Macy’s

Macy’s 2018 Sustainability Report (published on September 10, 2019) provides details about the company’s approach to chemicals management. The report notes Macy’s has a chemical management goal of continuing “to remove unwanted chemicals and [increasing] transparency of designated private brand product lines.” The report further states: “Macy’s Private Brands is expanding our Chemical Management Program to enhance education and training around chemicals of concern and to provide increased ingredient transparency when appropriate. We will restrict hazardous chemicals that are used in the finished products we sell, as well as the ones used during the manufacturing process. To achieve this, we have developed a two-part approach that will be implemented over the next six years.” Macy’s staff added that the company’s current Chemical Management Program for private brands is part of Macy’s “product testing and compliance program and is not public facing,” and that the company is “expanding it by developing an RSL/MRSL and rolling out by family of business.” The company notes that “The policy will apply to all Private Brand products sourced by Macy’s Private Brands, aka Macy’s Merchandising Group, regardless of where they are sold.” Partial credit is awarded to recognize Macy’s steps toward establishing a safer chemicals policy that applies to all locations where private-brand products are sold, although it is not certain that the policy will go beyond regulatory compliance.

According to the sustainability report, this policy includes a timeline for establishing and implementing (a) an RSL covering private-brand apparel, footwear, and home textiles by 2022 and non-apparel categories “beginning in 2024” and (b) an MRSL for private-brand children’s apparel/footwear and home textiles by 2023 and non-apparel product categories “beginning in 2025.” Staff reported to us that whether the RSL and MRSL will go beyond regulatory requirements is “currently under review and [they] will make appropriate determinations as the program is developed.” Since the RSL and MRSL are under development and it is not certain that the RSL or MRSL will go beyond regulatory compliance, we are awarding partial credit for both of these components.

It does not appear that Macy’s has set public quantifiable goals for reducing and eliminating CHCs (since the details of Macy’s RSL and MRSL are not public yet) and its policy does not appear to apply to operations or packaging.

According to Macy’s 2018 Sustainability Report, the company established a new Macy’s Inc. Sustainability Working Group that is led by the senior vice president of corporate communications and responsible for implementing the sustainability goals. Separately, the sustainability report references a Product Integrity and Quality Assurance Group that seems to be directly responsible for implementing the chemicals management goals. However, Macy’s has not specifically stated that a member of senior management is responsible for implementing the safer chemicals policy, so partial credit is awarded.

Macy’s 2018 Sustainability Report mentions “Macy’s Private Brands is expanding our Chemical Management Program to enhance education and training around chemicals of concern.” Staff noted to us separately that the training will discuss Macy’s safer chemicals policy or any reporting requirements, to the extent they go beyond regulatory compliance. Partial credit is awarded because it is not certain that the policy will go beyond regulatory compliance and because the training program is under development.

The report also mentions that the Macy’s Product Integrity and Quality Assurance Group “oversees quality and testing programs,” but it does not indicate whether the company plans to conduct routine testing itself or require suppliers to test their products in third-party laboratories to determine compliance with the forthcoming RSL or MRSL. The company’s existing testing program requires third-party testing but appears to only (currently) be used to determine compliance with regulations and the company did not indicate any different plans for the future.

Macy’s has not specifically disclosed that it incorporates its safer chemicals policy or reporting requirements in supplier contracts.

Macy’s has not taken any discernible action on suppliers disclosing ingredients to the retailer, going beyond regulatory compliance. Macy’s 2018 Sustainability Report states: “Macy’s Private Brands is introducing a new, online information system, SGS Transparency-One, that will enable the direct exchange of technical information and data with our suppliers.” Staff noted that once guidelines are set up, the platform is capable of capturing some level of chemical ingredient information so that suppliers can disclose it to Macy’s. However, staff did not indicate current plans to create those guidelines.

Macy’s requires its tanning facilities that provide leather for private goods to be certified according to the Leather Working Group by 2021. According to staff, “even a Bronze certification requires a serious and continuous commitment to responsible consumption and elimination of hazardous chemicals by the tanning facility. As many of these tanning facilities are in developing countries, the reductions go well past what is required by local governments.” Just before the company told suppliers of this requirement in February 2018, 33% of the company’s leather tanneries were certified; as of September 2019, 71% are certified to at least the Bronze level.

More than four years ago, in October 2015, Macy’s committed to eliminating flame retardants in the furniture the company sold. Macy’s stated: “If we do identify a vendor that is still applying the old flame retardants [to furniture], we will be requiring them to cease doing so immediately.”

