Aditya Birla Group

Overall approach

6/14
- Overarching commitment on deforestation
  
  4/6
  
  Deforestation commitment
  
  Deforestation-Free
  
  4.00/6
  
  Aditya Birla Group will avoid trading and sourcing wood from "uncertified High Conservation Value Forest,...wood harvested through conversion of natural forests or converted to non-forest use,...wood harvested in ancient and endangered forests, or endangered habitat."
  
  Open source document
- Signatory to an initiative tackling deforestation
  
  1/1
  
  Signatory
  
  Yes
  
  1/1
  
  UN Global Compact,
  
  Aditya Birla Group state that they are signatory to the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC).
  
  Open source document Open source document
- Awareness of the value of forests
  
  1/1
  
  Awareness
  
  Yes
  
  1/1
  
  'The Group shall implement its best efforts to avoid trading and sourcing wood or wood fibre from uncertified High Conservation Value Forests [...] ancient and endangered forests, or endangered species habitat.'
  
  Open source document
- Target to reduce emissions from land-use change
  
  0/3
- Reporting on emissions from land-use change
  
  0/3
Commodity score

21/86
- Pulp & Paper
  
  21/86
  - Commitment Strength
    
    13/36
    - Commitment to protect priority forests
      
      13/15
      - Commitment details
        Forest-related commitment
        
        6/8
        
        Commitment to protect priority forests
        
        Forest-related commitment
        
        6/8
        
        Certification schemes mentioned: PEFC
        Type of commitment: Protects priority forests
        
        Aditya Birla Group will avoid trading and sourcing wood from "uncertified High Conservation Value Forest,...wood harvested through conversion of natural forests or converted to non-forest use,...wood harvested in ancient and endangered forests, or endangered habitat."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Aditya Birla Group will avoid trading and sourcing wood from "uncertified High Conservation Value Forest,...wood harvested through conversion of natural forests or converted to non-forest use,...wood harvested in ancient and endangered forests, or endangered habitat."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all operations
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Aditya Birla Group will avoid trading and sourcing wood from "uncertified High Conservation Value Forest,...wood harvested through conversion of natural forests or converted to non-forest use,...wood harvested in ancient and endangered forests, or endangered habitat."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Aditya Birla Group will avoid trading and sourcing wood from "uncertified High Conservation Value Forest,...wood harvested through conversion of natural forests or converted to non-forest use,...wood harvested in ancient and endangered forests, or endangered habitat."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Aditya Birla Group will avoid trading and sourcing wood from "uncertified High Conservation Value Forest,...wood harvested through conversion of natural forests or converted to non-forest use,...wood harvested in ancient and endangered forests, or endangered habitat."
        
        Open source document
      - Target date
        Current
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Target date
        
        Current
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Aditya Birla Group will avoid trading and sourcing wood from "uncertified High Conservation Value Forest,...wood harvested through conversion of natural forests or converted to non-forest use,...wood harvested in ancient and endangered forests, or endangered habitat."
        
        Open source document
      - Target is quantifiable
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Target is quantifiable
        
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Aditya Birla Group have achieved fully sustainable pulp fibre sourcing.
        
        Open source document
    - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
      
      0/11
      - Commitment details
        No
        
        0/4
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
      - Target date
        No deadline
        
        0/1.3
      - Target is quantifiable
        No
        
        0/1.3
    - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
      
      0/11
      - Commitment details
        No traceability commitment
        
        0/4
        
        Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        
        No traceability commitment
        
        0/4
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all operations
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Open source document
      - Target date
        No deadline
        
        0/1.3
        
        Target date
        
        No deadline
        
        0/1.3
        
        Open source document
      - Target is quantifiable
        No
        
        0/1.3
        
        Target is quantifiable
        
        No
        
        0/1.3
        
        Open source document
  - Reporting and Implementation
    
    4/34
    - Reporting against commitments
      
      0/6
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        No
        
        0/2
      - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
        No
        
        0/2
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/2
    - Reporting is independently verified
      
      0/4
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        No
        
        0/1.3
      - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
        No
        
        0/1.3
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/1.3
    - Deforestation cut off date
      Yes
      
      2/2
      
      Deforestation cut off date
      
      Yes
      
      2/2
      
      1994
      
      "Birla Cellulose has implemented its best efforts to avoid trading and sourcing wood or natural plant fibres from the following categories: [...] Wood/natural plant fibres harvested from plantations established after 1994 through conversion of natural forests or converted to non-forest use"
      
      Open source document
    - Monitoring and verification of supplier compliance
      No monitoring
      
      0/4
    - Engagement with non-compliant suppliers
      Engage with suppliers but with no time-bound threat of exclusion
      
      2/4
      
      Engagement with non-compliant suppliers
      
      Engage with suppliers but with no time-bound threat of exclusion
      
      2/4
      
      "When suppliers contravene [Aditya Birla Group's] criteria, the Company shall engage with them to change practices and/or re-evaluate the relationship with them."
      
      Open source document
    - Publishing supplier lists
      No disclosure
      
      0/4
    - Accessible grievance mechanism
      No
      
      0/4
    - Collaborative actions
      No
      
      0/2
    - Report volumes of commodity
      No reporting
      
      0/4
  - Social Considerations
    
    4/16
    - Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
      No
      
      0/4
    - Labour rights in the supply chain
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Labour rights in the supply chain
      
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Discrimination; Forced Labour; Child Labour; Freedom of association
      
      Aditya Birla Group ensure that their suppliers guarantee their workers' rights to freedom of association, and to be free from discrimination, forced labour and child labour.
      
      Open source document
    - Gender equality in the supply chain
      No commitment
      
      0/4
    - Inclusion of small-scale farmers
      No
      
      0/4
Commitment strength

13/36

Avg. score
Reporting and Implementation

4/34

Avg. score
Social considerations

4/16

Avg. score

Profile

Aditya Birla Group is one of the largest conglomerates in India with operations in 34 countries. The company and its subsidiaries generate a revenue of almost $7.6 billion annually. The group operates in sectors including fashion, cement, mobiles and viscose filament yarn.

Sector

Industry sector

Apparel & footwear

Segments

Manufacturer

India

Collective Commitments

Consumer Goods Forum member

New York Declaration on Forests signatory

Top Brands

American Eagle, Birla Modal, Combinate 35, Delice, Eternia, Forever 21, Hackett, Linen Club, Louis Philippe, Oxywhite, Pantaloons, Ralph Lauren, Raven, Ted Baker, VanHeusen

How we assess the Forest 500

To ensure deforestation free supply chains, companies need to adopt and implement timebound and measurable policies for forest risk commodities.

All assessments use policies published on company websites, some links may have changed or been removed since the time of assessment.

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Disclaimer

This assessment has been carried out following the methodology developed for the Forest 500 project, available here. Please see our disclaimer applicable to all information contained within this site and our terms and conditions for use of data presented on this site.

All assessments use policies published on company and financial institution websites, and while we endeavor to keep them updated some links may have changed or been removed since the time of assessment.

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