HanesBrands, the parent of Champion, has earned a ninth-consecutive U.S. EPA Energy Star of the Year award for environmental excellence.

Hanes is being recognized by the Energy Star program for the company’s 2017 accomplishments, including:

  • Lowering year-over-year energy use per pound of production by 6 percent, saving the company more than $4 million. Since 2007, the company has reduced energy intensity by nearly 21 percent and delivered a total cost avoidance of more than $200 million.
  • Implementing numerous environmental stewardship initiatives, including the startup of a combined heat-and-power biomass plant in El Salvador and pilot projects utilizing new technology to reduce energy-intense water use by 50 percent and energy use by 500 million BTU each year.
  • Encouraging employee engagement in the company’s energy management culture through programs such as treasure hunts. Hanes’ most recent treasure hunt, which was held at the company’s Dos Rios fabric manufacturing plant in the Dominican Republic, generated nearly 125 employee-led energy reduction ideas for power, steam, compressed air and water use with a potential savings of nearly $1 million.
  • Partnering with numerous universities, such as Wake Forest University, Appalachian State University, North Carolina State University and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, to educate the next generation of business leaders about the importance of integrating environmental stewardship in business strategy.

“HanesBrands is incredibly honored to earn our ninth consecutive Energy Star Partner of the Year award and will accept it on behalf of our approximately 70,000 worldwide employees who are committed to energy management and environmental responsibility,” said Javier Chacon, chief global manufacturing officer for HanesBrands. “Thanks to our employees’ steadfast commitment, Hanes is the only apparel company to be honored for sustained excellence by the EPA Energy Star program in its 26-year history and continues to demonstrate that companies from all industries can make a difference in energy conservation, carbon emissions reduction and environmental sustainability.”

Hanes recently released the company’s 2017 environmental performance data on energy use, carbon dioxide emissions, water use, renewable energy and landfill diversion.

Across every category, the company posted strong results compared to the year prior. Versus 2016, Hanes reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent, energy use by 6 percent and water use by 7 percent, while increasing its use of renewable energy by 7 percent. Additionally, Hanes again diverted 84 percent of its supply chain waste from landfills.

Chacon and a cross-functional team from Hanes will attend the April 20 Energy Star banquet in Washington, D.C., to accept the award and participate in collaborative meetings to share best practices with other companies that have earned Energy Star recognition, including Allergan, The Boeing Company, Colgate-Palmolive Company, General Motors Company and Raytheon.

Energy Star was introduced by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased efficiency. The annual Energy Star Partner of the Year award honors organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protect the environment through best practices and organization-wide energy savings.