How does Staples rank on toxic chemicals?

Staples earned a letter grade of C, which is an improvement over its 2018 grade of D+. The company scored 49.75 out of 146.5 possible points and ranked 18th out of the 43 retailers evaluated this year.

Staples improved its score with its recent release of a public-facing chemicals policy, which includes a list of priority chemicals for the retailer and its suppliers to address. This list includes PFAS as a class, as well as a number of phthalates, flame retardants, methylene chloride, NMP, TCE, and bisphenols. The policy specifically references concerns about endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are an important and often overlooked category of concern. In discussing safer alternatives, the retailer also notes the utilization of a hazard-based approach, superior to the more common risk-based methodology. The policy does not, however, have quantifiable goals for implementation.

Opportunities for improvement: Staples can make progress by setting clear requirements to enforce its beyond restricted substance list (BRSL) and setting public quantifiable goals with clear timelines for reducing and eliminating any chemicals of high concern (CHCs). Staples should also follow up to its signing on to the Chemical Footprint Project by publicly releasing its total chemical footprint and a detailed plan to reduce it.

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Summary of Staples’ Grade

5.5 out of 17.5 points

Policy: Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy

Explanation of Points

Staples provided us with its safer chemicals policy that the retailer committed to making public in the weeks prior to the retailer report card being published. The policy outlines the retailer’s objectives to reduce CHCs and identifies specific priority chemicals, including some classes of chemicals (notably PFAS, flame retardants, phthalates, methylene chloride, NMP, TCE, and bisphenols), that the retailer will ask suppliers to focus on. The retailer notes that it will phase in requirements in the policy based on a number of criteria, including sales volume and customer interest, but the policy does not specify any restrictions already in effect, nor does it set public quantifiable goals. The policy provides for a restriction on one chemical, PVC, in packaging, which we recognize with partial credit, but it is otherwise silent on its application to packaging. It also does not appear to apply to internal operations, does not include a manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL), and is limited to certain geographical units of the company.

2.5 out of 5 points

Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives

Explanation of Points

Staples reports having a clear line of senior executives responsible for the implementation of its chemicals policy, including VP-level executives with oversight for private brands and merchandising. Staples does not appear to offer financial incentives for senior management to implement its safer chemicals policy.

2.5 out of 12.5 points

Accountability: Ensures supply chain accountability

Explanation of Points

Staples informed us that prior to having a formal written policy, the company acted to prohibit several CHCs in its private-label products and that it regularly tests for compliance with this policy, earning points for one of the four elements. The retailer intends to provide training to its suppliers in 2020 on the new policy, but as of now does not appear to address supply chain accountability beyond regulatory requirements.

5 out of 13 points

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

Explanation of Points

Staples informed us that it requires all suppliers to disclose every chemical in a product that triggers a California Proposition 65 warning (to the retailer, not the consumer). This disclosure could be the equivalent of having mandatory disclosure of a company-created BRSL. The retailer also noted that it intends to expand its utilization of UL WERCS to manage product chemical information for formulated products in the coming year.

0 out of 16 points

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

Explanation of Points

Staples has not publicly documented progress on reducing CHCs beyond regulatory compliance in the last three years. In 2018, we awarded points for the retailer’s public pledge made in 2016 to work to eliminate chemical flame retardants in chairs it sells. The company also informed us that it has eliminated phthalates from its private-label chair mats and BPA from its private-label add rolls, although it was not clear when these changes were made. As there are no clearly new actions in the last three years, we are not able to award points in this category.

6.5 out of 13.5 points

Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes

Explanation of Points

Staples policy states an explicit preference for the use of safer alternatives in private-label and brand-name products, with the retailer, “encourag[ing] our suppliers to work with their raw material suppliers to identify alternatives that are safer for our customers and the environment, using the most credible science and hazard evaluation tools available.” The retailer’s definition of safer alternative is generally aligned with our definition.

8.25 out of 18 points

Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure

Explanation of Points

Staples’ safer chemicals policy and BRSL are publicly available.

Staples’ policy formally encourages its suppliers to “provide chemical information on their packaging and/or web sites and to openly share information about chemicals on [its] Priority Chemicals of Concern List with customers when requested.” As it is unclear the extent of the chemical information and the extent to which it is “requested,” we have awarded partial credit.

1.5 out of 7.5 points

Chemical Footprint: Evaluates its chemical footprint

Explanation of Points

Staples was the first major retailer to become a signatory to the Chemical Footprint Project (CFP). However, since then, the company has not made any additional discernible progress on measuring its chemical footprint via the CFP.

3 out of 8.5 points

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

Explanation of Points

Staples sells and features cleaning products that meet Safer Choice and Green Seal standards on its Sustainable Products website. The company also features furniture, boards & easels and cleaning chemicals that meet Cradle 2 Cradle standards, as well as electronics that meet EPEAT standards. In 2015, the company received an award from EPA for its work to promote Safer Choice-certified products through its Sustainable Earth line of cleaning products. Staples also says: “Staples is currently tracking 48 different environmental attributes and 3rd party certifications to provide a portfolio report to Staples business customers. It tracks penetration of eco spend across all categories of products to assist customers to identify more sustainable alternatives.”

Extra Credit:

0 out of 5 points

Joint Announcement: Public commitment demonstrated through joint announcement

Explanation of Points

Staples 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.

5 out of 15 points

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

Explanation of Points

As discussed under criteria 1, in the last year, Staples launched a public-facing safer chemicals policy with a list of priority chemicals for suppliers to focus on addressing.

2.5 out of 5 points

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

Explanation of Points

Staples actively promotes the sale of sustainable products, including cleaning products meeting Safer Choice standards. Through the company’s Sustainable Products website, consumers can shop for safer products that meet numerous credible third-party standards and use “environmental” filters to find selected certified products while shopping online. Partial credit is awarded as the “Eco certified” Environmental filter may show products with certifications other than those related to safer chemicals.

5 out of 5 points

Collaboration: Actively participates in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals

Explanation of Points

The company states that it is “partnering with collaborative groups that drive the advancement of green chemistry, green engineering, safer chemicals and more sustainable products in the marketplace.” Staples notably is a member of BizNGO Working Group, Clean Production Action, EPA Safer Choice Product Labeling Program, Green Chemistry & Commerce Council’s Retail Leadership Council (RLC), the Health Product Declaration Collaborative, the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, and the Northwest Green Chemistry Center.

2.5 out of 5 points

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

Explanation of Points

Staples funded the Staples Sustainable Innovation Laboratory (SSIL) within the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), which, among other things, has looked at contributors to indoor air quality in offices. However, it is unclear if this support helps identify safer alternatives to CHCs or green chemistry solutions.

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