HanesBrands, one of the world’s largest underwear and activewear manufacturers, has secured its tenth consecutive award for environmental excellence from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star programme – once again remaining the only apparel company to be honoured in the initiative’s 27-year history.
The company owns the significant majority of its manufacturing and supply chain operations and is being recognised by the Energy Star programme for its 2018 accomplishments, including:
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- Renewable energy sources accounted for 41% of the company’s energy usage, surpassing its 2020 goal of 40%. Increased utilisation of the company’s biomass facilities in El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, along with use of hydro and geothermal energy, fuelled the 8 percentage point increase in use of renewable energy compared to 2017.
- A 23% reduction in energy use per pound of production versus its 2007 baseline and a 2% reduction from 2017. The company’s 2020 goal is to reduce energy use by 40%. To date, the company’s energy reduction efforts have delivered a total cost avoidance of more than US$220m.
- A 36% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions versus its 2007 baseline, nearly reaching its 2020 goal of 40% reduction. Bolstered by the significant jump in Hanes’ use of renewable energy, these emissions were down nearly 11% in 2018 versus the prior year.
- A 31% cut in water use against the company’s 2020 goal of 50% compared to its 2007 baseline. Hanes’ water use was down 2% versus 2017.
- An 86% diversion of supply chain waste, or 107m pounds, from landfills while working toward a 2020 goal of 100%.
- Also in 2018, the company developed the capability to convert wastewater sludge to energy, retrofitted 10 facilities with LED tubes and improved water efficiency in boiler operations with reverse osmosis technology.
Mike Faircloth, group president, global supply chain, information technology and e-commerce for HanesBrands, hailed the group’s achievements, adding there’s “much work” yet to be done as the company “remains intensely focused on achieving our 2020 environmental sustainability goals.”
The Energy Star award follows the February announcement that Hanes earned an A- score and leadership position in the CDP 2018 Climate Change Report.
Energy Star was introduced by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased efficiency. The annual Energy Star Partner of the Year award honours organisations that have made outstanding contributions to protect the environment through best practices and organisation-wide energy savings.
Earlier this week, Hanes confirmed it is to close its sock manufacturing plant in Mount Airy, North Carolina, as part of wider moves to realign its global sock production in Central America and Asia.
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