A more transparent supply chain and individual traceability for every item: the strategic partnership with retraced represents another important milestone in the Marc O’Polo sustainability strategy.
Levi Strauss & Co. has released a new slate of sustainability goals as part of its newly published 2021 Sustainability Report, demonstrating its commitment to a holistic definition of sustainability and progress across its key pillars of climate, consumption, and community. The 16 goals cover focus areas including greenhouse gas emissions, water stewardship, circular economy and new business models, worker well-being in the supply chain, diversity, equity and inclusion, and social issue advocacy.
“These goals are crucial to the future of our business,” says Chip Bergh, Chief Executive Officer and President of Levi Strauss & Co. “By doubling down on sustainability and ESG reporting at Levi Strauss & Co., we are creating a more resilient business while also signaling to our full range of stakeholders, including our consumers, that we are committed to being transparent about our progress on ESG matters and working to create the scale necessary to address the most pressing challenges of our time.”
“Our new goals signal a step change in our sustainability ambitions and our intent to increase open collaboration in the industry,” says Jeffrey Hogue, Chief Sustainability Officer at LS&Co. “We intend to leverage the strength of our brands and our longstanding company values to inspire our employees, communities, and value chain partners to join our journey to create a more inclusive and regenerative apparel industry.”
The goals are as follows:
Under The Climate Pillar
- 40% absolute reduction in supply chain greenhouse gas emissions by 2025
- 90% absolute reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and 100% renewable electricity in all the company-operated facilities by 2025
- Net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by no later than 2050
- Reduce freshwater use in manufacturing by 50% in areas of high water stress by 2025
- Continue to assess and identify material impacts and dependencies on nature across the value chain, in order to implement a comprehensive biodiversity action strategy by 2025
Under The Consumption Pillar
- Key markets to introduce or increase resale and upcycling initiatives to extend the life of our products by 2025
- Circular ready in 2026
- Zero-waste-to-landfill from LS&Co. company-operated facilities and 50% waste diversion across strategic suppliers by 2030
- Eliminate single-use plastics in consumer-facing packaging by shifting to 100% reusable, recyclable or home-compostable plastics by 2030
- Strategic garment wet finishing manufacturing and fabric mills use 100% certified screened chemistry by 2026
- Use only third-party preferred or certified more sustainable primary materials by 2030
Under The Community Pillar
- Continually improve apparel worker health, satisfaction and engagement
- Ensure competitiveness and equity in total rewards
- Ensure that LS&Co. remains a dynamic and inclusive career destination
- Leverage the leadership of the Levi Strauss Foundation and invest in our communities to advance pioneering social change
- Drive societal impact in communities where LS&Co. operates through advocacy, grantmaking, employee giving and volunteerism
Several goals are new and others are pre-existing. One theme that cuts across all the goals is the need for increased partnership across the industry to meet common challenges. It is evident that companies across sectors, and particularly those with shared supply chains, can have a deeper, more lasting impact by working in close alignment with each other and their suppliers. LS&Co. is aligning with other brands to collaborate with manufacturing partners and other organizations on climate solutions, from cotton cultivation to circular design. To that end, over the past 18 months, LS&Co. has joined industry efforts with partners like Fashion for Good, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the United States Cotton Trust Protocol and, most recently, Organic Cotton Accelerator to help move the industry toward more sustainable, circular-ready production.
