Nike scales climate action with cross-industry tie-ups
04/11/2021
By 2025, Nike has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions in owned and operated facilities by 65%, to recycle or donate 10 times the amount of post-consumer waste through new circular business models, and to increase the use of “environmentally preferred” materials to 50% of all key product materials (which would cut half a million tons of greenhouse gas emissions).
Its sustainable innovation team has changed its mantra from “Make athletes better” to “Make athletes better and make the world better for athletes.”
Materials account for 70% of Nike’s carbon footprint, so it is investing heavily in materials research and innovation. “We’re constrained only by the pace that we and our industry can dream up materials to move us farther. How quickly can we develop additional alternatives to leather, alternatives to cotton? How can we work with our key supply-chain partners to create and mandate manufacturing methods that facilitate lower carbon or lower energy production?” said chief sustainability officer Noel Kinder (pictured).
As well as partnering across the sportswear and fashion industry to “mitigate climate change”, Nike is working with groups outside the sector, such as Unilever, Starbucks and Microsoft. “This is essential to drive climate action. Because once you’ve energised your employee base to change how you make products and how you power facilities, and you’ve carried those changes over to the suppliers you partner with, reaching the next level of impact comes down to collaboration," added Mr Kinder.
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