Action Speaks Louder
2023.08.03
Thursday, 3rd August 2023
Sydney, Australia
100+ professional athletes call for climate action from Lululemon
World-renowned athletes unite in a letter to sportswear brand Lululemon demanding a strong commitment to renewable energy to put a stop to rising greenhouse gas emissions
- EcoAthletes, an advocacy organisation representing 129 professional athletes including Lululemon ambassadors, has signed an open letter to Canadian activewear retailer Lululemon asking them to phase out fossil fuels and commit to 100% wind and solar in their supply chain by 2030. The letter has been delivered to Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald with the expectation of a response in the coming weeks.
- These athletes join more than 7,000 yoga students and teachers from around the world who are actively urging the brand, which aligns itself closely with the yoga community, to take meaningful climate action.
- As Lululemon expands its audience beyond yoga and towards running, hiking, surfing, skiing and other outdoor sports and activities, the momentum of the campaign is building, led by environmental non-profit organisations Action Speaks Louder and Stand.earth.
Climate change is threatening the future of sport. From surfers concerned about rising sea levels and warming oceans to winter sports battling with the loss of snow and ice cover, it is clear that our ability to enjoy the outdoors for sports and recreation will be increasingly challenged by the impacts of the climate crisis. At this year’s Tour de France, cyclists were forced to wear ‘ice vests’ to survive the heatwave in Southern Europe, and organisers are considering rescheduling the competition to cooler months.
Meanwhile, the clothing and shoes that athletes wear has a significant contribution to this problem. The fashion industry is responsible for around 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions while the carbon footprint of sportswear giant Lululemon – the official apparel supplier of Team Canada for the Olympics – increased by a massive 60% in the past year alone. The majority of these emissions are produced at the manufacturing stage, which is why we need major brands to take bold steps to decarbonise their supply chains.
“Athletes are legendary for summoning the will to overcome huge obstacles, but they’ve never faced a tougher opponent than climate change. We support this campaign because the sportswear industry must step up to meet the challenge of reducing their emissions and investing in clean, green energy, and this includes Lululemon.”
– Lewis Blaustein, Founder and CEO, EcoAthletes.
In spite of this urgent need for change, Lululemon has only made a commitment to renewable energy in their own operations — their stores, offices and warehouses — ignoring the outsized impact of their supply chain. Most of their suppliers are still heavily dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, with only 2% powered by renewable energy. What’s more, Lululemon has only committed to a 60% intensity-based reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in their supply chain by 2030. This means that as the brand continues to grow, emissions are likely to soar well past a 1.5ºC aligned pathway.
This letter, supported by 129 athletes committed to a positive future for the planet, urges Lululemon to make a public commitment to sourcing 100% renewable energy — wind and solar — in its supply chain by 2030. As part of this, lululemon must phase out dangerous fossil fuels from its supply chain and support its suppliers to transition to clean energy sources in order to avoid the most catastrophic consequences of climate change.
“We hope that Calvin McDonald listens to these passionate climate advocates. They represent a growing chorus of athletes who want the brand to align its values of sustainability, wellness and community with its environmental practices hidden within the supply chain. Lululemon has the opportunity now to be a leader in pushing for a green transition across the fashion industry.”
– Ruth MacGilp, Fashion Campaign Manager at Action Speaks Louder.
Lululemon’s powerful market influence means that if it shifts to 100% renewable energy in its supply chain, it will help create demand for renewable energy and develop the policy and finance solutions needed to support a meaningful, systemic change.
Find out more about the lululemon campaign: https://speakslouder.org/lululemon/
For further information and interview requests, please contact: ruth@speakslouder.org
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Dear Calvin McDonald, CEO of lululemon athletica inc.
We are coming together as 129 professional athletes, represented by EcoAthletes and supported by Action Speaks Louder.
As athletes and advocates for meaningful climate action, we are writing to ask lululemon to make a public commitment to source 100% renewable wind and solar power across its supply chain by 2030.
Currently, lululemon’s climate targets are too weak to meaningfully reduce its rapidly increasing greenhouse gas emissions. In the last year alone, lululemon’s scope 3 emissions actually increased, by a whopping 60%. As the business grows, a continued dependence on fossil fuels is simply not an option if lululemon wants to stop contributing to dangerous climate change which threatens people and the planet.
Over the past 12 months, over 7,000 yoga students and teachers, including current and former lululemon ambassadors, have been calling on lululemon to demonstrate the values it claims to hold and take urgent and meaningful climate action. Now, athletes in a myriad of sports are joining them to ask lululemon to phase out dangerous fossil fuels and source 100% wind and solar energy in the supply chain.
The future of all our sports depends upon a safe, healthy environment, from the mountains to the sea. But this is threatened by the growing impacts of climate change, which are driven by emissions-intensive companies like lululemon.
lululemon is a leader in creating products that help us to perform at our best. We are calling on lululemon to play forward and become the leader on climate action that our sports and communities need.
Signed,
