HanesBrands has released its 2016 environmental performance data on energy use, carbon dioxide emissions, water use, renewable energy and landfill diversion. Compared with its 2007 baseline, the company, which participates in the promotional products industry as supplier Hanes/Champion (PPAI 191138), reduced its energy use by 16 percent, carbon emissions by 16 percent and water use by 25 percent. Hanes also shifted 25 percent of the energy the company uses to renewable sources and diverted 84 percent, or 118 million pounds, of waste from its company-owned supply chain from landfills.

Hanes has a commitment to reduce energy use by 40 percent, carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent and water use by 50 percent by 2020, along with securing at least 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources and diverting 100 percent of waste in its company-owned supply chain from landfills.

“We are proud of the culture of environmental responsibility that we’ve established at HanesBrands during the past decade,” says Michael E. Faircloth, Hanes’s president and chief global supply chain and information technology officer. “It unifies our 67,000 global employees, enables us to make progress during economically challenging years and creates a win-win-win for the environment we all share, our communities and our company.

Faircloth adds, “We have made significant progress in addressing our environmental impact, but there is always room for improvement when you set the bar high. And we are committed to continuing to make a positive and lasting contribution to our world in the years to come.”

Hanes reports energy and water use, along with carbon emissions, based on “intensity,” or per pound of apparel manufactured. Year-over-year comparisons for energy, water and carbon emissions were less favorable, due to a strategic decision in 2016 to reduce inventories. Versus 2015, the company’s energy use was up eight percent, water use up eight percent and carbon emissions up 4 percent due to less production volume to absorb fixed energy and water use. On an absolute basis, the total amount of energy and water used was down, with carbon emissions showing a slight uptick.