Timberland’s Swartz Says Shoe Manufacturers Need Green Standard

October 2, 2007

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Shoe companies have yet to adopt the greenest methods for making, transporting and selling shoes, even though the technologies are readily available, Jeffrey Swartz, the chief executive of Timberland, said in a New York Times interview.

Swartz said the industry will only make environmental progress if companies agree to an industry standard for greenness and use their combined clout to get their suppliers to meet it.

But even though Timberland has taken a proactive approach to green issues, Swartz said he’s reluctant to make the first call to his counterparts: “Our competitors are so much bigger than we are, and that makes me reluctant to place the call.”

He would like to see the industry decide on a plan of action for reducing energy use and emissions in manufacturing, and then approach the major global shoe manufacturers with it. “We need to go as an industry and say, ‘We’ll invest with you to explore greener energy,’” Swartz said.

In addition, Swartz said that the industry hasn’t positioned environmental attributes as aspirational. “The result is that people may think of green shoes as things that they should buy, but not necessarily as things that they want to buy,” Swartz said.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Stay competitive through sustainability.

Find out how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Best Practices: Product Environmental Compliance

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Stevenson on News Corp. Taps Hara for Energy Efficiency, Environmental Management
"All of us should think of ways to save energy now. It is not a myth,..."

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

Environmental Leader