SanMar Carbon Reduction Target Approved by SBTi

SanMar Corporation, a supplier of wholesale accessories and apparel, announced the approval of its science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with climate science.

In partnership with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), SanMar has set a company-wide target to meet the SBTi’s most ambitious temperature pathway to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

SanMar’s approved target sets carbon emission reduction goals for both its scope 1 and 2 and scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: SanMar commits to reduce scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 50% per pound of product by 2030 from a 2019 base year. SanMar also commits to reduce scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services by 50% per pound of product within the same timeframe.

“Establishing audacious science-based targets is a landmark moment for SanMar and our industry,” said Emily Gigot, senior manager of sustainability at SanMar. “Collectively, we must all do our part to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and this framework provides us with a roadmap to reduce our emissions in line with climate science.”

For SanMar and most of the apparel and textile industry, the largest share of emissions results from the manufacturing of products. As a result, many of the company’s initiatives to reach their emissions targets will focus on reducing the environmental impact of their products and engaging with suppliers to decrease the impact of their operations with an emphasis on efficient machinery, processes, and renewable energy.

The Science-Based Targets initiative is a greenhouse gas emissions reduction program that supports companies through a five-step process to create tangible goals and establish pathways to reduce emissions by an amount and timetable right-sized for the organization. Targets are consistent with the level of decarbonization that, according to climate science, is required to keep global temperate increase within 1.5 degrees Celsius to 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial temperature levels. The SBTi is a partnership between the CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute, and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

In April 2021, SanMar formally committed to the SBTi and began the process of developing their science-based target and submitting it to SBTi for validation.

The science-based target is the latest action in SanMar’s commitment to environmental stewardship. SanMar’s climate commitment is said to be an important milestone, as it joins many other organizations around the globe in taking action on climate change.