Volcom, Inc. named 13-year veteran Derek Sabori to head up its first  unified Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility program.


The comprehensive program is the company’s latest effort to further its commitment to ethical and responsible business practices, and take responsibility for the impact the company’s activities have on resources, including customers, employees, communities, and the environment.

 

“The CSR program reaffirms Volcom’s commitment to environmental leadership, investments in our community, and overall general ethical performance,” said Richard Woolcott, Volcom’s chairman and chief executive officer. “The importance of this initiative is to drive an innovative and sustainable business model for the company, while also doing what we can to enhance the global community and the environment.”

“It’s an honor and a great opportunity to lead this initiative for the company, and I’m excited about expanding our current initiatives,” Sabori said. “This has been a priority for Volcom for many years, and the existing foundation is a great platform from which our passionate and motivated team can continue to create change. We are excited to make a very positive contribution going forward.”


Volcom introduced its first collection of organic and reusable items in 2005-2006, producing clothing from organic cotton and promoting the idea of reusing and lessening one’s environmental impact. Since then, Volcom has matured the V.Co-logical Series and has watched it lead to the creation of the V.Co-logical Society, an in-house program promoting the company’s eco-initiatives and increasing involvement in protecting the environment, with campaigns such as “Push More, Drive Less,” and events including Earth Day picnics, conscious movie screenings and beach clean ups. The V.Co-logical Series has also been a member of 1% For the Planet, a growing global movement of companies that donate 1% of their sales to environmental organizations around the world, since 2006.


In addition to environmental causes, Volcom has their own Give Back program, created in 2008, where a percentage of proceeds from select styles go directly to community-based non-profits. The company supports charities and organizations, including the National Coalition for the Homeless, through Give Back programs like the recent Give Jeans A Chance campaign. This outreach effort proved a huge success, with more than 5,000 pairs of jeans collected for the homeless. Alongside the Sustainability and CSR Program, Volcom plans to continue to develop and strengthen its V.Co-logical and Give Back offerings.