Timberland: Footsteps Worth Following

PSFK recently had the chance to partake in a conference call discussing Timberland’s newest Corporate Social Responsibility report. The organization has set up an independent panel to aid in the discussion surrounding their movement towards creating more transparent business practices. The company has been making an increasing effort in asking for assistance from their consumers, critics and business leaders.

The CEO, Jeff Swartz was candid about the concerns his company currently faces when presenting a true and honest approach to establishing more greener business practices. Jeff spoke of Timberland’s need to create a CSR report that would not come across as “Corporate Cologne”. He believes that this type of honest transparency cannot come from leaders in the company, but must come from the community and thus has appealed to them to weigh in on Timberland.

Jeff candidly addressed his concerns and was open in his desire to “seduce consumers to care”. He spoke of his need to change the way the shoe industry deals with their present environmental impact and was forthright in his need to find viable solutions for not only his companies business practices, but to the overall industry as well. Currently the shoe industries main environmental issues revolve around the need to find better solutions for leather waste, chemical usage in factories and energy use in China.

At present the fashion industry is one of the worst polluters to the environment. Jeff spoke of the missing third party to bring leaders of the Industry together and find solutions. At present, due to the competitive nature of the business, this has proven quite difficult.

We found it refreshing to see a CEO willing to create a dialogue that could potentially elicit just as much criticism as helpful insight. The need for transparent business practices are the embodiment of a new way of doing business. As Corporate Social Responsibility reports will continue to play a bigger role in determining the value of a companies moral and financial value, it is valuable to see the thoughts behind what would otherwise be a recycled paper report.

Timberland