Climate

Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time, driving far-reaching, irreversible damage to the environment and impacts to millions of lives. 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 bold 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), cover GHG emissions from company operations (scopes 1 and 2), is consistent with reductions required to keep global warming at 1.5°C and we’ve set a well-below 2°C ­target for Scope 3, product-related emissions. To achieve these goals, we’ve committed to using renewable energy, adopting green building standards, sourcing more sustainable materials and working 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 (FY17 baseline)

Reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services and upstream transportation 30% by 2030 (FY17 baseline)

View Progress

INVESTING IN OUR PLANET’S FUTURE

In 2020, VF issued the apparel and footwear industry’s first Green Bond and announced the full allocation of the net proceeds, which totaled approximately €493 million, in FY2021. Our Green Bond is a key step in the implementation of our environmental sustainability strategy and focused on three key sustainability areas that are core to VF’s business:

  • Sustainable products and materials
  • Sustainable operations and supply chain
  • Natural carbon sinks

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

REDUCING GHG EMISSIONS ACROSS THE VALUE CHAIN

VF is elevating our commitment to take bold and urgent action regarding climate change. Our enterprise-wide environmental sustainability strategy prioritizes sustainable materials, circularity and sustainable packaging to drive scalable change by reducing our company’s carbon footprint. Other critical components include renewable energy use, reducing waste, implementing green buildings and more 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 the Energy page.

ENGAGING SUPPLIERS TO PROTECT THE PLANET

To drive progress towards 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 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 track progress. And through the 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, renewable energy investment and innovation in regenerative agriculture practices.

In recent years representatives from VF have joined Ceres, a sustainability nonprofit, on BICEP LEAD on Climate days. Collectively, VF associates have attended over 30 meetings with members of the U.S. Congress and the Biden Administration to advocate for lawmakers to Build Back Better, emphasizing the importance of a climate-resilient economic recovery. VF has also signed onto a business policy letter urging the Biden Administration to establish ambitious 2030 emissions targets and to urge Congress to support a Federal Clean Electricity Standard.

Recent examples of VF’s climate advocacy efforts include:

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 2022 Climate Project Disclosure (CDP) disclosures here.
  • Learn more about how VF and the VF Family of brands manage our environmental impacts in our Sustainability & Responsibility Reporting here.