Montreal - Gildan Activewear Inc. has unveiled its Next Generation ESG strategy and future goals which includes a commitment to source 100 per cent sustainable cotton by 2025 and 30 per cent recycled polyester or alternative fibers and/or yarns by 2027.

According to Gildan, its new strategy seeks to tackle global environmental and social priorities aimed at improving the lives of people who make Gildan garments, further protecting the environment, empowering neighbouring communities, and increasing the sustainability of products delivered to customers worldwide.

The main areas of focus in the strategy, which outlines the company's commitment to making meaningful advancements by 2030, include:

• Climate, energy, and water,
• Circularity,
• Human capital management,
• Long-term value creation, and,
• Transparency and disclosure.

"From our beginning, we have been re-imagining and building the future of responsible apparel manufacturing. This has made Gildan the Company it is today; recognized for the apparel we make and how we make it," said Glenn Chamandy, President and CEO of Gildan. "ESG has always been integrated into our business strategy and reflected in our market offering. This next generation strategy will push us to deliver even stronger ESG performance and continue to reinforce Gildan as a leading ethical, sustainable, and efficient apparel company."

Climate, Energy, and Water

Within the new strategy, Gildan has committed to continuing its fight against climate change by paving the way towards a low carbon future, with a goal of reducing its scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 30 per cent by 20301, aligned with the SBTi and the level of decarbonization required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

To that effect, it has signed the SBTi commitment letter, joining companies worldwide in following a science-based approach in reducing carbon emissions. Gildan also commits to addressing water related risks linked to climate change. As such, Gildan plans to further invest in water efficiency and implement additional water reducing, reusing, and recycling options in its operations with the goal to attain a 20 pet cent reduction in water withdrawal from nature by 20301.

Circularity

Gildan says it commits to fostering a circular economy to reduce its environmental impact. In doing so, Gildan intends to source more sustainable and transparent raw materials and enhance sustainable waste management initiatives. This includes sourcing 100 per cent sustainable cotton by 2025 and 30 per cent recycled polyester or alternative fibers and/or yarns by 2027. The company also plans to achieve zero manufacturing waste by 2027 and to use 75 per cent recycled or sustainable packaging and trim materials by 2027.

Human Capital Management

Importantly, Gildan says it commits to continue ensuring human rights are respected in its supply chain. Further, Gildan will push health and safety performance to new standards by working to improve employee safety and reducing workplace risks across its operations. To achieve this, Gildan plans to attain the ISO 45001 certification at all its Company-owned and operated facilities by 2028.

“We are confident that this new strategy will propel our efforts to greater heights and allow us to become a stronger and more resilient company,” said Claudia Sandoval, vice-president of Corporate Citizenship at Gildan. “While Gildan embarked on its ESG journey over two decades ago, we know that the path to sustainability is ongoing, which is why we will continue our journey forward to further strengthen our programs. We also know that it is not enough to set targets. Therefore, we are developing clear and credible roadmaps to address the challenges and opportunities we face to continue to make meaningful positive impacts, and we won’t be doing it alone. Our success depends on the collaboration of all key stakeholders, and we are excited to foster and leverage a global, collaborative approach to bring our goals to life.”