At Joe Fresh®, we’re dedicated to bettering our practices through ongoing environmental and social commitments. As a proudly Canadian fashion retailer, we’re working to reduce our impact on the planet and to create a stronger community in our workplaces, across our supply chains, and with our customers — for decades to come.
Since 2007, our efforts have been reflected in Loblaw Companies Limited’s (Loblaws) annual Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Report. The report details our commitment to remaining transparent and accountable to our customers and communities, and we remain dedicated to furthering our progress by consistently implementing new sustainability initiatives. Read the full 2024 LCL ESG Report.
What We're Doing
Net-Zero Target
For decades, Loblaw has been tracking the GHG footprint of our corporate stores and operations. Between 2016 and 2020, we reduced our corporate GHG emissions through advancements in energy management, equipment conversions, and reducing refrigerant leaks.
In 2021, we increased our ambitions with a phased approach to reach net-zero emissions across our full enterprise operations — including corporate, franchise, and associate-owned stores, as well as corporate offices and distribution centres — by 2040. Our plan focuses on four key aspects of our footprint: refrigerants, heating, electricity, and fleet decarbonization. In 2023, we released our plan to tackle our Scope 3 emissions by 2050.
Our plan is aligned with the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius through collective action. To help achieve this commitment, Joe Fresh is focused on key initiatives to integrate sustainability and circularity into our products and supply chain processes. Find out more about Loblaw’s Net-Zero plan.
As we continue providing Canadians with essential styles and exceptional value, we are dedicated to increasing our use of preferred fibres and materials within our product assortment. Our preferred textiles list is comprised of certified materials that support responsible sourcing. We continuously review our current textile library and explore new opportunities for responsible sourcing.
Responsible Cotton. We are committed to transitioning 100% of our cotton-rich* products to responsible cotton by the end of 2025.
Sample Downcycling
In 2022, Joe Fresh® began diverting textile samples, wherever possible, from landfills in partnership with csr eco solutions.
CSR Eco Solutions works with textile recyclers to downcycle discarded apparel samples unsuitable for consumer use into building and automotive insulation. As the industry and technology develop better fibre-to-fibre recycling, Joe Fresh® will continue to identify opportunities to further advance circularity.
*Calculated in accordance with the EPA methodology by csr eco solutions.
Ethical Labour Practices
In 2021, we enhanced our standing pledge with our apparel and footwear suppliers, expanding their commitment not to source cotton or textile products made with cotton produced in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to also include the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China, due to widespread evidence that these countries employ forced and child labour in their cotton harvests. These regional restrictions are noted in our supplier agreements, and we now require relevant suppliers to complete an annual attestation confirming that they do not source from these regions.
Joe Fresh® apparel supports the ethical sourcing and humane treatment of animals. We have banned the use of fur, mohair (Angora goat), and Angora (Angora rabbit) in all Joe Fresh® products. We also clearly and properly label any synthetic materials that resemble animal by-products.
As part of Loblaw, Joe Fresh® relies on our network of suppliers — including vendors, manufacturers, agents, and others — to commit to and uphold our high standards of integrity, values, and operating principles as set out by Loblaw Companies Limited. These standards extend to the employees who work in our network of stores, offices, and facilities nationwide, and to the many workers within our wider supply chain network. We have taken significant steps to improve transparency within our international supply chain, and we work with leading international apparel brands, non-governmental agencies, and labour groups to improve industry working conditions.
In 2013, we were a founding member of the Accord on Building and Fire Safety in Bangladesh (The Accord). In 2023, we renewed our support for The Accord by signing the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry (The International Accord), which includes the following key features:
- A commitment to focus on the health and safety program in Bangladesh and to build a credible, industry-wide compliance and accountability mechanism.
- A commitment to expand the work of the International Accord based on feasibility studies in other markets.
- An option to expand the scope of the agreement to address human rights due diligence.
- An optional streamlined arbitration process to enforce the terms of the Accord.
Prior to sourcing goods from a supplier, Loblaw audits the factories and processing facilities that manufacture Joe Fresh® products. Facility compliance audits are conducted by third-party experts using a best-practice audit framework across all manufacturing regions. Find out more about our supplier code of conduct, human rights commitments, and our factories.
Cascale
In 2023, Joe Fresh® became a member of Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) and gained access to the Higg Index. Developed and owned by Cascale, the Higg Index serves as a standardized sustainability measurement framework for the consumer goods industry, assessing various aspects of sustainability within the supply chain. We have begun onboarding our direct vendor base to the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) and the Higg Facility Social & Labour Module (FSLM).
Responsible Packaging
In 2022, we set a goal to make all Joe Fresh® in-store and e-commerce packaging recyclable* by 2025, and we are proud to have reached that goal in 2024. Moving forward, we’re focusing on further reducing packaging where possible. All apparel tags and labels have been converted to recycled materials, and we are working with our partners to replace other existing materials with recyclable alternatives, including e-commerce packaging.
