Energy

We are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by reducing energy consumption – first in our operations, and then in our supply chain. By 2011, we will reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions in our owned and operated locations by 11% worldwide from 2007 levels.

Public Policy Leadership

Maximizing energy efficiency and addressing climate change lie at the heart of our efforts to restore the planet. We have been and will continue to be outspoken champions for public policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gases. Through participation in the Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), we have joined other global companies in calling for leadership and support from the U.S. administration and Congress to develop energy and climate legislation that promotes energy efficiency, encourages energy and climate innovation, and reduces overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Inventory and Assessments

Since 2007, we have been conducting a thorough greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory of our own operations.

In measuring our progress, we have relied on third-party verification.For our 2006 and 2007 inventories, third-party verification was performed by an organization approved by the EPA Climate Leaders program. For 2008, our data was verified by a third party under The Climate Registry General Reporting Protocol, and we plan to submit our 2009 data soon.

In 2010, Levi Strauss & Co. was selected as one of 60 companies worldwide to road-test a new protocol to measure GHG emissions in our products and supply chains. This project is sponsored by the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Facilities and Retail Stores

We’ve made a commitment to improving energy efficiency in all of our owned and operated manufacturing facilities and retail stores. From next-generation lighting systems to maintenance programs that increase the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units, we’re pursuing innovative solutions that reduce energy consumption and minimize our contribution to climate change.

  • Manufacturing facilities. From 2007 to 2009, energy use at our owned and operated manufacturing facilities decreased by over 15%.
  • Retail stores. Since 2007, average kWh/ft at our U.S. retail stores has declined by over 7%. These stores are also deploying high-efficiency lighting systems that yield aggregate energy savings of anywhere from 20% to 40%.

Logistics and Supply

Examining energy use in our transportation logistics and global supply chain is essential to our goal of minimizing impact and creating a more sustainable business.

  • U.S. inbound logistics. In 2008, we reduced our fuel usage, and consequently, our greenhouse gas emissions in some of our shipping lanes by 50-60%. We did this by using a mixture of trains and trucks for our U.S. domestic transportation. We are now expanding our use of intermodal transport in other routes.
  • Supply chain. We have deployed a new information management system that enables us to collect and track our suppliers’ energy use data, and optimize our data collection.

Customer Use

In 2007, we performed a lifecycle assessment of our Levi’s® 501 jeans and Dockers® Original Khakis. Over 400 MJ of energy are consumed during the full product lifecycle of a pair of 501s, with sources ranging from factory operations to heating water for warm washing at home. In response, we launched two initiatives:

  • A Care Tag for Our Planet. A first for a retailer, Levi’s® new care tags on our products encourage consumers to“wash in cold, line dry when possible and donate used clothes to Goodwill when no longer needed.”
  • P&G Coldwater Tide & Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ We have partnered with Alliance to Save Energy and Procter & Gamble, makers of Tide Coldwater, to co-promote our Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ jeans in 1,500 Walmart stores, encouraging consumers to save energy by washing their jeans in cold water.
RELATED LINKS
Public Policy
Lifecycle Assessment
Product Sustainability