon’s reports, cited by Stand.earth, show total emissions for that category rose to nearly 1.7 million tonnes, up from about 830,000 tonnes in 2020. The company’s report shows “Scope 3” activities represent 99.7 per cent of its total carbon footprint.

In an emailed statement, lululemon said it’s committed to its “decarbonization plan,” and to meeting its goal of being net-zero by 2050. Its plan targets the four areas of its carbon footprint, it added: products and packaging, manufacturing, transportation, and owned and operated facilities.

“We invest in these areas through our annual business planning, as well as through industry collaborations, including the Apparel Impact Institute Fashion Climate Fund,” the company wrote.

“We recognize that the majority of impact comes from emissions within the broader supply chain. In 2022, we measured and reported a limited intensity reduction in our Scope 3 greenhouse emissions and are working to accelerate this progress.”

2:50 BIV: Lululemon makes a splash

The report says lululemon has met its goal to power its own facilities with “renewable electricity,” while noting the goal to reduce emissions in “Scope 3” operations “needs acceleration.”

In its statement to Global News, lululemon said its progress on renewable electricity, as well as a 60-per cent absolute reduction of emissions from its owned and operated facilities, has been independently verified.

Tzeporah Berman, international program director for Stand.earth, told a press conference Monday that lululemon’s branding amounts to “greenwashing,” purporting to be a climate steward while pocketing profits associated with rising emissions.

The Competition Bureau has yet to confirm whether it has received the application from Stand.earth to investigate lululemon under the Competition Act.

— with files from Global News