Asics Corporation has been recognized for its work promoting climate protection.
The Japanese footwear company was identified as a global leader for engaging with its suppliers on climate change, being awarded a position on the Supplier Engagement Leaderboard (SER) for the fourth consecutive year by the global environmental impact nonprofit CDP.
Asics‘ actions and strategies to reduce emissions and manage climate risks in its supply chain in the past reporting year earned the organization’s approval. Over 6,200 companies in total were assessed by CDP and given a supplier engagement rating. Asics was among the top 8 percent of organizations evaluated by the carbon disclosure nonprofit, one of over 500 companies on the leaderboard this year.
“It is vital that companies act now to cascade action and manage environmental impacts throughout their supply chains if we are to secure a nature-positive 1.5 C future,” Sonya Bhonsle, global head of value chains and regional director corporations at CDP, said. “Therefore, it is a pleasure to welcome the 650-plus companies who have made it onto CDP’s 2022 Supplier Engagement Leaderboard. These companies are showing the leadership needed by engaging its supplier for the transition towards a sustainable net-zero future.”
The SER provides a rating for how effectively companies engage their suppliers on climate change. CDP assesses performance on supplier engagement using a company’s response to selected questions on governance, targets, Scope 3 emissions and value chain engagement in the CDP climate change questionnaire.
Asics was also recently included in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2023, which showcases the sustainability performance of 710 out of 7,8000 companies assessed in the 2022 Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) across 61 industries. Asics qualified as a “sustainability yearbook member” in the textiles, apparel and luxury goods sector, along with Puma, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Gildan Activewear. To qualify as members, companies must be within the top 15 percent of their industry by number and achieve a score within 30 percent of their industry’s top-performing company. Asics’ S&P global ESG score, as of Feb. 7, was 65, the lowest of all companies considered. Moncler was named a top 1 percent S&P global ESG scorer, while Hugo Boss cracked the top 5 percent. Both Kering and the Burberry Group made the 10 percent.
Asics’ Court FF 3 tennis shoe.
Courtesy
Asics said it’s committed to pursuing sustainability in all aspects of its business to support a more sustainable society. So far, the company has achieved a 28 percent carbon emissions reduction from its direct operations versus 2015 and cut 19.7 percent of carbon emissions from its supply chain versus 2015, which it achieved by using up to 30 percent more recycled polyester. Ninety percent of new running shoes in 2021 and 2022 contain recycled materials, and over $400,000 has been raised for the community in contributions and donations, according to its 2021 Sustainability Report.
“As a major sporting goods company with a large workforce and global manufacturing, we recognize and take responsibility for our impacts,” Yasuhito Hirota, president, CEO, COO and representative director of Asics, said when the report was released last summer. “Sustainability is a core element of Asics’ Vision2030, which presents the long-term targets for the company we aspire to be.”
