Canadian outdoor retailer Mountain Equipment Co. has set sweeping new emissions targets for its supply chain, part of what the company is calling a stronger, science-based plan to help address the climate crisis.
MEC said its goal is to slash emissions by 55 per cent by 2030 and 90 per cent by 2050.
The targets apply to both direct operations, like MEC stores and buildings, and its supply chain, from the manufacturing of its in-house brand products to the vendor gear and clothing it carries, the company said.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 easy in the environmental movement to have jazz hands,91裸聊视频� said Adam Ketcheson, MEC91裸聊视频檚 chief commercial officer, referring to actions that may help the environment but don91裸聊视频檛 significantly reduce a company91裸聊视频檚 carbon footprint.
91裸聊视频淲hat we are really trying to focus on right now is doing things that are measured and have the greatest impact.91裸聊视频�
MEC has deep roots in Canada91裸聊视频檚 environmental movement. The outdoor recreation brand was one of the first retailers in the country to eliminate single-use shopping bags from its stores and pull plastic bottles with certain chemicals from its shelves. It also previously committed to a green building program, and only uses 100 per cent organic cotton in its MEC-branded apparel.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 nice to remove plastic and reduce the size of your cardboard boxes and have LEED-certified buildings,91裸聊视频� Ketcheson said.
91裸聊视频淎ll of those things are good and important. But when we did the hard work to really look at the impacts of the business, the place where we can do the most good is really around product and supply chain.91裸聊视频�
One of the areas that MEC is focusing on is its private-label brand, a logo with a stylized green mountain with two peaks.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a significant part of our footprint and one that we have the most control over,91裸聊视频� Ketcheson said. 91裸聊视频淲e have visibility to the entire supply chain.91裸聊视频�
The company aims to use more recycled materials, which have a much smaller carbon footprint than new materials, he said.
MEC is also focused on consolidating its mills and factories to reduce the shipping required to make a product, Ketcheson said.
91裸聊视频淚n the past, we sourced materials from all over the world,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e may have found a great recycled nylon in Taiwan but if we have to ship it all the way to El Salvador 91裸聊视频� we may have just undone the good.
91裸聊视频淲e need to consider the ripple effects of choosing that fabric on the total supply chain and carbon footprint. We91裸聊视频檙e trying to avoid putting something on a boat or, even worse, on a plane.91裸聊视频�
MEC is also planning to encourage suppliers to set similar goals and source products with a smaller carbon footprint.
While big brands such as North Face, Patagonia and Prana often 91裸聊视频渟hare the same ethos91裸聊视频� as MEC and have a high level of transparency within their supply chain, Ketcheson said it can be harder for smaller brands 91裸聊视频渂ecause it91裸聊视频檚 very expensive.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e audit aggressively our factories and mills and supply chain because we91裸聊视频檝e made a choice to do that 91裸聊视频� but it91裸聊视频檚 not cheap,91裸聊视频� he said.
MEC has set its targets to do more to fight climate change, Ketcheson said.
91裸聊视频淔or too long the onus has been on the consumer,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e talking about it publicly because this is such a huge challenge for the world. We91裸聊视频檙e going to try to be as transparent as we can 91裸聊视频� our the hope is it will be infectious across the industry.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频擝rett Bundale, The Canadian Press
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