“For the first time, we published the numbers for our entire value chain, and we have made some real progress towards achieving our climate ambitions over the last years. Our own emissions and those from purchased energy were reduced by more than what is needed to do our part to keep climate change below 1.5 degrees,” said Stefan Seidel, Senior Head of Corporate Sustainability. “We will not stop here and continue to make improvements to live up to our Forever Better sustainability strategy.”

Using less carbon intensive raw materials is an important pillar of PUMA’s sustainability strategy. In 2021, PUMA expanded the use of recycled polyester to 55% in its Apparel products, as part of its strategy to use 75% recycled polyester in its Apparel and Accessories by 2025. Overall, PUMA wants to make nine out of ten products from more sustainable materials by 2025. In 2021 this was already the case for six out of ten products.

As a founding member of the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, facilitated by UN Climate, PUMA recognises the fashion industry’s important role in decarbonization and is also working with other brands, governments and NGOs to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the supply chain.

For more information, you can read 2021 PUMA’s Sustainability Report on https://about.puma.com/en/sustainability/reporting.

Starting Monday, PUMA and BVB will set up collection bins, where fans will be able to donate their old polyester items, which will be used for the RE:JERSEY project. The fans who donate old items, can also take part in a draw to win great prizes such as signed jerseys. More information can be found on https://www.bvb.de/eng/puma-re-jersey.

“We see a growing interest from our fans in sustainable merchandising and that they are more aware of sustainability topics,” said Kerstin Zerbe, Managing Director of BVB Merchandising GmbH. “We are glad that our collection points at FanWelt will contribute towards making our jerseys more circular in the future. We share this ambition with our partner PUMA.”

The RE:JERSEYs worn by BVB players during the warm up on Saturday were made with 75% repurposed football jerseys. The remaining 25% comes from SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC1.

In the recycling process used for the RE:JERSEY project, the garments are chemically broken down into their main components (depolymerization). Colors are then filtered out and the material is chemically put back together to create a yarn (repolymerization) that has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester.

Next to BVB, PUMA teams Manchester City, AC Milan and Olympique de Marseille are also a part of this project.

With RE:JERSEY, PUMA aims to reduce waste and pave the way towards more circular production models in the future. Sustainability is also a key value for AC Milan, which has committed to sustainable and social responsibility initiatives, with a particular focus on younger generations.

While PUMA’s football kits on the market today are already made from 100% recycled polyester, the RE:JERSEY shirts worn ahead of Sunday’s game are made with 75% repurposed football jerseys. The remaining 25% comes from SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC[1].

“We are excited that AC Milan has joined us to be a part of the RE:JERSEY project,” said Matthias Baeumer, General Manager BU Teamsport at PUMA. “As we want to take more responsibility when it comes to the end of life of our products, RE:JERSEY is an important step in garment-to-garment recycling.”

In the recycling process used for the RE:JERSEY project, even old garments that feature logos, embroideries and club badges can be used, as the material is chemically broken down into its main components (depolymerization). Colors are then filtered out and the material is chemically put back together to create a yarn (repolymerization) that has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester.

As part of the project, AC MILAN and PUMA will set up collection bins, where fans will be able to donate their old polyester items, which will be used for the RE:JERSEY project.“

AC Milan is a Club that truly believes in the social value of football. Sustainability is an important value for all of us at the Club, we need to do our part to protect the future of our planet, so we are delighted to join this initiative with our partner PUMA and be part of the RE:JERSEY project,” said Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer at AC Milan.

[1] SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC
SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC is a sustainable and fully traceable raw material from SEAQUAL INITIATIVE that is made from marine litter, or in some cases from end-of-life fishing nets or other plastics used in aquaculture (such as those used in mussel and oyster farming). For more information, visit https://www.seaqual.org

The Freightliner truck, which is operated by PUMA’s drayage partner NFI, is a first test vehicle. By the third quarter of 2022, the company expects to have five electric trucks in operation to carry goods from the port to the warehouse.

