How Transa practices fair, sustainable procurement

From hardshell jackets to Merino tops and down sleeping bags: Transa’s product range seems almost infinite. What outdoor equipment makes the cut?
We cherry-pick our products, with quality, functionality and sustainability being the key characteristics we’re after. When assessing a new product, we take a closer look at social responsibility, environment protection and animal wellbeing. We divide these three areas into tangible criteria: some have to be met in order for us to add a product to our range, whereas others are desirable.

So, which criteria are mandatory? 
In principle, we look at the whole brand, rather than individual products. In terms of social responsibility, all suppliers and manufacturing sites need to comply with Transa’s Code of Conduct. This sets out rules on fair, safe supply chains, compliance with the law in the country of manufacture, and salaries at production sites – and that’s not just the minimum wage, but something that people can really live on. Ideally, they’d be a member of the relevant initiatives, like the Fair Wear Foundation for demonstrably safe, fair supply chains. 

When it comes to animal wellbeing, down and wool are the main products this applies to. The animals shouldn’t be hungry or thirsty, they should be fed the right diet, they shouldn’t experience any fear, suffering, discomfort or pain. In addition, they need to be free to exhibit normal behaviour. Transa does not sell products made using practices such as live-plucking, force-feeding or mulesing.    

In terms of environment protection, we work with brands to ensure that chemical doses, threshold values and emissions aren’t exceeded. We make sure that our suppliers comply with REACH, the European chemicals directive and that manufacturers don’t use certain damaging substances. We favour brands that are subject to independent checks, such as ‘bluesign®’. Similarly, we look at products that have a seal of quality or certificate, such as ‘GOTS’ (Global Organic Textile Standard) or ‘Made in Green by OEKO-TEX®’. We also favour products made from recycled materials, and, most importantly, we ask whether the products themselves are recyclable.

How does Transa make sure these procurement criteria are actually met?
The brand is in direct contact with the companies involved in the supply chain. We obtain the relevant evidence, but having a long-standing, trusting partnership with the brand is also crucial for us as a retailer. We want to know how a brand takes responsibility. For instance, do they undertake monitoring? Do third-parties perform audits or checks? Do they have certificates or credentials? The huge amount of work required for collecting data poses a challenge for retailers. 

Can customers see the procurement criteria that Transa uses? 
In our online shop, you can add filters like ‘bio’, ‘Fairtrade’ or ‘bluesign®’. The list also covers social and environmental sustainability, like animal wellbeing, so customers can quickly find the right products. Our glossary explains what individual labels and standards represent. We advise our customers in-store and they’re invited to actively ask about products’ sustainability credentials.
  
What else can our customers do themselves?
When you make a purchase, you lay the foundations for sustainability by, say, opting for particularly durable products. We’ll offer sound advice and work with you to find the right product. Labels create transparency and serve as a guide to the product’s journey before it got to Transa. From here on, our goal is to offer you the best assistance we can and ensure we can extend the life cycle as much as possible. This reduces the amounts of materials and energy used, which, in turn, conserves resources. Not least, our care and repair services help us maximise your equipment’s service life. 

How much does the country of production reveal about the manufacturing conditions? 
Lots of people believe that ‘Made in Europe’ guarantees ethical, sustainable production. While human rights violations are indeed rare within Europe’s tightly regulated states, major offences do still occur here. ‘Made in Europe’ isn’t necessarily good, and ‘Made in China’ isn’t necessarily bad. A product can be made in good conditions anywhere in the world. However, there are many other reasons why manufacturing in Europe is a sensible choice – like shorter transport routes, easier monitoring and clearer supply chains. 

What challenges does Transa have to deal with in terms of communicating about sustainable products? 
Showing customers that even smaller brands can be sustainable. Larger brands have the resources to show off their dedication. However, you can’t forget about the small manufacturers: some of them grew out of a commitment to sustainability and do a great job without shouting it from the rooftops. We make efforts to train our sales staff on this on an ongoing basis. 

What direction is Transa heading in?
At Transa, we love being outdoors and strive to take care of the natural world. When it comes to procurement criteria, we want to raise awareness further and offer our customers the maximum transparency when they’re interested in a product. In addition, we want to consistently call for the minimum standards we’ve mentioned in terms of environment protection, social sustainability and animal wellbeing: our goal is for our ‘desirable’ criteria to become our ‘must-haves’. 
 
Nowadays, many outdoor products still aren’t recyclable. How is Transa handling this?
We want to help make things better, rather than simply accepting the status quo. We do this by selecting products for our range in line with strict criteria that support the industry with product returns and recycling, and by helping our customers make more conscious purchases.