Levi’s unveils plan to slash emissions
Levi Strauss & Co. has been at the forefront of sustainable practices from the beginning, when Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis got the patent in 1873 to create work pants reinforced with metal rivets so pockets and flies wouldn’t tear, thus making the pants more durable.
The San Francisco apparel company has carried that commitment forward with measures like getting green-building certification for its flagship store on Market Street. On Tuesday, Levi’s announced plans to slash carbon emissions across facilities it owns and operates by 90 percent by 2025. Emissions across the global supply chain will be cut 40 percent, and the company aims to use 100 percent renewable electricity in buildings it owns.
The supply chain is the biggest challenge, Levi’s said.
“We believe that business has the opportunity and the responsibility to be a force for positive change in the world,” Chip Bergh, Levi’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “We are proud to be one of the first companies to set sciencebased targets for our global
“We hope to be an inspiration for others to follow.” Chip Bergh Levi’s president and CEO
supply chain, and we hope to be an inspiration for others to follow.”
In September, Levi’s and five other top apparel companies, including San Francisco’s Gap Inc., joined several hundred global companies in committing to hit CO2 emission reduction targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative, which provides companies with specifics on how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
“What we find through our research is that the Millennial consumers are more and more interested in the issues around the environment, the health of the planet,” said Michael Kobori, Levi’s vice president of sustainability. “People are concerned about the world they live in and what the brands they like are doing about it.”
That’s not to say the consumer is willing to pay more for a sustainable product yet.
“But they expect it from global brands they trust, and if the brand does it they love it,” Kobori said. “In today’s world, it’s becoming more vital. Price is certainly an issue, but we believe by sustainability scalability, we are able to offer people the Levi’s they love that are durable, fit right, look great and are sustainable. And that’s a winning proposition for the consumer.”