BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy) announced that VF Corporation has joined the coalition to advocate for innovative climate and clean energy policies. The company has also signed the Climate Declaration, which calls for federal policymakers to seize the American economic opportunity to address climate change. BICEP, a project of Ceres, was launched in 2008 with a core group of five companies, including Starbucks, Nike, and Timberland. It has since expanded to 28 leading companies, such as eBay Inc., Symantec and Jones Lang LaSalle, which represent a broad spectrum of business sectors. BICEP members have been vocal proponents of renewable energy, greener transportation, and stricter pollution controls on power plants.
VF, a 114-year-old, North Carolina-based lifestyle apparel giant has annual revenues of more than $11 billion and owns iconic American brands such as The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Wrangler and Lee. According to Letitia Webster, Director, Global Corporate Sustainability, VF is focused on systematically and measurably reducing its environmental footprint, with a focus on energy reduction – critically important in addressing the climate-change issue. "VF has made great strides toward meeting our 5 percent GHG reduction goal, ahead of a 2015 target and during a period of significant growth for the company," she said, noting that this progress has been made through a number of initiatives – including lighting retrofits, use of solar power, and significant HVAC investments and improvements, among other energy efficiency measures – at the company's more than 1,700 global locations.
"By joining BICEP, VF is taking the next step in our sustainability journey," Webster continued. "Collaborating across businesses, governments and advocacy groups, such as BICEP, will accelerate technical advancements and smart policies that minimize the impact of climate change. We are proud to share our experience and eager to learn from fellow BICEP members in the joint effort to preserve, protect and improve the health of our planet." VF brands The North Face and Timberland are also signatories of the Climate Declaration. On September 20, many of the signatories announced their public support for the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed carbon standards for new power plants and plans for reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants. "VF's brands have already played a critical role in supporting climate policies. We are proud to have VF as the newest member of BICEP and are certain they will be an active voice for smart policies," said Anne Kelly, Director of BICEP at Ceres. "With the company's global commitment to mitigate the social and environmental impact of its products and practices, we're sure that VF will flourish as a BICEP member."
