Nature inspires us, and it sustains us. We are taking ambitious measures to address our impacts on the environment and support a world that is beautiful and cared for.
Through our own efforts, and in collaboration with partners and experts, we are taking steps to mitigate our environmental footprint. Our teams are mapping the impacts of our energy, emissions, water and waste across our operations and supply chain. We've also joined other leading peers and companies as signatories to the We Are Still In declaration and the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, pledging to limit our emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals. We are also members of the G7 Fashion Pact, a group of fashion leaders working to stop global warming, restore biodiversity and protect the oceans.
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
GOALS
CARBON & ENERGY
Set a 100% renewable energy goal for our owned and operated facilities by 2019
NEW 100% renewable electricity for owned and operated offices, distribution centers and stores by 2025
Set science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets for our operations and supply chain by 2020
NEW 30% reduction in absolute Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions by 2030, compared to a FY20 baseline
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Zero waste to landfill across our distribution centers by 2023
100% of packaging material will be recyclable, reusable or sustainably sourced by 2025
WATER STEWARDSHIP
20% or greater reduction in total water use across our operations and value chain by 2025, compared to FY20 baseline
Reducing our Footprint
We are contributing to a wave of change in our industry, moving quickly to address the environmental impacts of our business.
Our aim is to dramatically reduce the environmental footprint of our operations and global supply chain. Together with peers and industry organizations, we are setting ambitious targets to address the impacts of our business.
In FY20, we achieved two of our environmental goals: to set a 100 percent renewable energy goal for our owned and operated facilities by 2019 and to set science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets for our operations and supply chain by 2020. We are now putting programs and policies in place to work toward our science-based target to reduce our absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2030. Renewable electricity is at the heart of our strategy and will become the sole source of power in our stores, offices and distribution centers by 2025.
From manufacturing to distribution centers to product end of life, we are identifying ways to replace, improve and create processes that will eliminate waste and help us progress towards our commitment to bring zero waste principles into all aspects of our business and value chain. In FY20, we developed our excess inventory management principles. These were created to minimize waste, maximize the value of our products in their first and next life, keep all materials at their highest and best use while maintaining the integrity of our brand. During the year we also made progress toward our zero waste to landfill goal across our distribution centers. In FY20, we achieved 90 percent diversion at our owned distribution centers in North America. In FY21, we will work to achieve similar diversion rates in our third- party operated distribution centers in Europe and Asia.
We’re also helping suppliers measure and manage their use of energy and water, which comprises the majority of our environmental impact. We’ve teamed up with trusted environmental experts, like the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and the World Wildlife Fund, to chart a path to lower impact.
Sustainable Packaging
We’re changing the way we package products to reflect our respect for the environment and our concerns about single-use plastic.
We are changing the way we package our products. In 2019, we set a goal for 100 percent of our packaging to be recyclable, reusable or sustainably sourced by 2025.
Our work is well underway. Currently, more than half of our packaging met these criteria. To further our efforts, we recently formalized our Forest Protection Policy which underscores our commitment to reduce the environmental and social impacts of our packaging. As we continue to make progress toward our goal, a main focus for us is finding an alternative for polybags—the individual plastic bags that are commonly used to protect products. In FY20, we collaborated with suppliers and peers on ways to eliminate, reduce or replace polybags. During the year, we tested 14 alternatives to polybags including biobased bags, recycled content bags and bags with a lower impact at end of life. We also piloted a program with select suppliers to reduce the number of polybags used in transporting products. Our customers are also helping to drive our efforts by selecting the reduced packaging option for any order placed through RalphLauren.com. For these orders we do not include polybags, paper inserts, hangers or garment bags, promotional materials or paper invoices.
In the coming year, we will extend our efforts to include piloting a reusable shipping package on our ecommerce sites.
