Climate

Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time, driving far-reaching, irreversible damage to the environment and impacts to people and communities across the globe. At VF, we are committed to doing our part to lessen our impacts on the planet. Guided by our science-based targets, we are striving to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across our value chain and calling for policy action to mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

Our Science Based Targets

VF’s climate targets, approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), include a commitment to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 55% by 2030 from a FY2017 base year. VF also commits to reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services and upstream transportation 30% by 2030 from an FY2017 base year. To achieve these goals, we’ve committed to using renewable energy, adopting green building standards, sourcing more sustainable materials, facilitating technical and financial support to suppliers to improve the operational efficiency of their factories, and collaborating with stakeholders across the value chain to reduce environmental impacts.

VF Targets and Goals

Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 55% by 2030 (FY2017 baseline). Reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services and upstream transportation 30% by 2030 (FY2017 baseline).

View Progress

INVESTING IN OUR PLANET’S FUTURE

In 2020, VF issued its inaugural green bond, a first for the apparel and footwear industry. In 2023, VF issued its second green bond. In line with the company’s 2020 Green Bond Framework, the funds from each green bond were allocated to projects focused on three eligible green bond project categories, Sustainable Products & Materials, Sustainable Operations & Supply Chain, and Natural Carbon Sinks.

To learn more about our Green Bond Framework and the environmental benefits of the use of net proceeds, read our 2021 Green Bond Impact Report and our 2024 Green Bond Impact Report. 

Addressing Waste

VF is reducing its footprint on the planet by achieving zero-waste distribution centers, minimizing single-use plastic from our operations, reducing waste in our supply chain, and diverting product waste to the landfill through recycling, circular design and recommerce initiatives

REDUCING GHG EMISSIONS ACROSS THE VALUE CHAIN

VF’s enterprise-wide environmental sustainability strategy prioritizes sustainable materials, circular design / circular business models and protection of natural resources to drive scalable change while reducing our company’s carbon footprint. Other critical carbon reduction efforts include using renewable energy, driving operational efficiency, reducing waste and investing in green building design across both our operations and supply chain. Through VF’s leadership and industry collaborations, we are acting now to drive long-term progress at a critical moment in our planet’s history.

We recognize that a large part of our environmental impact stems from our supply chain. That’s why we’re working with strategic partners in key sourcing regions to reduce our environmental footprint beyond our direct operations. Learn more about how VF’s supply chain sustainability programs are driving sustainable change on our Energy page. 

ENGAGING SUPPLIERS TO PROTECT THE PLANET

To drive progress toward our Scope 3 science-based target, VF’s global Supply Chain Sustainability team works closely with hundreds of Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions, and to measure and quantify the sustainability impacts of a facility through the completion of the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) assessment. The Higg FEM is a standardized sustainability measurement tool used by apparel, footwear and textile manufacturing factories across the world to track environmental impacts and implement emissions reduction strategies. 

Each year, VF engages close to 500 supplier factories through the Higg FEM assessment to collect environmental data and measure and quantify the sustainability impacts of a facility. Verified Higg FEM data is incorporated into VF’s annual Scope 3 GHG inventory. In conjunction with the Higg FEM assessment process, VF has trained over 1,000 supplier facility managers on how to implement environmental management best practices in their factories. 

Raising our Voice for Climate Policy

VF is calling for bold policy action across the world to mitigate the impacts of climate change. We regularly advocate for increased government action to enact and expand policies, including supporting legislation for ambitious GHG reduction targets, environmental protection and enforcement, recycling infrastructure improvements, renewable energy investment and support for regenerative agriculture practices.

Recent examples of VF’s climate advocacy efforts include:

  • Advocating for federal climate action as a participant in CERES’ LEAD on a Clean Economy in May 2023.
  • Participating in Cere’s BICEP Steering Committee, an advocacy coalition of businesses committed to working with policy makers to pass meaningful energy and climate legislation. 
  • Collaborating with industry peers and AAFA to improve SB707, the California Textile Recovery Act. 
  • Supporting climate-friendly agriculture solutions in the 2023 U.S. Farm Bill as a member of Ceres’ Climate-Smart Agriculture and Healthy Soil Working Group. 
  • Driving industry advocacy initiatives on green product, marketing and labeling legislation in the European Union as a member of the board of the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI). 
  • Engaging on product design and supply chain transparency, extended producer responsibility and other policies that accelerate circular practices through the Policy Hub, FESI and the European Branded Clothing Alliance 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • Learn about VF’s renewable energy strategy and support for the adoption of renewable energy solutions across the supply chain here. 
  • See more information on how we assess and report on climate-related risks in VF’s annual Climate Disclosure Project (CDP) disclosures here. 
  • Learn more about how VF and our brands manage our environmental impacts in our Environmental & Social Responsibility Reporting here.