Marque
Dr Martens is an iconic British footwear manufacturer that is mainly known for its leather boots. The company offers very little information about its operations. Dr Martens doesn’t publish a sustainability report and important elements, like environment, are confined to a very small section on its website. The information that’s provided there merely consists of a few words on LED lighting and energy efficiency, which really are baby steps for any company. A big plus for Dr. Martens is that it’s a member of the Leather Working Group and sources its upper leather from LWG medal status tanneries, so at least the leather is certified. There is no information provided about any other materials it uses and what its impact is. The company does have a Code of Conduct and is a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, but doesn’t offer any transparency concerning its supply chain or the audit results. When a brand doesn’t offer any information, there are several risks you take as a consumer. For example, the climate impact of that particular brand or product can be much higher compared to its industry peers. The company might use certain harmful chemicals or there might be animals or humans harmed for the manufacturing of the product. For these reasons we believe that you should be aware of how products are produced and how a company as a whole operates in regard to our pillars. When there’s no transparency, you are at risk of supporting some or more of the previously mentioned harmful conditions.