“For us this is a huge step towards cleaner logistics. Instead of using an LNG or a clean diesel truck, we can now shift goods from the port to the warehouse with no tailpipe emissions,” said Helmut Leibbrandt, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain Management & Logistics – Americas.

The electric trucks delivering goods from the port to the Torrance distribution center are a further building block in PUMA’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions in its entire business. Last month the company announced that it had reduced its own carbon emissions and those from purchased energy by 88% between 2017 and 2021. CO2 emissions also fell in the company’s supply chain, the most carbon intensive part of its business, in spite of strong revenue growth in the same period.

“While electric vehicles are already quite common for passenger cars, electric trucking is only starting out,” said John Amato, Senior Vice President at NFI. “We are excited that PUMA has been willing to join us in this project and to use this new technology in the company’s day-to-day operations.”

Business of Fashion noted that PUMA had leading scores for water & chemicals, worker’s rights and transparency, while also sharply improving its emissions score compared to last year. Overall, PUMA scored 49 out of 100 points, well above the industry average of 28.

“We welcome the recognition in the Business of Fashion Sustainability Index 2022 and will take our leadership position as an encouragement to take the next step on our sustainability journey,” PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden said. “We agree with the conclusions that much remains to be done to bring our industry in line with the Goal of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

As part of its Forever Better sustainability strategy, PUMA announced earlier this year that it had reduced its carbon emissions between 2017 and 2021 from both its own operations (-88%) and its supply chain (-12%), in spite of strong sales growth in the same period.

PUMA achieved this reduction by purchasing 100% renewable electricity through renewable electricity tariffs and renewable energy attribute certificates, moving our company’s car fleet to electric engines, using more sustainable materials and implementing efficiency improvements at a factory level.

To be transparent about its supply chain, PUMA published its full list of Tier 1 suppliers and also the most important suppliers in Tier 2 and selected Tier 3 suppliers.

In water & chemicals, PUMA published wastewater tests for its suppliers with wet processing and showed improved compliance with wastewater industry standards such as the ZDHC Wastewater Quality Guideline.

To improve workers’ rights in its supply chain, a topic the company first committed to in its Code of Conduct in 1993, PUMA works together with the Fair Labor Association and the ILO Better Work Program. PUMA collects and publishes wage data and other social performance indicators in its annual report.

Taking place in London on September 6 and streamed worldwide, Conference of the People will feature PUMA’s industry peers, activists, NGOs, experts, ambassadors and consumers, who will discuss tackling waste, using more sustainable materials, stopping climate change, protecting forests and finding ways for the industry to collaborate to achieve results sooner.

“We will focus on Gen Z during this event, as we want to give this generation a voice when it comes to the decisions that have to be made today to shape a more sustainable future,” said Bjørn Gulden, CEO of PUMA. “At the United Nations they call it Conference of the Parties, we call it Conference of the People.”

Ahead of the event, PUMA launched the platform PUMACOP.com, where users can learn more about the event and register their interest to attend. The event will also be streamed live on this platform.

International actress, model and activist Cara Delevingne will host the event alongside PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden and PUMA CSO Anne-Laure Descours.

“Together with PUMA, I have worked on sustainability topics for several years and together we have launched more sustainable collections such as Exhale,” said Cara Delevingne. “It is important to continue the debate about this topic so we can find solutions to environmental issues such as climate change, waste management and biodiversity.”

Becoming more sustainable as a company has been an important pillar of PUMA’s strategy for many years. Earlier this year, the company announced that it had reduced its carbon emissions between 2017 and 2021 from both its own operations (-88%) and its supply chain (-12%), in spite of strong sales growth in the same period. By 2025, PUMA aims to make nine out of 10 products with more sustainable materials.

The company was the most sustainable brand in the industry according to the latest ranking by Business of Fashion, which analyzed the 30 largest companies in the fashion business.

