26 Sep Asics Accelerates Climate Initiatives
Asics announced it is committing to set 1.5°C science-based emissions reduction targets aligned with a net-zero future by 2050, responding to what climate science indicates is needed to limit the worst impacts of climate change.
To accelerate progress towards the new targets, Asics is expanding sustainability technology across its footwear range to reduce carbon emissions in the dyeing process by 45 percent starting in 2020. Asics also reaffirms its commitment to work collaboratively with other groups to address climate change by joining the United Nation’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.
In 2018, Asics was the first sporting goods company to have its science-based targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and in June of this year the first to support the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Asics has accelerated its actions now by committing to set new targets in line with last October’s report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which made the case for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
”Asics was founded in 1949 with a vision to promote the health of young people through sport. Asics remains committed to this philosophy today and to enable future generations to be active and play sport, we are committed to set ambitious targets as a core of the business strategy to help mitigate the impact of climate change” said Yasuhito Hirota, COO and president of Asics Corporation.
Building a prosperous, net-zero carbon economy by 2050 requires a transformation of unprecedented pace and scale, with decisive business leadership and investment in climate solutions.
Asics plans to expand the application of resource-saving technology in their solution dyeing method to more than 50 percent of total new products across all of the company’s shoe brands (Asics, Onitsuka Tiger, and Häglofs) from 2020. This will mark the first time that solution dyeing has been adopted on such a large scale in the sports shoe industry. This initiative is expected to slash carbon emissions from the dyeing process by around 45 percent and cut water use by around 33 percent compared to conventional processes. These are equal to carbon emissions absorbed by more than 25,000 trees in one year and water needed for 1 million people a day.
Asics will join the UN’s Fashion for Global Climate Action initiative as a signatory to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. By signing the Charter, Asics demonstrates its commitment to ensure the fashion sector is on the path to a low-carbon future.