STABIO, Switzerland,
July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
As one of the largest apparel and footwear companies in the
world, VF has a responsibility to help build a better future for
the industry, company, employees, and the communities where we
operate. One way VF does this is by encouraging and empowering
associates to get involved in initiatives in the
communities where they live, work and play. In 2016, 1600
EMEA employees from VF's corporate headquarters and
its brands volunteered more than 15,000 hours in their local
communities.
(Logo:
http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/534414/VF_Corporation_Logo.jpg
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VF strongly believes that an actively engaged local citizen is
good for both the community and business: for this reason,
employees give their time and experience to volunteer in the local
community. Each region and brand creates their own programs based
upon community needs and employee desires.
"We are happy and proud to see so many of our employees rally to
support the various projects, dedicating an entire day to the
community," commented Anna Maria Rugarli, Senior Director,
Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility EMEA. "Our VF
Community Days are part of a series of voluntary initiatives that
our group organizes all over the world to support the communities
where we work."
Some examples of the projects include the following:
- VF Community Day in Ticino, on July
11th, 12th, 13th: Three
days of environmental and social volunteering during which hundreds
of employees of VF Corporation will support local causes and
charities. VF employees in Stabio (Switzerland) office held their first VF
Community Day in July 2014.
- VF Community Day in Italy, in
Pederobba, on April 6th in
celebration of Earth Day. The project
involved employees in different activities supporting LIPU (Italian
League for Bird Protection), an Italian organization protecting
nature and biodiversity. A group of volunteers helped restore the
LIPU center for education while others cleaned up park trails.
- My Playgreen by Timberland®: Timberland® has teamed up with the
King Baudouin Foundation to create a grant program supporting the
creation, maintenance and improvement of greenspaces in five
European cities over the course of five years. In March, My
PlayGreen funded 14 projects across London. In May, it was launched in
Milan, where it will provide
grants of up to €5,000 for local grassroots projects which improve
access to green spaces for children of all backgrounds. To kick off
the Milan edition of My Playgreen,
120 Timberland employees volunteered at 3 urban greening projects
in Milan.
- VF Community Day, in Nottingham, coinciding with UK National
Volunteering Week: last May, approximately 80 employees from across
all major brands joined several service projects across
Nottinghamshire to support the
local communities in which employees work and live.
- #VFit: last year, VF Corporation partnered with London-based grassroots non-profit
organisation, PhotoView PVCL Creative Learning Company (PVCL), to
support at-risk students in gaining vital skills to help them get
work. The initiative, #VFit, targeted students between the ages of
16 and 20 who were at risk of falling behind or dropping out of
mainstream education. The goal was to reduce the number of young
people not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the city.
A total of 16 students have completed a range of photography, film,
editing and writing tasks as well as creating a real-life business
brief with support from specially-trained VF store managers who
served as business coaches.
Sustainability and Responsibility are an integral part of VF's
operations. By dedicating ourselves to using the earth's resources
efficiently and thoughtfully, VF will remain competitive in a
resource-conscious marketplace and will help to ensure the future
generations live in a cleaner, healthier world.
For VF, focusing on sustainability is the only possible key to
the overall growth of the business in a responsible manner: by the
way the products are made, to projects preserving environmental
resources, to supporting local communities in which VF
operates.
VF Corporation recently announced several initiatives supporting
the environment. A few highlights include:
- Planet:
- VF is committed to source 100% renewable energy by 2025
(including owned and operated facility)
- VF Corporation released its first-ever Forest Derived Materials
Policy, setting formal guidelines for the company's purchasing
preferences and use of sustainable forest materials and products.
VF's forestry policy aims to avoid the issues associated with
deforestation and forest degradation including the loss of ancient
and endangered forests, loss of biodiversity and habitat, use of
forced labor in making forestry products and loss of indigenous
peoples and local community rights.
- VF Corporation supports the Paris Climate Agreement, the 2015
landmark accord aimed at combating climate change.
- Sustainable Products:
- VF Corporation also released its Animal Derived Materials
Policy: VF brands will no longer use fur, angora or exotic leather
in their products. The progressive new policy, developed in
partnership with The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society
International, outlines which animal materials are prohibited and
sets formal guidelines for the procurement and use of approved
materials by the company's brands and global supply chain
partners.
- "Make It Better" represents Napapijri®'s mindset to
embrace product innovation to enable solutions that improve the
lives of those around us, while making a meaningful
contribution to the world. The brand's entire FW17 collection is
proudly 100% fur and down free.
- VF signed a commitment letter during the last Copenhagen
Fashion Summit in May 2017 to define
a circular strategy. With this letter, they have agreed to set
targets for 2020 and to report on the progress of implementing the
commitment. The company is committed to being a part of a fashion
industry that can lead the transition to a circular system, which
restores and regenerates materials while offering new opportunities
for innovative design, increased customer engagement and the
capturing of economic value.
VF brands launched an in-store take back initiative to recycle
and extend the lifecycle of clothing and footwear.
- "Clothes the Loop", by The North Face® is a project first
started in the US in 2013, aimed at helping customers recycle their
unwanted clothing and footwear. The North Face® has rolled the
program out to all owned & operated stores in Germany and UK. At the end of July 2017, the program will also be launched in
all stores owned and operated in France, Italy, Spain
and Denmark."
- "Second Chance", by Timberland® is an initiative activated
across Timberland stores in Europe
to re-use or recycle shoes brought in by consumers. In less than
one year, Timberland helped to recycle more than 1,800 kgs of
unwanted shoes.
- "Skate and Donate", by VANS® was established in December 2016. This program gives customers the
opportunity to return unwanted shoes to participating Vans stores
in Germany and Austria.
- VF headquarters in Stabio promoted "Time to Give Back", which
gave associates a chance to donate old clothes for recycling or
reuse, supporting "VestiTiVesto", a project promoted by charity
association Fondazione Amici della Vita.
VF Corporation
VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) outfits consumers around the world
with its diverse portfolio of iconic lifestyle brands,
including Vans®, The North
Face®, Timberland®,
Wrangler® and
Lee®. Founded in 1899, VF is one of the
world's largest apparel, footwear and accessories
companies with socially and environmentally responsible operations
spanning numerous geographies, product categories and distribution
channels. VF is committed to delivering innovative products to
consumers and creating long-term value for its customers and
shareholders.
VF International, based in Stabio (Switzerland), serves as the headquarters for
the company's EMEA (Europe, Middle
East, and Africa) and APAC
(Asia-Pacific) business.
For more information,
visit http://www.vfc.com
SOURCE VF Corporation