MANUFACTURING

PVH and Tommy Hilfiger Join UN’s Global Sustainability Initiative

In December, PVH Corp. and its Tommy Hilfiger brand signed on to the UN Global Compact, a massive initiative aimed at harnessing business’s role in global sustainability.

The UN Global Compact is a platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible corporate practices. The initiative has enlisted more than 9,000 corporate members 3,000 nonbusiness signatories based in 160 countries around the world to “lead change on the global sustainable development agenda” by aligning “their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.”

PVH last year marked the 25th anniversary of its code of conduct for business partners. Titled “A Shared Responsibility,” the code of conduct helped pioneer new practices in social compliance when it first launched in 1991. The company recently launched an enhanced global corporate responsibility strategy focused on “empowering people, preserving the environment and supporting communities.” PVH’s strategies support many of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals on issues such as building safety, chemical management, greenhouse gases, inclusion and diversity, and supporting the needs of women and children.

PVH and Tommy Hilfiger are also working with the UN’s CEO Water Mandate, which is committed to safeguard and preserve water resources.

Founded in 1881, Phillips-Van Heusen Corp., or PVH, owns several brands, including Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Van Heusen, Izod, Arrow, Warner’s and Olga. The company also holds the license for the Speedo brand.