Gildan (asi/56842) is making good on pledges to get greener.

The sixth-largest supplier in the North American promotional products industry and one of world’s largest apparel basics manufacturers just released its 17th annual Environmental, Social and Governance report. Covering the year 2020, the report delves into the vertically integrated, Montreal-based supplier’s efforts to improve operations relative to sustainability, social impacts on its workforce and the communities it’s part of, and corporate governance.

Glenn Chamandy, Gildan

“While we are pleased with the success and recognition we have achieved, there is still more work to be done and we are now working on our ‘Next Generation’ ESG strategy and a new set of long-term goals, which we will announce later this year,” Glenn Chamandy, president/CEO of Gildan, said in a press statement.

Admittedly, Gildan did not meet all the ESG goals outlined in its five-year (2015 to 2020) Genuine Responsibility plan. A factor in that was having to divert resources to navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and addressing issues in Central American communities where it has operations that were affected by hurricanes in November 2020, the company said.

Still, Gildan said there were notable achievements.

On the environmental front, 33% of Gildan’s total energy came from renewable resources in 2020, while 88% of the supplier’s total waste was recycled or repurposed. Meanwhile, Gildan achieved an 11.4% reduction in water intensity usage between 2015 and 2020, and a 14% decrease in total waste creation for that time frame.

As for social initiatives, Gildan donated $1.3 million to community projects in regions where it operates. Some 53% of Gildan employees were covered under a collective bargaining agreement, and health and safety committees represented 97% of employees.

Meanwhile, Gildan mobilized a team of experts to develop and implement biosecurity protocols to help protect workers against COVID-19. It also provided humanitarian aid and a disaster relief program to support employees and local communities affected by hurricanes Eta and Iota. Efforts included everything from donating 350,000 masks and 150,000 articles of clothing to the storm-struck communities, to helping displaced employees find shelter.

Gildan’s corporate social responsibility efforts have been recognized. In 2020, honors included appearing on The Wall Street Journal’s “Top 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies,” as well as making the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for an eighth consecutive year.

“It is now clear that ESG is becoming an increasingly important part of the broader decision-making process for consumers, business partners, and all stakeholders, with growing attention on traceability and social impact in the apparel industry,” said Chamandy. “We believe that these deep shifts will provide new opportunities for Gildan as our scale and capabilities allow us to continue to grow.”

With estimated 2020 North American promotional product revenue of $413.1 million, Gildan ranks sixth on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.