Our Commitment to Sustainability
Sustainability & Social Impact · CityGlobal.Earth
Visit codex.cityglobal.earth/social-impact for an in-depth look at our commitments, supplier standards, initiatives, policies, and progress.
Our Vision
We source from the world's finest factories across the globe — and we believe that the brands that change the world deserve a partner as obsessed with doing good as they are with doing great work. Sustainability is not a department. It is who we are.
Approach
Sustainability & Social Impact
"Sustainability is not a department. It is who we are. Every decision we make — from the materials we choose to the factories we partner with — either moves the world forward or holds it back. We choose to move it forward."
What Are the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals?
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945, now comprising 193 member states, dedicated to maintaining international peace and security, promoting sustainable development, protecting human rights, and upholding international law. In September 2015, all 193 UN member states unanimously adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals — known as the SDGs — as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDGs are a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. They address the world's most urgent challenges — from poverty and inequality to climate change and environmental degradation — and call on governments, businesses, and individuals to take action by 2030.
Our Alignment
We source from the world's finest factories across the globe — and we believe that the brands that change the world deserve a partner as obsessed with doing good as they are with doing great work.
Our sustainability commitments are directly aligned with 8 of the 17 SDGs: SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy), SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Our Targets at a Glance
Commitments are only real when they carry a number and a date.
These are ours.
By 2027 — Science-Based Target formally submitted for validation.
By 2027 — a sustainable material alternative offered on every new product quote.
From 2027 — gender pay equity audited and published annually.
From 2027 — leadership representation published annually.
By 2028 — accredited living wage employer.
By 2028 — 100% of packaging recycled, recyclable, or compostable.
By 2028 — B Corp certification achieved.
By 2030 — operational emissions reduced 50% against our 2025 baseline.
By 2030 — 100% renewable electricity across all offices.
By 2030 — 25,000 trees planted cumulatively.
By 2030 — zero waste to landfill across our owned operations.
By 2030 — 100% of tier-one factory partners verified at or above local living wage.
By 2035 — net-zero emissions across our direct operations.
Net Zero
SDG 7 — Affordable & Clean Energy · SDG 13 — Climate Action
SDG 7 calls on the world to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all — including increasing the share of renewable energy and doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvement. SDG 13 demands urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, strengthening resilience and integrating climate measures into business practices.
Our Actions
We offset carbon emissions on every project — regardless of whether shipping is involved. We offset a minimum of 5 trees per project and proactively reduce our carbon footprint across all operations. In 2025, we offset 55.69 metric tonnes of CO₂e and planted 3,684 trees. That is equivalent to removing 12 passenger cars from the road for an entire year. The 3,684 trees will absorb an estimated 92+ additional metric tonnes of CO₂ over their lifetime.
Our Beverly Hills headquarters operates on California's grid, which delivers approximately 38% renewable energy. Our remote-first work model further reduces commuting emissions and office energy consumption.
Our Ambition
We have committed to net-zero emissions across our direct operations by 2035, fifteen years ahead of the Paris Agreement timeline.
Our measurable targets:
By 2027 — submit a Science-Based Target for formal validation.
By 2030 — reduce operational emissions by 50% against our 2025 baseline of 7.9 metric tonnes CO₂e.
By 2030 — source 100% renewable electricity across our Beverly Hills and Shenzhen offices.
By 2032 — require documented emissions-reduction programs from 100% of tier-one factory partners.
By 2035 — net zero across all direct operations.
In 2025 we offset 55.69 metric tonnes of CO₂e against actual emissions of 7.9 tonnes — seven times our footprint. We intend to stay carbon negative every year on the way to net zero.
Biodiversity
SDG 15 — Life on Land · SDG 14 — Life Below Water
SDG 15 calls on the world to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt biodiversity loss. SDG 14 urges the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources — preventing pollution and protecting coastal ecosystems.
