Active Apparel Group (AAG), the Culver City, Calfornia-based manufacturer of performance apparel for the leisure/lifestyle and active markets, has attained B Corp certification.

Provided by the non-profit organisation B Lab, B Corp certification is a credential awarded to organisations upholding rigorous social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency standards. Organisations undergo the comprehensive B Impact Assessment (BIA), designed to measure, manage and improve impact across five key areas – Workers, Community, Environment, Governance and Customers.

AAG achieved a score of 84.9 points in the assessment, exceeding the 80-point threshold required.

The strongest areas represented in this score were Governance (17.6 pts), Workers (24.9 pts) and Customers (4.1 pts), which are significantly higher compared to country, sector and size benchmarks for similar B Corp certified companies.

“We’re proud to be recognised as a B Corp, which is a natural extension of our commitment to building a more sustainable and equitable business,” says Active Apparel Group CEO Henry Jones. “It sets us apart as a premium service provider and manufacturer in the global marketplace. These standards also encourage continuous sustainable innovation, drive valuable operational efficiencies, and enhance our ability to attract and retain top talent.”

A highlight of AAG’s certification was the achievement of hard-to-earn Impact Business Model (IBM) points for its practices in toxin reduction and remediation.

AAG is commited to reducing harmful chemicals in its production processes through the use of 100% Oeko-Tex certified inks and responsible chemical management practices.

The company already pays all workers a living wage and in 2023, an audit of AAG’s factory in China, Ningbo Longson Garments, by third-party Bureau Veritas, confirmed a 100% pass rate. Employees received wages exceeding the calculated living wage, 29% above the local minimum wage and 140% greater than the poverty line in Ningbo. Remuneration at this level remains a rarity in the manufacturing industry in China.

AAG is further taking a structured approach to reducing its environmental impact across its global operations through an environmental management system (EMS). The EMS, built using the ISO14001 Standard Framework, incorporates key environmental policy commitments and has set targets and strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of the company’s operations across China, Australia and the USA.

www.activeapparelgroup.com