Today, we proudly release our 2020 Sustainability Report, detailing our progress and programs across social, environmental, workplace and community commitments and initiatives. Not only does this report meet the growing expectation for corporate transparency on sustainability, but it also highlights some of the incredible work that’s happened in this company in recent years, demonstrating what profits through principles is all about.
Below is the introductory letter from CEO Chip Bergh, outlining what this report represents and how we see our sustainability work going forward. You can read the entire report here:
Levi Strauss & Co. has been in business for more than 168 years because we make durable products that are built to last and because we proudly adhere to a guiding philosophy of profits through principles across our operations. These ongoing commitments serve as the foundation of this document, our first Sustainability Report, covering our programs and progress through 2020 and our goals for the coming years.
Though this is our first stand-alone report like this, it is far from the first time we’ve talked about the topic. Sustainability has been central to our operations and decision making for many years – and is critical to our future. With this report, we are challenging ourselves to be more ambitious, more impactful and more transparent with our efforts and our public reporting.
When we speak of sustainability, we are talking about operating and using resources in a way that can be continued in perpetuity without harming people, the planet or future generations. Our imperative is therefore clear: we must continue to find ways to use less water, to reduce emissions, to better support workers, to drive safer chemistry, to further reduce waste, and to become more circular. We must make sure we become more diverse, more equitable, and more inclusive. And we must use our voice and resources to support our people and communities, providing the support they need and taking stands on issues from gun violence to voter participation to racial justice to gender equity.
Our sustainability strategy centers on three main pillars – climate, consumption, and community – that encompass where we are putting our energy and how we see our obligations in and beyond this moment. To achieve our ambitions, we will continue fortifying each pillar, working with humility and transparency to deliver meaningful progress while evolving our efforts to ensure our business keeps getting more sustainable, day by day.
Climate is the existential crisis of our time – a threat to commerce and communities around the globe – and we all have a responsibility to act. Reducing our carbon footprint and advocating for comprehensive climate action are priorities that touch many aspects of our business. We’ll also continue tackling one of fashion’s biggest issues: consumption. We’ll keep talking to consumers, carrying forward the Buy Better, Wear Longer campaign we launched in April, while expanding our efforts to get more efficient with the resources we consume and embedding circular principles into our products and practices. And we will remain steadfast in our commitments to our broader community – our employees around the world, the women and men working in our supply chain, and the people living in the communities where we operate.
Working this way is how we contribute to a safer, more just and, yes, more sustainable future for all. It demonstrates our commitment to our values and shows we understand how sustainability creates value for all stakeholders. It aligns us with the concerns and demands of today’s consumers and investors, and helps future proof our operations.
Across the board, we are doubling down on our sustainability investments, because our people and our planet can’t afford anything less, and because we know that we only truly succeed if we leave the planet better than we found it. This is how we meet the moment and prepare for the long-term. It’s how we build a stronger company and a stronger society. And it’s how we demonstrate that we not only intend to be around for another 168 years, but that we want to be worthy of doing so.
