Our Impacts

We create compact pvc shoe soles that are more material efficient and last longer before they need to be replaced. And when there is remnant material, we look for opportunities to reuse that material so it doesn’t go to waste. We’re continually thinking of ways to make more innovative products without taking more from the environment.

From Monitoring Factories to Empowering Workers

Our greatest responsibility as a company is to play a role in bringing about positive, systemic change for workers within our supply chain and in the industry. When we look at our overall impact on the world, the needs of workers in Pitason’s contract supply chain overshadows any other company. We also know the size and scale of the combined manufacturing operations has a considerable environmental impact.

We’ve run the course – from establishing Codes of Conduct that cover worker protections as well as environmental impacts – to pulling together an internal team to enforce it, to releasing our contract factory Audit Tools and working with external bodies to monitor factories and engaging with stakeholders. What we’ve learned, after nearly a decade, is that monitoring alone hasn’t solved the problems. And many of the problems are recurring in the industry.

Our focus now is on getting to the root of the problems, evaluating our supplier and manufacturing relationships, and finding new ways to define and share responsibility. We believe that placing the worker at the heart of the workplace and having a factory management that respects and invests in its workforce will result in lasting positive results for workers, the factory and Pitason.

Manufacturing

We have a big responsibility to leave a smaller footprint. We use our planet’s resources responsibly and recycle them responsibly too. We have one planet with a finite amount of resources, and we have a responsibility to conserve those resources so future generations will have them too. So our resource conservation starts right from the beginning — in the recycling stage. We’re looking end-to-end, from the first phase of our product creation process to the impacts of our decisions on the lives of workers in the factories that bring our product to life.

Community

We leverage the power of our employees, brands, consumers and distributors to support organisations and collaborations that create positive long-term changes that expand access to sport, empower girls in the developing world, and support the communities in which we live, work and play. We are putting forth a call to action to put girls at the heart of the post-2015 development agenda. We continue to focus on finding the most effective and innovative approaches and programs for driving meaningful change in communities.

Labour

For more than 15 years, we’ve been on a journey to understand the important role we can play in helping create an environment of collaboration, partnership and transparency to improve the lives of workers in contract factories around the world. We focus on working with long-term, strategic suppliers that demonstrate a commitment to worker engagement and well-being. We make our products to comply with all requirements in our Code of Conduct and provide strong incentives for improving their labor performance. We know that the entire labor system, including other brands, NGOs, government and factory leaders, must come together to effect long-term change; and we are committed to that work.

Waste

At PITASON, Ltd. we define waste as any material purchased anywhere in our supply chain that does not ultimately end up as a useful component of product, or cannot be reused at the end of product life. This includes packaging, shipping material and product samples, in addition to a wide range of manufacturing waste – such as scrap rubber. This definition – which is broader than most companies’ – forces us to think about waste at all points across our value chain. Through innovative new manufacturing methods, we are reducing manufacturing waste compared to traditional methods. Our ultimate, long-term vision is to create finished products with zero waste, as well as “closing the loop” on materials use – that is, using only materials that can be fully recycled.

Energy and Climate

Climate change and the related issue of ever-increasing energy demand pose challenges to our business, our industry and society. At PITASON, Ltd., reducing our own contributions toward climate change is a primary aim of our sustainability strategy. We’ve been working for well over a decade to understand, track and decrease energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across our value chain and to share what we’ve learned with others. But we know that doesn’t go far enough, so we also work to provide leadership in the business community, and beyond, toward climate stability.