HanesBrands has released its 2021 Sustainability Summary Report, which outlines the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-headquartered company’s progress and plans toward reaching aggressive sustainability goals by 2030. The company participates in the promotional products industry as suppliers Hanes/Champion/ComfortWash (PPAI 191138, S10) and Alternative Apparel (PPAI 217134, S5).

Background: HanesBrands announced its sustainability goals—based around three pillars: People, Planet and Product—in late 2020. The company followed that up with its Full Potential growth plan in 2021, which included a commitment to building a more sustainable business, as well as investment in its associates.


The Report: Highlights from the 2021 Sustainability Report includes:

People

• 1.4 million individuals affected by HanesBrands’ philanthropic initiatives, and associate and community programs
• 9.4 million items of essential clothing donated to 80 organizations
• 49% of U.S. leaders at senior manager level and above are women

Planet

• 11% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions against a 2019 baseline; set science-based emissions reduction targets for 2030
• 48% of electricity came from renewable sources
• 92% of waste diverted from landfills

Product

• 61% sustainable cotton used in HanesBrands products
• 15% reduction in single-use plastics from 2019 levels
• 5% reduction in packaging weight from 2019 levels.

In Their Words:

“At HanesBrands, sustainability is integrated into everything we do—from our iconic brands to sourcing our materials to manufacturing our great products,” says Steve Bratspies, CEO of HanesBrands. “We’re proud of our leadership in this area, and we know there is more to do. Most importantly, I want to thank our 59,000 passionate associates for the progress we’ve made so far and for their continued commitment to creating a more comfortable world for everybody.”

Chris Fox, HanesBrands’ chief sustainability officer, says, “By setting challenging goals and reporting against our progress, we are showing our commitment to sustainable practices and continuing our long history of acting responsibly, ethically and with transparency. This includes impacting the lives of millions of people, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, moving toward 100% sustainably sourced cotton and ensuring we have a diverse and inclusive team around the world.”