Conference of the People will start on September 6 at 12pm BST (1pm CET, 7 am ET) at Protein Studios in Shoreditch, London for 225 invited guests. The livestream of the event is free to access for all.

“Fighting climate change as we simultaneously attempt to make our supply chain more agile and responsive to changing consumer needs is not something any business can achieve alone,” said Anne-Laure Descours, PUMA’s Chief Sourcing Officer. “By joining forces with like-minded companies, we can scale and accelerate our combined positive impact and live up to our mission to be forever better.”

Zero100 offers access to proprietary thought leadership and research. Through its reports, events, content and connections, Zero100 helps its members accelerate progress on critical initiatives.

“At Zero100, we are committed to supporting supply chain transformation that enables both business success and the long-term protection of vital resources. Innovating to achieve more equitable and agile supply chains is a challenge that, when overcome, will generate positive impact on a global scale,” said Zero100 CEO Olly Sloboda. “By collaborating with - and learning alongside industry peers, we can all get there faster. We’re looking forward to partnering with PUMA to help them scale and accelerate their positive impact.”

As part of its Forever Better sustainability strategy, PUMA has set a science-based reduction target for carbon emissions to do its part to support the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Sports company PUMA has today announced a new initiative that looks to evolve how the brand navigates its sustainability journey by including the next generation’s perspectives and recommendations. The project, coined Voices of a RE:GENERATION, will kick off with PUMA collaborating and giving a ‘seat at the table’ to four, young, environmentalist ‘voices’ from across Europe and the US over a year-long period.

Part of PUMA’s ongoing commitment to a Forever Better, the four Voices of a RE:GENERATION will work with PUMA to translate sustainability in a way that makes sense to and engages with the next generation, in addition to feeding into how the brand can drive greater sustainability practices, in line with its 10 for 25 targets. Work will take on an honest and candid consultancy format, with the voices sharing their perspectives and insights and identifying areas where the brand can improve. 

PUMA’s Voices of a RE:GENERATION represents a continuation of the work PUMA started in September 2022 with its ‘Conference of the People, powered by PUMA’ event in London. The conference, which discussed solutions for some of the fashion industry’s most pressing sustainability challenges with a special focus on Gen- Z, highlighted the need for brands to improve transparency and conduct greater communication regarding sustainability.

The new initiative builds upon the brand’s commitment to ensuring PUMA’s sustainability initiatives are digestible for everyone, particularly for the next generation, after research conducted by PUMA found that 71% of young people felt their voices weren’t being heard when it comes to the environment and would like to see brands making more commitments (49%), communicating their goals better (40%) and being more transparent (34%).

Throughout 2023, PUMA’s Voices of a RE:GENERATION will meet with Anne-Laure Descours, PUMA’s Chief Sourcing Officer, and PUMA’s Sustainability team to collaborate and present their honest views. Working together, the partnership will explore actionable ways that feedback can be implemented within PUMA’s business and sustainability strategy, whilst also using the voices’ platforms to communicate PUMA’s efforts transparently and authentically to the world.

Speaking on the new initiative Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA, said: “We’ve always documented our progress in sustainable practices. However our participation in Conference of the People has shed light on the fact that the information we share isn’t always easily understood by the next generation. We recognise the need for change, and we're committed to making sustainability more accessible and transparent to everyone. Voices of a RE:GENERATION is our first step in improving this.”

Alice Aedy, UK, comments: “Sustainability is highly unglamorous, technical but urgent work with impacts for both people and planet. It’s undeniably a hugely complex topic. It’s deeper than just materials or emissions; it’s about the people and processes that strive behind the scenes to realise a brand’s efforts to be more sustainable and it’s also about how the brand, like PUMA, is communicating that with authenticity”. 

Andrew Burgess, USA, comments: “Sustainability can’t be one-sided. You can’t have one brand calling the shots, especially when you have consumers worldwide interacting with your products. I’m looking forward to delving deep into PUMA’s efforts and sharing my take on how they can improve. It’s time our generation had a seat at the table”.

