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VF Corporation releases newest sustainability and responsibility report

By Rachel Douglass

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Business

Image: Timberland

Apparel conglomerate VF Corporation has published its latest Made for Change sustainability and responsibility report, outlining the progress it has made towards commitments surrounding its “science-based targets”.

In its fourth report, the firm focuses on three primary themes: people, planet and product, looking at everything from worker development to carbon emissions to regenerative supply chains.

“VF is committed to fueling change in the apparel and footwear industries,” said Sean Cady, vice president, global sustainability, responsibility and trade, in a statement. “We believe there is a reciprocal relationship between purpose and profit, and when we get it right, we create a virtuous cycle that positively impacts the world and our bottom line.”

Past goals and new objectives

A highlight of the report comes within its ‘people’ category, outlining that at the end of the fiscal year 2020, over 375 leaders have been trained to foster inclusion and address unconscious bias. Furthermore, during this period, the VF Foundation donated 6.2 million dollars to 72 community partners.

In a step towards its goal to source 100 percent renewable energy across all owned and operated facilities, the corporation has declared that it is 29 percent of the way to achieving its target. Currently, 72 percent of its distribution centres are verified zero-waste, something it looks to grow to 100 percent by the end of 2021.

As VF progresses towards eliminating single-use plastic packaging by 2025, it has stated that it is three-quarters of the way to achieving 100 percent sourced cotton grown in the US, Australia or under a third-party sustainability scheme.

Alongside the detailing of its current steps and achievements, VF has brought to light 12 further commitments and targets it plans on making.

As part of its gender equality practice, the company looks to resolve any identified pay gaps for associates, sponsored athletes and influencers across the organisation by 2024. The move will see VF evaluate and analyse its pay equity and practices in order to progress towards this goal.

An additional goal, set for 2027, states that VF intends to trace five years of key materials through 100 percent of the supply chain. Partway to this objective, it added that the company has already charted sourced leather and denim by its family brands.

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