Corporate Social Responsibility

L2 Brands believes how we do business matters. Having two well-known brands that service the collegiate, corporate and resort markets means the League and Legacy labels are on millions of products that ship to our customers each year. We have become two of the most trusted names in those markets.

Being socially responsible and conducting business in an ethical way is woven into the 30-year history of our company. From very early on, we wanted our company values to include empowering our teams, treating employees with respect, and making sure conditions in our factories were comfortable and safe for our workers. Although Corporate Social Responsibility has now become a formal strategy as we have grown, we started out conducting business in a responsible way from the beginning simply because it was the right thing to do.

Years later, we are two brands with global supply chains, and our commitment to the people who manufacture our products is just as strong. We have learned along the way that that Corporate Social Responsibility expands beyond the factory floor. We recognize our responsibility to conduct business in ways that can make positive impacts for our workforce, on families, in our communities and in our environment.

Our Commitment to Social Responsibility:

We take compliance with labor, health, safety, and environmental laws as well as respect for human rights very seriously. We recognize our responsibility to conduct business in a socially responsible and ethical manner.

Both League and Legacy, when separate companies, were affiliated with the multi-stakeholder organization, the Fair Labor Association (FLA) since 2002, starting as category “C” licensees. Upon the two companies merging in 2018, L2 Brands has transitioned to a Participating Company. Each year, L2’s supply chain is subject to the FLA’s rigorous Sustainable Compliance Initiative (SCI) monitoring program and public reporting.

L2 Brands has aligned our Workplace Code of Conduct with that of the FLA, and it’s used as a guide when selecting strategic partnerships with suppliers who share our values and commitment to supporting human rights. We believe our Code represents our commitment to our ethical practices. We obtain an annually signed commitment statement, known as our “Terms of Engagement,” from the ownership of the factories making our product, indicating their assurance to abide by L2’s Code of Conduct and their acceptance for periodic facility audits to ensure compliance standards are being met.

We consider it our duty to engage and collaborate with civil society organizations who have knowledge and expertise of local labor standards in supply chains and can help us make a positive change in our communities in which we conduct business. Indeed, one of L2’s five Core Values is our commitment to make a positive difference for our workforce and in our local communities. Every year our company employees volunteer for local charity events and donate both dollars and gifts to numerous non-profit organizations, such as United Way, Folds of Honor, The Laurel House, Toys 4 Tots, canned food and coat drives, just to name a few.

Assessing Risk and Conducting Audits:

To honor our commitment and fulfill our obligation to those workers in our supply chain, we identify social, health, safety, and environmental risks in the business operations from periodic monitoring of our global suppliers. We routinely review reports on workplace assessments that were conducted in these facilities to monitor if there are repeat non-compliance findings or those considered high-risk to workers.

Additionally, we take the responsibility to conduct monitoring of our production facilities using an independent third-party monitoring firm. The auditors evaluate the facility as they align with local laws as well as L2’s Workplace Code of Conduct. The SCI assessments that are conducted annually by the FLA are conducted on a percentage of our suppliers each year and provides us with an additional view of the conditions at the facility.

Supply Chain & Accountability:

Following the assessments at the production facilities, L2 Brands maintains and enforces internal accountability to our standards. Every audit results in a formal Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to guide improvements and urgency.  We work with the management team at our suppliers on CAP remediation efforts, encouraging sustainable solutions by implementing root cause analysis. To view more information regarding L2’s supply chain please follow this URL to the Open Apparel Registry (OAR): https://openapparel.org/?contributors=1217

Sustainability:

We recognize our need to protect our planet’s natural resources and are committed to incorporating environmentally responsible practices into our business activities. We believe that it is our responsibility, as a brand and manufacturer, to make informed decisions and take positive steps to manage resources reliably. Here are a few examples of what we’re doing at L2’s two facilities located in Pennsylvania:

Energy: All HVAC systems are on 7-day timers and independent zones for heating and cooling. We use energy efficient LED lighting throughout the warehouse and buildings and having motion sensor lighting with auto turn-off to reduce energy consumption.        

Reduction of Harmful Chemicals: The inks we use in apparel printing are water-based inks, thereby reducing use of hazardous chemicals. In addition, we have an ink recirculation system and process, which reduces waste by 90%.

Recycling: We make every effort to reuse something or ensure the item is sent to a recycling facility. We reuse cardboard. Our wooden pallets, ink cartridges, empty thread spools, paper, aluminum, glass and plastic are all recycled. Unsaleable textiles have been upcycled to new products or shredded and upcycled into other green products like animal bedding, furniture lining, moving blankets, or fiber insulation.

As part of our efforts toward a more circular economy, we have partnered with Unifi, who makes Repreve ® fabric made from recycled water bottles. We offer an assortment of product made from this unique and sustainable fiber. As we know, plastic pollution is a massive global problem. Additionally, our Re-Spin tee shirts are made with cotton yarns that have been upcycled from previously discarded fabrics.

 

As we have learned along the way, CSR touches the breadth of all our work – and while we continuously have to re-focus and determine strategic priorities around CSR, our commitment to authenticity and integrity will remain steadfast.

Code of Conduct

L2/FLA Code of Conduct and Compliance Benchmarks

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Paige Wingert, CEO