Luke Jaque-Rodney, Germany, comments: “We can all try our best to live and dress sustainably, but ultimately, we’re at the mercy of the brands we buy our clothing from. We know that one person can’t make a difference alone, but our voices are still powerful when combined and communicated with the right people and the right brands, like PUMA. This is very exciting”.

Jade Roche, France, comments: “It’s great to see a global brand like PUMA holding itself more accountable for their sustainability and being willing and open to having these tough conversations when it comes to how they’re doing and how they're planning. It’s also time that we, in general, started discussing what sustainability really means; what does it take for a brand to achieve greater sustainability on all aspects of it while being transparent, and what does it look like for the next generation?”

Voices of a RE:GENERATION is just one step further in years of progress for PUMA. In 2022, the brand topped the Business of Fashion sustainability ranking, the platform on living wage financials ranking, and the FTSE4Good ranking within its sectors. It was included in the Corporate Knights global top 100 most sustainable companies ranking, maintained its triple-A ranking with MSCI and its prime status with ISS; two leading sustainability rating agencies. Reuters also ranked it as number two within its sector and, in S&P sustainability benchmarking, PUMA outperformed all other sports brands for the first time since 2010.

PUMA’s Voices of a RE:GENERATION launches today and marks the beginning of a year-long initiative that gathers insights and feedback on how to improve its efforts in communicating on sustainability. Follow PUMA and its voices on social media to see their conversations with PUMA come to life and encourage change. More information can be found at https://about.puma.com/en/sustainability/voicesofregeneration

Sports company PUMA has made 7 out of 10 products from better materials in 2022, according to the company’s Sustainability Report 2022, as it further scaled up the use of recycled materials.

Better materials, such as cotton and viscose from certified sources or recycled polyester, have a smaller environmental footprint in terms of CO2 emissions and allow PUMA to improve its environmental impact across its product range. Since 2017, we have been able to reduce PUMA’s CO2emissions from materials by 32%. Overall CO2 emissions could be reduced by 7%*, despite a significant growth in sales.

“Our Forever Better strategy aims to make PUMA better across the entire value chain, whether it comes to materials, carbon emissions, circularity or human rights,” said Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA. “We know there is still a lot of work to be done, but we are encouraged by the progress we made last year.”

While PUMA, which is on track to reach its goal of making 9 out of 10 products with better materials by 2025, continued to power 100%* of its offices, stores and warehouses with renewable energy in 2022, its suppliers also increased the use of renewable energy in the supply chain, where most of PUMA’s carbon emissions originate.

PUMA’s core suppliers, which represent approximately 80 % of PUMA’s production volume, more than doubled their consumption of renewable energy in just one year, from 0.2% in 2017 to 11% in 2022. This was achieved through the installation of large-scale solar power systems at selected suppliers and the purchase of renewable energy certificates. By 2025, PUMA aims to more than double this figure once again and get its core suppliers to source a quarter of their energy needs from renewable sources.

More than 50% of the polyester used in PUMA’s apparel and accessories came from recycled materials and the company also started to scale up the use of recycled cotton.

At the same time, PUMA made progress with its Forever Better experiments RE:SUEDE, which tests for a biodegradable sneaker, and RE:FIBRE, which aims to scale up more advanced polyester recycling technologies. Both projects continue in 2023.

To ensure that the rights of the more than half a million workers in PUMA’s supply chain were upheld, the company collected audit reports from 510 factories producing finished products and materials in 2022.

PUMA’s sustainability report is available at https://annual-report.puma.com. As a result of the feedback PUMA received during its first “Conference of the People” in London in 2022 and to reach out to young audiences, parts of the sustainability report will also be made available as a podcast on Spotify, launching June 1, 2023.

*Including renewable energy attribute certificates

Sports company PUMA has created a podcast series to make its 2022 Sustainability Report more accessible and to reach a wider and younger audience. The RE:GEN REPORTS podcast features next-generation thinkers from six countries and distills the content of the report into 10 podcast episodes, of which the first three are available on all major podcast platforms on June 1.

