US retail giant, JCPenney and French sporting goods company, Decathlon, are two of the most recent contributors to the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Initiative (ZDHC).

JCPenney has over 650 locations in the United States and Puerto Rico, while Decathlon has about 1,697 locations in 60 countries and territories. Both retailers joined the ZDHC as brand contributors.

JCPenney looks to the ZDHC Foundation as a partner as it continues its sustainability journey to better understand and minimize the impact of its value chain on the environment. The company is looking for clarity on how to best remove hazardous chemicals and improve responsible sourcing and manufacturing practices.

Phil Boyett, responsible sourcing director at JCPenney, said that only via a collaborative collaboration between customers and suppliers will the initiative to remove hazardous chemicals from the global apparel, footwear, and textiles value chain succeed. They’re delighted to join, leverage, and contribute to the development of consumer items that are free of harmful chemicals.

Decathlon has been actively addressing the chemical risk since its initial Restricted Substance List in 1998, in order to ensure the safety of users, coworkers, suppliers' workers, and the environment during the manufacturing, transit, handling, and use of Decathlon's products.

To go even farther, Decathlon needs to be aligned with the industry's major players and have access to the most innovative techniques for reducing chemical effects throughout the value chain, according to ZDHC.

Melany Auger, chemical safety manager at Decathlon, said that Decathlon wants to engage its value chain in a more sustainable way to control chemicals, as well as draw tomorrow's ethics and needs. Decathlon will work as a contributor to reducing the impact of the textile and footwear sectors on the environment and human health in order to correspond with Decathlon's purpose: to be beneficial to people and their world.

Meanwhile, Sudeep Industries (VCA from the chemical industry), Echotex Ltd (VCA from the textile, footwear, apparel, and leather industry), and Framis Italia (VCA from the textile and apparel industry), a provider of fully integrated heat-bonding applications and solutions to the clothing industry, have all joined the ZDHC as contributors.

Francesca Salotto, CEO Framis Italia Spa, said that because they represent a long portion of the supply chain, they would have the opportunity to establish a solid and meaningful sustainability asset by joining the ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Program. This asset might be offered to their customers as the necessary added value that they will have to sustain in their relationships with consumers and investors.