Our Actions
Our tree-planting program directly supports reforestation and biodiversity, with a minimum of 5 trees planted per project. With 3,684 trees planted in 2025 alone, we are actively contributing to habitat restoration and carbon sequestration. We source sustainable, biodiversity-friendly materials including bamboo, cork, organic cotton, coconut coir, jute, hemp fiber, and FSC-certified paper. All factory partners are registered on Sedex and undergo annual SMETA audits that include environmental assessments.
Our Ambition
We have committed to planting 25,000 trees cumulatively by 2030 and to eliminating biodiversity loss from our supply chain.
Our measurable targets:
By 2028 — offer a biodiversity-friendly material option across 100% of product categories we serve.
By 2028 — 100% of tier-one factory partners covered by an annual environmental audit through Sedex/SMETA.
By 2030 — 25,000 trees planted cumulatively, up from 3,684 in 2025.
By 2030 — zero sourcing from suppliers linked to deforestation or protected habitat loss.
Waste
SDG 12 — Responsible Consumption & Production
SDG 12 calls on the world to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns — reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse, and encouraging companies to adopt sustainable practices and report on sustainability.
Our Actions
We maintain a formal Waste Minimisation Policy across all operations. We design products with end-of-life in mind, minimizing waste at every stage from prototyping through packaging. Digital proofing and AI rendering reduce physical sampling. We specify recycled and recyclable packaging wherever the category allows.
Our Ambition
We have committed to zero waste to landfill across our owned operations by 2030.
Our measurable targets:
By 2027 — present a sustainable material alternative on every new product quote, without exception.
By 2028 — reduce prototyping waste by 30% against our 2026 baseline through digital proofing and AI rendering.
By 2028 — 100% of our packaging specified as recycled, recyclable, or compostable.
By 2030 — zero waste to landfill across all owned operations.
Our goal is to make sustainable materials the default choice — not the exception — across every product category we serve.
Gender Equality
SDG 5 — Gender Equality · SDG 10 — Reduced Inequalities
SDG 5 calls on the world to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls — ending discrimination, ensuring equal opportunities in leadership, and eliminating violence and harmful practices. SDG 10 aims to reduce inequality within and among countries.
Our Actions
We maintain a comprehensive Diversity & Inclusion Policy that ensures equal opportunity in hiring, promotion, and compensation regardless of gender, race, religion, age, disability, or background. We are a minority-owned business operating across the United States and China.
We conduct an annual gender pay equity review across our US and China operations and correct any gap identified within the same quarter. Women hold senior positions across both our US and Shenzhen teams. We recruit through channels that reach candidates historically underrepresented in product development and manufacturing.
Our Ambition
We have committed to publishing our pay equity and leadership representation results annually from 2027 — because progress that is not measured is not progress.
Our measurable targets:
From 2027 — publish gender pay equity audit results annually.
From 2027 — publish leadership representation figures annually.
By 2028 — partner with three design or engineering institutions to support women entering product development.
Ongoing — maintain 100% gender pay equity, verified annually.
Living Wage
SDG 8 — Decent Work & Economic Growth
SDG 8 calls on the world to promote sustained, inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. This means eradicating forced labour, ending modern slavery and human trafficking, and protecting labour rights for all workers.
Our Actions
We provide all employees — across our US and China operations — with compensation that meets or exceeds the living wage in their respective locations. We prohibit forced labour, child labour, and modern slavery in any part of our supply chain.
We benchmark every role in our US operations against the MIT Living Wage Calculator and every role in Shenzhen against local cost-of-living data, annually. 100% of our employees in both countries are paid at or above the living wage for their location. All US and China staff receive employer-funded healthcare.
Our Ambition
We have committed to becoming an accredited living wage employer by 2028 and to extending verified living wages through our supply chain by 2030.
Our measurable targets:
From 2027 — publish living wage benchmarking results annually.
By 2028 — achieve formal living wage employer accreditation.
By 2030 — 100% of tier-one factory partners independently verified paying at or above local living wage.
By 2030 — living wage compliance written into 100% of new vendor agreements.
