Montreal - Gildan Activewear has been included on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index. This is the sixth consecutive year that Gildan has been included on the Dow Jones Indices.
“We are proud to again be included on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index,” said Claudia Sandoval, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship, Gildan. “Receiving this recognition as one of a small group of leading apparel companies is a great validation of the tremendous efforts of our people. Following a comprehensive materiality assessment with key stakeholders this year, we revised our Genuine Responsibility program to focus on three commitments, namely, caring for our employees, conserving the environment and creating strong communities. The investments and efforts we make against these commitments further support our vision of Making Apparel Better.”
The company has more than 50,000 direct employees worldwide and says it is driven to provide safe and healthy work environments, treat all employees with respect and to increase the prosperity of employees, their families and communities by offering fair wages, free medical clinics and medication, subsidized meals, free transportation as well as training and development programs.
Environmental goals include minimizing waste, decreasing emissions, optimizing the use of natural resources and pursuing continuous improvements in every aspect of its operations, from yarn-spinning and textile manufacturing to garment sewing. Since 2015, Gildan has decreased water usage intensity by 17% through investments in high-efficiency dyeing machines, water management systems and chemical innovation in wet processes. Gildan also recycled or repurposed 86% of its total waste last year and generated 43% of its total energy needs through renewable sources made possible through investments in Biomass steam generation systems, which burn agricultural and factory waste as a primary fuel source.
The Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) was established in September 2005 to track the performance of companies from Canada and the United States of America that lead the field in terms of corporate sustainability.