The company notes in its 2018 Sustainability Report that it will “restrict hazardous chemicals that are used in the finished products we sell, as well as the ones used during the manufacturing process” but does not explicitly state that it will encourage suppliers to replace these chemicals with affirmatively safer alternatives (as opposed to alternatives of unknown toxicity). Separate from Macy’s policy, staff confirmed to us that they “will work with our suppliers to identify and shift to safer chemical alternatives as the program evolves,” so partial credit is awarded.

Macy’s 2018 Sustainability Report describes the company’s efforts to manage chemicals and notes that the program is being developed. Given the company’s transparency around its process, we are awarding partial credit. The company plans to develop an RSL and MRSL in the future (after 2020).

Macy’s subsidiary Bluemercury discloses that its “M-61 Powerful Skincare” line of products “is 100% free from harmful parabens, sulfates, and phthalates” and that its “Lune+Aster” vegan makeup line is at least paraben-free on product pages under the heading of “About the Brand,” and sometimes puts these disclosures on packaging. Since Macy’s or its subsidiaries do not have official public, written safer chemicals policies, these disclosures cannot receive points for purposes of this report card. The company does not appear to further encourage or require suppliers to publicly disclose ingredients in products online or on product packaging.

Macy’s has not made any discernible progress on measuring its chemical footprint via the Chemical Footprint Project.

Macy’s states on its website that it: “has partnered with OEKO-TEX® to supply select private label products certified with the STANDARD 100 or MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX ® labels.” Certified products include some sheets, towels, and rugs. The STANDARD 100 certification means it has been tested against a list of more than 300 harmful substances. The MADE IN GREEN certification means that the product is certified to STANDARD 100 and is also certified on other measures of sustainable production. The STANDARD 100 list includes substances that are regulated but also those that are not currently subject to regulation in textiles (e.g., certain PFAS chemicals). It appears that products are not allowed to receive the certification or label unless the chemicals are below allowed limits. According to its 2018 Sustainability Report: by fall 2019, “all of Macy’s moderately priced sheets [representing a portion of its sheet offerings] will have been independently certified” as MADE IN GREEN, and in 2019, “Macy’s will begin offering selected Women’s and Men’s apparel” that are certified to STANDARD 100. We have awarded partial credit for this category because the company has gone above simply encouraging suppliers to get this certification but has not gotten the certification for an entire product category.

Additionally: for “earth month” in 2019, Macy’s transformed “The [email protected]’s” (where the company features specific brands at 12 different locations) and highlighted 4 “green” brands, one of which was Loli, the “world’s first sustainable + certified MADE SAFE(R) organic beauty brand.”

The company also showcases “EWG Verified” products on its site and prominently features the certification stamp next to the products’ images.

Macy’s has not made a discernible public commitment through a joint announcement or other coordination effort in advance of a major announcement within the time periods specified in the scoring rubric.

Macy’s has improved its management of chemicals in its private-label products over the past year.

In its 2018 Sustainability Report, the company set goals for itself around establishing and implementing an RSL (covering private-brand apparel, footwear, and home textiles by 2022 and non-apparel categories “beginning in 2024”) and MRSL (for private-brand children’s apparel/footwear and home textiles by 2023 and non-apparel product categories “beginning in 2025”), though it is not certain that the RSL and MRSL will go beyond regulatory requirements. Macy’s also discussed its management of chemicals generally in this report. Additionally, the company disclosed that it is not only carrying products certified by OEKO-TEX but that it has partnered with this certification body “to supply select private label products certified with the STANDARD 100 or MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® label.” Both of these standards appear to ensure the products are free of more than 300 harmful substances.

Macy’s has taken action to highlight safer products. For “earth month” in 2019, Macy’s transformed “The [email protected]’s” (where the company features specific brands at 12 different locations) and highlighted 4 “green” brands, one of which was Loli, which is the “world’s first sustainable + certified MADE SAFE(R) organic beauty brand.” Additionally, on www.macys.com, “Natural Beauty” is listed under the “New and Noteworthy” heading on the Beauty page. Products listed on the “Natural Beauty” page are highlighted as being “paraben-free,” “phthalate-free,” and “sulfate-free.”

Bloomingdale’s also features and markets safer products on its website. “Wellchemist” is highlighted on the front page of the “Beauty” section of www.bloomingdales.com. The description states: “Our clean-beauty collection features next-generation science and proven formulas- always free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates.”

There is no indication that the retailer actively participates in a collaborative process or retains an independent expert body to promote safer chemicals or that it has created an external advisory board to provide input on implementation of any safer chemicals policy.