The RE:GEN REPORTS podcast, as well as the recently announced Voices of a Re:Generation project, comes as a direct result of the feedback PUMA received at last year’s Conference of the People, which the company organized to discuss solutions for some of the fashion industry’s most pressing sustainability challenges with Gen-Z representatives, industry peers and experts.

“We believe in collaboration, when it comes to sustainability, whether it is NGOs, brands or consumers, especially young people, who will have to live with the decisions made today,” says Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA. “During last year’s Conference of the People, we saw that we needed to do more to reach out to younger generations when we talk about sustainability. A sustainability report as a podcast has never been done before in our industry, but we believe it is an important step to connect with GEN-Z audiences and open up these important conversations.”

Each episode of RE:GEN REPORTS will discuss one of PUMA’s 10for25 sustainability targets, covering topics from human rights to sustainable material sourcing, to explain why the company set targets in these areas and what progress it has made. An additional seven episodes will be released weekly from June 8 until July 20.

Based on PUMA’s target to train 100,000 direct and indirect staff on women’s empowerment comes the Human Rights episode. Anya Dillard, US-based award-winning activist, model, and social entrepreneur speaks to Viola Wan, PUMA’s Teamhead of Social Sustainability based in China. The episode discusses PUMA’s audit work with factories in its supply chain.

A target to make 100% of all PUMA products safe to use is the basis of the Chemicals episode. This episode features Germany-based sustainable and healthy living vlogger Luke Jaque-Rodney in conversation with Klaas Nuttbohm from ZDHC, an organisation leading the fashion industry to eliminate harmful chemicals. Luke is one of PUMA’s Voices of a Re:Generation, working with PUMA to translate sustainability in a way that makes sense to and engages with the next generation.

The third episode, Circularity, is based on the target to reduce production waste to landfills by at least 50%. US-based up-cycler, and another of PUMA’s Voices of a Re:Generation, Andrew Burgess is joined by PUMA’s Senior Manager Corporate Strategy, Simon Hessel. The two discuss the chemical recycling process and how it’s used in RE:FIBRE, PUMA’s textile to textile recycling project.

Collaboration across the industry is key to unlocking sustainable progress. Throughout the podcast series, PUMA will feature representatives from industry bodies, businesses and NGOs that push brands to ensure more sustainable practises are in place and monitored. Guests on RE:GEN REPORTS include Fair Labour Association’s Chief of Staff, Shelly Han, UNFCCC’s Sector’s Engagement in Climate Action Lead, Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, Canopy’s Founder and Executive Director, Nicole Rycroft and Leather Working Group’s Traceability Manager, Vanessa Brain.

PUMA has secured the help of several next-generation entrepreneurs and sustainability experts to host each episode such as Amina Shakeel, Fair Labour Association (FLA) student committee member, Bertha Shum, Hong Kong based founder and CEO of Earthero, Ripudaman Bevli, India based environmentalist and social activist, Melissa Tan, Malaysia based climate action and sustainability advocate, Yumika Hoskin, US-based Pecobag founder, Diandra Marizet US-based intersectional environmentalist, and Monica Buchan-Ng, the Acting Head of Knowledge Exchange at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion in the UK.

PUMA’s sustainability efforts have been recognized several times. In 2022, the brand topped the Business of Fashion sustainability ranking, the platform on living wage financials ranking, and the FTSE4Good ranking within its sectors. It was included in the Corporate Knights global top 100 most sustainable companies ranking, maintained its triple-A ranking with MSCI and its prime status with ISS; two leading sustainability rating agencies. Reuters also ranked it as number two within its sector and, in S&P sustainability benchmarking, PUMA outperformed all other sports brands for the first time since 2010.

PUMA’s full 2022 Sustainability Report can be accessed here.

For more information about the RE:GEN Reports podcast and to listen to first three episodes, click here.