* Packaging acceptable for collection in participating municipal programs only. All packaging may not be accepted for recycling in all regions of Canada. Consumers would be required to check their local municipality for more information on acceptability of packaging in their community.
Responsible Product Care Message
In 2025, Joe Fresh® implemented customer-facing messaging on all Joe Fresh branded garments that reads: “Wash cold. Wash less. Donate when no longer needed.” This initiative is meant to educate and encourage our customers to practise more responsible product care. Research shows that washing in cold water can reduce microfibre shedding — a physical pollutant — and conserve energy. Encouraging customers to donate their items when no longer needed also helps us move toward circularity.
Culture and Inclusion
Joe Fresh®, as part of the Loblaw Companies Limited enterprise, is driven by the belief that a diverse workforce is a stronger workforce. That is why we are dedicated to creating teams that accurately reflect the unique Canadian communities we serve. We know that this commitment to representation enables us to be more innovative, make better business decisions, and truly embody Canadian values in everything we do.
Our achievements in diversity are a testament to our collaborative approach, weaving our culture and inclusion strategy into the very fabric of our business. Our leadership team has prioritized equity in all facets of our operations, particularly in key areas such as succession planning and professional development.
We will continue advancing social equity and build upon our existing diversity goals with a renewed focus on accelerating executive representation for women and racialized groups. We firmly believe that reflecting the rich diversity of Canadians within our leadership not only enhances our effectiveness but also strengthens our engagement with the communities we serve.
To achieve this, we remain focused on breaking down systemic barriers and aligning our representation goals with the Canadian labour market for our Board of Directors, Executives*, and Management**.
*Executive positions includes vice president level and above.
** In 2024 for the purpose of representation reporting, management encompasses roles with direct leadership type responsibilities including managing operations and/or managing people. The roles defined as management include, but are not limited to, senior director, director, senior manager, manager, DC managers, store managers, and assistant store managers. The Company has made efforts to apply this definition consistently, however where job titles were unclear, certain roles which may possess some managerial responsibilities were classified as individual contributors. Going forward the 2028 goals will also include department managers to show a true reflection of management in our organization.
Community Engagement
We are committed to continuously seeking out initiatives to help Canadians Live Life Well®. We remain invested in our communities through various partnerships and donations.
Lunar New Year
In 2025, Joe Fresh® partnered with the RepresentASIAN Project™ to launch a Lunar New Year capsule collection celebrating the Year of the Snake. The RepresentASIAN Project™ is a Canadian platform dedicated to elevating Asian representation across media and beyond. It fosters a sense of community within the Asian Canadian diaspora while celebrating and inspiring individuality. As part of this collaboration, Joe Fresh® also donated $10,000 CAD to support the Blossom Mental Health Fund, an organization helping Asian Canadians bloom and thrive.
Pride
In 2024, we partnered with Joe Fresh® Director of Visual Merchandising & Licensed Product, Ian Metcalfe, to create the artwork for our first Pride collection, Everybody Bloom. The collection was a celebration and recognition of what it takes to bloom as your authentic self. As part of the collection, Joe Fresh® donated $25,000 CAD to pflag Canada, a non-profit organization that supports 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
As a national Canadian retailer, we want to support Canadians in recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and the history and ongoing impact of residential schools. On September 30, we wear orange shirts to remember the children who were taken, to witness and honour the healing journey of Survivors, and to stand with affected families and communities.
In 2024, we partnered with Indigenous artists Chris and Greg Mitchell of Born In The North, as well as the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF), to design and sell an orange shirt to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Chris and Greg were raised in Halifax (Kjipuktuk) and are now based in Toronto (Tkaronto). These Mi'kmaq artists explore the bond between humanity and nature, and their art brings visibility to the richness of contemporary Indigenous artistry.
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples.
In 2024, we donated $100,000 CAD from the sale of our orange shirts to DWF to support their vital work in reconciliation.
Additional Initiatives
In 2023, Joe Fresh® partnered with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) on a capsule collection that launched for back-to-school. Joe Fresh worked closely with CPAWS on designs for the collection inspired by Canadian national parks and including items for babies, toddlers, kids, and adults. Joe Fresh® donated $75,000 CAD from the sale proceeds to CPAWS to support their ongoing conservation and outdoor education efforts as Canada’s leading charitable organization in this space for the last 60 years.
Apparel Safety
We aim to surpass customer expectations for product quality, performance, and safety. Our quality assurance standards for apparel, accessories, and footwear meet or exceed government safety requirements in Canada and the United States. In 2022, we updated our extensive Restricted Substances List to help mitigate harmful chemicals in our products and continue to test for compliance with government regulations on banned and restricted chemicals in markets where our products are sold.
We ensure product safety and compliance by conducting accredited laboratory testing and quality audits that cover product performance, safety, and regulatory compliance for every style. Any potential product safety concerns reported through our various customer service channels are thoroughly investigated.