Toms announced that it will manufacture new pairs of shoes in Haiti beginning in January 2014. The announcement was made today during the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting by Toms Founder and Chief Shoe Giver, Blake Mycoskie, in revealing the CGI commitment named “Large Scale Shoe Production and Job Creation in Haiti.”
“Toms is extremely proud and excited to make this commitment, and we would not be in this position if it wasn't for President Clinton's ongoing leadership and inspiration,” said Mycoskie. “Three years ago at CGI the President asked me to help support the people of Haiti, and Toms responded by giving hundreds of thousands of new pairs of shoes to children in need. Today, our dedication to Haiti is so much greater, and we look forward to creating jobs and opportunities in Haiti over the next several years.”
At present, Toms shoes are manufactured in China, Argentina, Kenya and Ethiopia. The company is actively seeking to produce a minimum of 1/3 of all of its giving shoes in geographic regions where its shoes are given using local labor and local resources by the end of 2015. For Haiti, Toms' has made a five-year commitment to produce millions of its giving shoes in country and to support the growth of a responsible, sustainable Haitian shoe industry.
Initial production will take place in a 10,000 square-foot facility located in Port-au-Prince and be dedicated to Toms giving shoes to ensure that the shoes produced will directly benefit surrounding communities. Toms also expects to generate local partnerships to support infrastructure and workforce support systems surrounding employees, their families and the broader community. Toms executives will visit Haiti regularly to participate in the improvement of the production facility and oversight of fair living wages and working conditions.
The commitment to break ground in Haiti is not just the largest-single step in this direction for Toms, but will, for the first time in Toms' history, be an opportunity to support the development of vital public-private partnerships, substantial employment opportunity, and collaboration with the U.S. government on import and export opportunities from the country's nearest and poorest neighbor.
Toms' commitment has been several months in the making, with the company having worked closely with Haitian President Michel Martelly's office, the Primature of Haiti, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, the Center for Facilitation of Investment (CFI) and PACEGI Haiti's Advisory Council on Economic Growth and Investment. Over the past year, Toms has also been collaborating with over 30 artisans in Haiti to design a successful, limited edition series of retail shoes under the Haiti Artists Collective banner. This collaboration will continue.
Mycoskie added, “Today marks a major milestone for Toms, but we hope it means even more for the people of Haiti, who have had to endure so much over so many years. By making such a strong commitment and business investment, we hope to inspire other companies in the fashion and footwear industries to follow suit.”
The full statement from Toms website follows:
TOMS COMMITMENT TO HAITI
September 25, 2013 by TOMS
GIVING
On September 25, 2013 TOMS Founder and Chief Shoe Giver Blake Mycoskie announced TOMS’ commitment to support local shoe manufacturing in Haiti at the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting. We are excited to share this commitment with our community.
TOMS made a five-year commitment to produce millions of TOMS Giving Shoes and to help establish and support the growth of a responsible and sustainable shoe industry in Haiti.
To date, TOMS has given over 10 million pairs of new shoes to children in need globally. This is an amazing accomplishment, but we’re not done. We’ve seen that our business model has the potential to help improve lives in more ways. Over the last year, we’ve invested in creating jobs, supported social entrepreneurs and helped develop industries.
Since the devastating earthquake in 2010, Haiti has received substantial investment through foreign governments, aid, private partners and more. Despite this, it remains a challenge to create self-sustaining private markets in the country. Private investors that are committed for the long-term are needed to help complete this picture. With private investment, public and non-profit projects can be leveraged to help jumpstart industries. TOMS is proud to be one company helping fill this need in Haiti.
Over the next year, TOMS will support its manufacturing partners to break ground and establish operations in Haiti bringing at least 100 new jobs and focused training. In addition, TOMS aims to provide services for employees, their families and the broader community across a range of potential areas like education, health and early childhood support.
In addition to manufacturing, TOMS will continue the Haiti Artist Collective, a program that employs 30 Haitian artisans to design and hand-paint retail shoes in Haiti. Each pair is unique and available to customers exclusively through TOMS.com.
What are our projected milestones?
Manufacturing facility opens by the first quarter of 2014.
Within one year: We estimate that the production of TOMS Giving Shoes will create 100 jobs.
In the next year: In addition to the living wages paid, TOMS anticipates working alongside local organizations to help provide health care, education, and early childhood support.
Ongoing: We will continue our investment in the Haiti Artist Collective through 2014.
Throughout the process, TOMS executives will be involved and visit Haiti regularly to participate in the betterment of the production facility. TOMS will also help oversee that working conditions are acceptable and fair living wages are being paid.
We invite you to follow our progress here on the TOMS Blog and on our other social media channels. We want to thank our amazing community, which has helped make initiatives of this scale possible. With your support, honest feedback and challenges posed to us, we have evolved One for One and have the potential to impact those we serve even more.
Thank you for joining us for this journey!
