Levi Strauss & Co. released its first climate transition plan detailing targets for net zero in the short and long term to make apparel more sustainable.
The fashion industry is a major contributor to climate change, with the industry currently projected to miss the 1.5 degree pathway by 50%.
Apparel production and consumption continue to grow.
Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is aiming to make a difference through its climate transition plan, which aims to reach net zero in line with science-based targets.
Famed for its iconic Levi’s jeans, the company also makes clothing as Dockers, Denizen and Beyond Yoga.
“The urgency could not be more evident. Every day, it seems, we see or read about extreme weather events, massive fires, and smoke-filled skies, rising sea levels, climate related mass migration, ecosystem collapse and more,” says Michelle Gass, President and CEO at LS&Co.
“This is an existential crisis for our planet – and for business.
“In a world of dwindling resources, the only way companies like ours can grow and earn our licence to grow is if we adopt climate practices that lower our emissions, back policies that can drive a just transition to a resilient low-carbon energy economy and support marginalised communities globally that are being hit hardest by climate impacts.”
Levi’s history of sustainability
In 2018 LS&Co. became one of the first apparel brands to have validated science-based targets and has achieved emissions reductions across all scopes since.
In 2022 the company completed a climate scenario analysis to identify climate risks and opportunities across its value chain.
It updated its targets in 2023 to adjust its Scope 3 target in line with calls for urgent climate action.
LS&Co. also completed a rigorous qualification of its biodiversity footprint which informed the setting of its targets.
Jeffrey Hogue, Chief Sustainability Officer at LS&Co., says: “Setting targets isn’t enough. We knew we needed to be specific about how we’ll get there as our business evolves and the sustainability sector matures.
“So, we took a hard look at our climate ambitions side-by-side with the company’s forecasting and planning to make sure we could meet our goals.
“We worked with our internal teams like accounting and product development, as well as third-party subject matter experts, to develop a climate transition plan that charted an aggressive and clear path forward to achieve our near-term 2030 targets, and ultimately, net-zero.”
As of 2023 it has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 77% since 2016 and uses 93% renewable electricity.
Levi’s climate transition plan
The LS&Co. climate transition plan is designed to support limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius in line with the Paris Agreement and is aligned with climate science.
The company aims to update this plan at least every three years to maintain its focus on climate related risks and opportunities and ensure it remains aligned with the latest science.
By 2025 it will achieve a 90% absolute Scope 1 and 2 reduction in GHG emissions as part of its short term targets.
LS&Co. Says it aims to reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services 42% by 2030 from a 2022 base year.
To achieve these targets, the company will support 100% of suppliers to set decarbonisation roadmaps and report emissions annually to LS&Co.
In its design, the company will source at least 5% of total cotton from recycled feedstock by 2030 and aim to procure only recycled polyester.
