VF Corporation has reduced its global carbon emissions by 12 per cent from 2011 to 2015. VF is an international apparel and footwear company. It owns the brands Timberland and The North Face. VF achieved these reductions while seeing vast expansions to its business, adding more than 500 sites to its global operations within the five-year period – a 40 per cent increase driven mainly by retail store expansion.

The reduction efforts focused on four areas of operation--manufacturing, distribution, retail, offices and facilities. VF achieved half of this 12 per cent reduction from increasing its use of clean energy, renewable energy credits and carbon offsets. The other six per cent came from smaller initiatives such as employee behavior change programs and various energy efficiency measures such as installing LED lighting in retail stores, technology upgrades in distribution centers and the construction of energy efficient facilities.

VF is also working toward its 100 per cent renewable energy goal across all owned and operated facilities globally by 2025. It has taken steps to be an industry leader in sustainability with its global carbon reduction efforts.

Timberland is ramping up its circular economy efforts. Outdoor apparel giant The North Face has been committed to a chemistry program which aims to create significant environmental savings that go beyond compliance, to identify environmentally preferable chemicals and to reduce overall chemical use in its supply chain.