Levi Strauss & Co. (Levi’s), a world chief in denim and life-style attire, has launched its first local weather transition plan, aiming to attain internet zero emissions by 2050. It lays a roadmap to succeed in near-term greenhouse gasoline (GHG) discount targets by 2030 and obtain longer-term local weather targets.
Levi’s plan follows related commitments made by manufacturers just like the H&M Group and Reformation, reflecting a rising development within the vogue {industry} in the direction of sustainable practices.
How Levi’s Plans to Obtain Web Zero
Levi’s 2050 internet zero emissions objective entails each direct and oblique emissions all through its complete worth chain. This consists of emissions from manufacturing processes, transportation, product utilization, and end-of-life disposal.
- In 2023, the style agency’s whole GHG emissions had been over 3.7 million tons of CO2e. Of this, solely 12 thousand tons of CO2e had been Scope 1 and a couple of emissions.
The corporate’s technique is guided by the Science-Primarily based Targets initiative (SBTi), making certain that its local weather motion aligns with the Paris Settlement’s goal of limiting world warming to 1.5°C. It focuses on three areas to information its local weather actions.
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Inner Operations and Scope 1 & 2 Emissions:
To succeed in its long-term objective, Levi Strauss has set particular interim targets for 2025.
The attire large is prioritizing a discount in direct (scope 1) and energy-related (scope 2) emissions. This entails investing in energy-efficient applied sciences, and renewable power, and implementing a world power administration system to information strategic selections.
By 2025, the corporate goals for a 90% discount in these emissions, in comparison with its 2016 baseline as proven beneath. For Scope 3 emissions, which embrace the provision chain’s carbon footprint and product life cycle, the corporate targets a 40% discount per product by 2025.
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Partaking the Provide Chain to Deal with Scope 3 Emissions:
The second a part of the technique focuses on the broader worth chain, tackling the numerous impression of scope 3 emissions from world suppliers. Levi Strauss is working in the direction of Science-Primarily based Targets (SBT) by selling sustainable supplies, providing provider financing for power discount efforts, and supporting circularity initiatives.
A key objective is to scale back scope 3 emissions associated to attire manufacturing by 42% by 2030, utilizing a 2022 baseline. This goal addresses 72% of the corporate’s whole Scope 3 emissions, emphasizing a considerable concentrate on lowering oblique emissions throughout the worth chain. These efforts embrace encouraging sustainable farming practices and enhancing transparency in provide chains.
Specializing in Scope 3 or worth chain emissions is crucial as they account for over 99% of the corporate’s whole carbon footprint. The corporate’s objective is for 100% of its key suppliers to undertake renewable electrical energy by 2025.
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Governance and Advocacy:
Levi’s goals to embed local weather dangers and alternatives into its total enterprise technique to make sure robust governance all through the transition. This consists of common updates on their progress by sustainability reviews, making certain accountability and alignment with worldwide frameworks just like the TCFD (Activity Power on Local weather-Associated Monetary Disclosures) and CDP (Carbon Disclosure Undertaking).
In keeping with Jeffrey Hogue, Chief Sustainability Officer at Levi’s, the local weather transition plan is a part of the corporate’s longstanding dedication to addressing local weather change. He additionally famous that:
“These steps is not going to solely transfer us towards our Web Zero local weather ambition by 2050 but additionally strengthen our personal enterprise’s resilience to the consequences of local weather change.”
Renewables on the Core: Levi’s Push for 100% Inexperienced Vitality by 2025
To cut back its Scope 1 and a couple of emissions, Levi Strauss has dedicated to utilizing renewable power in its personal operations. The corporate has already transitioned a lot of its amenities to renewable electrical energy and is actively investing in photo voltaic and wind energy for its world places of work and shops.
Notably, it seeks to attain 100% renewable electrical energy in all company-operated amenities by 2025. It additionally goals to scale back freshwater utilization in water-stressed areas by 50% from a 2018 baseline by 2025. These targets align with world local weather science and additional the corporate’s broader sustainability targets.
Levi Strauss additionally acknowledges the position of sustainable product design in attaining its internet zero ambitions. The corporate focuses on extending the lifetime of its merchandise by sturdy design, utilizing natural cotton, and lowering the usage of water-intensive processes. Levi’s® WellThread™ assortment, for instance, incorporates round design rules, making clothes which are simpler to recycle.
Main the Business Shift In the direction of Sustainability
Reaching internet zero requires collective motion, and Levi Strauss emphasizes partaking with stakeholders throughout its worth chain. This consists of not solely suppliers but additionally customers, workers, and buyers. The denim firm encourages customers to undertake extra sustainable behaviors, equivalent to washing denims much less often and choosing chilly water washes.
Levi Strauss has additionally joined {industry} coalitions just like the Trend Business Constitution for Local weather Motion, which unites vogue manufacturers in taking daring actions to scale back carbon emissions. By means of these partnerships, Levi’s goals to drive industry-wide modifications and affect insurance policies that assist a transition to a low-carbon economic system.
Since 2000, world fiber manufacturing has almost doubled, rising from 58 million tonnes to 116 million tonnes in 2022. It’s projected to succeed in 147 million tonnes by 2030 if present non-sustainable practices proceed.
This {industry} development comes with vital environmental prices. The style sector is the 2nd-largest water client and contributes 2%-8% of worldwide carbon emissions. With out altering present practices, the {industry}’s share of the carbon price range will enhance to 26% by 2050.
Moreover, 85% of textiles are dumped yearly, and fewer than 1% is recycled.
The style firm’s local weather transition plan affords a promising path ahead. By setting science-backed targets and interesting each inner and exterior companions, Levi Strauss. is taking concrete steps to scale back its environmental impression whereas inspiring others to assist the style {industry} turn out to be extra sustainable.
