Ranking retailers on toxic chemicals

Ranking retailers on toxic chemicals

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Buy Buy Baby

D+
  • Buy Buy Baby
  • Bed Bath & Beyond
  • World Market

Bed Bath & Beyond and its subsidiary buybuy BABY earned a grade of D+, scoring 35 out of 135 possible points , ranking 12th out of 30 retailers evaluated. This company has started to take some actions to address toxic chemicals in the products it sells, but still has much room for improvement. Over the years, Bed Bath & Beyond has taken leading-edge steps to restrict specific chemicals of concern, but has not made recent efforts public. The company established a Restricted Substances List (RSL) in 2014, and since 2008 has restricted chemicals like BPA in food-contact items; triclosan in personal care products ; phthalates, lead, and cadmium in baby products; and certain flame retardant chemicals in all products . It urges vendors to seek safer replacements for chemicals on their RSL, which includes a company-wide Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) .

Opportunities for improvement: Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY should increase the transparency of its chemical policy and implementation efforts. The company should establish a specific list of high priority chemicals of concern and a timeline for restrictions in specific product sectors , and commit to evaluating its corporate Chemical Footprint so that it can report on reductions of chemicals of high concern in a manner similar to its reporting of operational reductions of energy and water consumption.

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Summary of Bed Bath & Beyond’s Grade

6 out of 15 points

Policy: Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy

Explanation of Points

Bed Bath & Beyond (including subsidiary buybuy BABY) has a written a Proactive Company Standard for chemicals that includes an RSL that goes beyond regulatory requirements and is updated annually. Further, it prohibits the presence of a subset of flame retardant chemicals in all products (beyond regulatory limits on product categories), and has a prohibition on the use of BPA in any reusable food or beverage container (regardless of where sold) and PVC in baby bibs. The company extends phthalates restrictions to all private label plastics. The last is enforced through its Testing Program. RSL includes a MSRL for all manufacturing that goes beyond regulatory requirements.

The company has not set public quantifiable goals for reducing and eliminating chemicals of high concern, and its policy does not appear to apply to packaging or operations.

2.5 out of 10 points

Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives

Explanation of Points

Several staff are assigned to safer chemicals management, to the Vice President level.

It is not clear if the chemical policy is included in job descriptions, if the board is engaged in the chemical policy, or if there are financial incentives for senior management to implement safer chemical policies.

2.5 out of 10 points

Accountability: Ensures supply chain accountability

Explanation of Points

Bed Bath & Beyond (including subsidiary buybuy BABY) requires third-party testing for some products. This includes tests conducted to verify achieving more stringent restrictions on lead and cadmium than is required by law, and broader restrictions on phthalates in all private label products.

The company has, however, not specifically disclosed initiatives to audit or train suppliers or to conduct testing on its own to ensure compliance with the policy.

5 out of 10 points

Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer

Explanation of Points

Vendors must supply all chemical ingredients for formulated products to WERCS, although there is no indication that they are required to disclose fragrance ingredients. Bed Bath & Beyond (including subsidiary buybuy BABY) does not require disclosure of generic material content for articles.
0 out of 15 points

Action: Reduced or eliminated chemicals of high concern within the last three years

Explanation of Points

The RSL for Bed Bath & Beyond (including subsidiary buybuy BABY) is updated annually. Unlike its reporting on energy and water use, Bed Bath and Beyond, Inc. does not report on metrics for reductions in chemicals of high concern.
1 out of 10 points

Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes

Explanation of Points

Bed Bath & Beyond’s RSL only says: “Be reminded that vendors should avoid replacing substances of potential concern with another substance of equal or greater concern. Vendors should always seek known safer alternatives.”
6.5 out of 15 points

Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure

Explanation of Points

Chemicals policy is described in Corporate Sustainability Reports and updated annually. Beyond Restricted Substances List (BRSL) is updated annually, but is not publicly available.

Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc. (and subsidiary buybuy BABY) do not appear to encourage or require the disclosure of ingredients in products sold online or on product packaging. They publicly disclose online the identity of glider chairs, ottomans, and changing pads that are free of flame retardant chemicals, going beyond regulatory compliance.

0 out of 7.5 points

Chemical Footprint: Evaluates its chemical footprint

Explanation of Points

No discernible progress on chemical footprint.
1.5 out of 7.5 points

Third-party Standards: Promotes credible third party standards for safer products

Explanation of Points

Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY offer products certified by Oeko-Tex and the Global Organic Textile Standards

Extra Credit:

0 out of 5 points

Joint Announcement: Public commitment demonstrated through joint announcement

Explanation of Points

No discernible public commitment via joint announcement.
10 out of 15 points

Continuous Improvement: Shows continuous improvement by steadily expanding safer chemicals policy

Explanation of Points

Bed Bath & Beyond (including subsidiary buybuy BABY) updates its Restricted Substances List annually, and takes annual steps to advance safer chemical use. This was publicly disclosed starting in 2010, and has included actions ahead of and beyond regulations on bisphenol A in drink containers, vinyl in bibs, more stringent restrictions on lead and cadmium, phthalates in private label products, and flame retardants (including restriction of certain flame retardants in all products and all flame retardants in certain products).
0 out of 5 points

Safer Products: Program to promote safer products in stores and/or on website

Explanation of Points

No discernible program to feature and market safer products on store shelves and/or website.
0 out of 5 points

Collaboration: Actively participates in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals

Explanation of Points

No indication of active participation in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals.
0 out of 5 points

Impact Investment: Investing financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives and/or green chemistry solutions

Explanation of Points

No indication that company invests significant financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives to chemicals of high concern and/or green chemistry solutions.
Grade
D+
Points
35
Take Action
D+

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@buybuyBABY @BedBathBeyond earned only a D+ for actions on toxic chemicals? We deserve better #MindTheStore $BBBYClick To Tweet

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