HanesBrands has earned its seventh consecutive partner-of-the-year award from the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program for continued excellence in energy conservation, carbon emissions avoidance and environmental sustainability. HanesBrands, which participates in the promotional products industry as supplier Hanes/Champion (UPIC: HBIINC), predominately owns and operates its own production facilities and has a disciplined global energy management program.

At the annual Energy Star program in Washington, D.C., on April 13, Javier Chacon, Hanes’ chief global manufacturing operations officer, highlighted key 2015 accomplishments for the company, including:

  • The construction of a 5.5-megawatt biomass-fueled heat and power plant to support operations in El Salvador and avoid using energy derived from heavy oil.

  • The initiation of an annual companywide global energy summit for executives, managers and engineers to plot achievement of long-term 2020 environmental performance goals.

  • The addition of five additional plants achieving Energy Star Challenge for Industry recognition for reducing energy use by more than 10 percent.

  • Continued commitment to responsibly produced cotton and energy-efficient yarn processing.

“We are honored to earn another partner of the year award, and the credit goes to each of our more than 65,000 worldwide employees who are committed to the cause of energy management and environmental responsibility,” says Chacon. “We are proud of our achievements as a leading global apparel company.”

Since 2007, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based company has reduced its energy use by 25 percent, water use by 31 percent and carbon emissions by 21 percent. Last year, it derived 25 percent of its worldwide energy needs from renewable sources, including biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal and wind.