With this statement, G-Star shows its commitment to Zero Discharge. We want ourconsumers to know that they can continue to trust the effort that G-Star is making tofullfill our commitments on this topic. This is in line with the international movement
within the industry.
Amsterdam, March 9, 2012
G-Star committed to zero discharge of hazardous chemicals
G-Star (1) recognizes the urgent need to eliminate the industrial releases of hazardous
chemicals into the environment. According to our approach in support of the principles ofprevention and the precautionary principle (2). G-Star fully acknowledges and understands theseriousness of the problem of hazardous chemicals and is committed to zero discharge (3) ofhazardous chemicals (4) from all our products and production processes associated with themaking and using of G-Star products (5) by 2020.
Further, we recognize that to achieve zero discharge, mechanisms for disclosure andtransparency about the hazardous chemicals used in our global supply chains are important andnecessary, in line with the 'right to know principle’(6), and always in compliance with applicablelegal rules. In line with this we will increase the public availability and transparency of ourrestricted substance list and audit process and explore setting up public disclosure of dischargesof hazardous chemicals in our supply chain.
G-Star also commits to support systemic (i.e. wider societal and policy) change to achieve zero
discharge of hazardous chemicals (associated with supply chains and the lifecycles of products)
within one generation (7) or less. This commitment includes sustained investment in moving
industry, government, science and technology to deliver on systemic change and to affectsystem change across the industry towards this goal.
Working towards fulfilling this 2020 commitment, our actions need to be guided by transparency,
fact-based decision-making and a preventative, precautionary and integrated approach tochemicals management. It also demands collective action of the industry, as well as
engagement of regulators and other stakeholders. Therefore we will continue to collaborate withsuppliers through the chain, other brands and chemical suppliers to satisfy this commitment.
G-Star understands the scope of the commitment to be a long term vision – with short term
practice to be defined in the clarification of actions to follow. An Individual Action Plan will be set
up by G-Star within eight weeks from the time this commitment is published. This plan will
include the measures to be taken to implement this commitment.
G-Star is part of the Joint Roadmap since January 2012 and participates to further develop andimplement the draft Joint Roadmap of November 2011 which details specific programmes andactions that we can take collectively with other brands & stakeholders to drive our industry
towards the goal of zero discharge of hazardous chemicals.
The immediate set of individual actions to be executed by G-Star within the period of these eightweeks will be:1•

We will publish our current list of restricted substances within one week after publicationof this commitment.

•We will communicate to our direct suppliers a zero-use policy in relation to all uses ofAPEOs including the discharges via all pathways of Nonylphenol ethoxylates in themanufacturing process and from the products.

•We will request information from our direct suppliers about their chemicals suppliers.

(1) G-Star means: G-Star Raw C.V. and its subsidiaries(2) Precautionary Principle: It means that when scientific evidence suggests a substance may harm theenvironment or human health, but the type or magnitude of harm is not yet known, a preventative
approach towards potentially serious or irreversible damage should be taken, recognizing the fact thatsuch proof of harm may not be possible. The process of applying the Precautionary Principle must involvean examination of the full range of alternatives, including, where necessary, and the substitution throughthe development of harmless alternatives where they do not already exist. It is based on theunderstanding that some (as per footnote 4) hazardous chemicals cannot be rendered harmless by thereceiving environment.
(3) Zero discharge: Means elimination of all releases, via all pathways of release, i.e. discharges,
emissions and losses, from our supply chain and our products. In light of the increasing sophistication ofanalytical tools and methods, references to “elimination” or “zero” must be understood as “not above
background concentration” rather than “not detectable”.
(4)Hazardous chemicals' means all those that show intrinsically hazardous properties (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT); very persistent and very bio-accumulative (vPvB); carcinogenic, mutagenic
and toxic for reproduction (CMR); endocrine disruptors (ED); or equivalent concern), not just those thathave been regulated or restricted in other regions.
(5) This means the commitment applies to the environmental practices of the entire company and for thewhole product-folio of the company. This includes all its suppliers and licensed companies vertically down
its supply chain.
(6) Right to know is defined as practices that allow members of the public access to environmental
information - specifically about the uses and discharges of chemicals based on reported quantities ofreleases of hazardous chemicals to the environment as far as possible on the level of facility-by-facility,year-by-year.
(7) One generation is generally regarded as 20-25 years.
See: http://www.g-star.com/nl/corporate-responsibility/#/en-be/corporate-responsibility/