Puma’s latest Sustainability Report reveals that in 2022, 7 out of 10 products were made from “better materials,” as the company continues to scale up its use of recycled materials. These materials – such as cotton and viscose from certified sources or recycled polyester – have a smaller environmental footprint in terms of CO2 emissions and allow Puma to improve its environmental impact across its product range. More than 50 percent of the polyester used in apparel and accessories came from recycled materials, and the company has also begun to increase its use of recycled cotton.
Puma’s Forever Better strategy a work in progress
“Our Forever Better strategy aims to make Puma better across the entire value chain, whether it comes to materials, carbon emissions, circularity or human rights,” said Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer. “We know there is still a lot of work to be done, but we are encouraged by the progress we made last year.”
Puma says it has been able to reduce its CO2 emissions from materials by 32 percent since 2017. Overall, CO2 emissions have been reduced by 7 percent (including renewable energy certificates), despite significant sales growth.
It appears the company is well on its way to achieving its goal of making 9 out of 10 products from better materials by 2025. The Sustainability Report also states that the company continued to power 100 percent of its offices, stores and warehouses with renewable energy in 2022, and that its suppliers increased their use of renewable energy in the supply chain, where most of Puma’s carbon emissions occur.
Puma reports sustainability progress in both production and end products
Puma’s main suppliers, which account for about 80 percent of the company’s production volume, more than doubled their renewable energy consumption in just one year, from 0.2 percent in 2017 to 11 percent in 2022, achieved by installing large solar panels at selected suppliers and purchasing renewable energy certificates. By 2025, Puma aims to more than double this figure again and get its main suppliers to source a quarter of their energy needs from renewable sources.
In Feb. 2023, Puma joined Zero100, a community of industry leaders that aims for a zero percent carbon, 100 percent digital supply chain.
Meanwhile, Puma also made progress on its Forever Better experiments Re:Suede, which is testing a biodegradable sneaker, and Re:Fibre, which aims to develop more advanced polyester recycling technologies. Both projects will continue in 2023.
To ensure that the rights of the more than half a million workers in Puma’s supply chain were upheld, the company collected audit reports from 510 factories producing finished products and materials in 2022.
Puma’s Sustainability Report to also be shared in a new format
The 2022 sustainability report is available at annual-report.puma.com. As a result of the feedback Puma received during its first Conference of the People in London in 2022 and to reach out to young audiences, parts of the sustainability report will also be made available as a podcast on Spotify, launching June 1, 2023.
