Levi Strauss has taken corporate social responsibility to a new level through its efforts to support more sustainable cotton production. In this university podcast, executive Michael Kobori shares what the apparel company is doing to work with investors, other brands, and NGOs to encourage its cotton suppliers to be more green and humane. He details efforts to help some 30,000 farmers in pilot sites dramatically reduce their water and chemical use in growing cotton. Kobori spoke at the fourth annual Socially and Environmentally Responsible Supply Chain Conference convened by the Global Supply Chain Management Forum and the Center for Social Innovation, both departments of the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Michael Kobori is vice president, social and environmental sustainability, for Levi Strauss & Co. Under his tenure, the company has made public its list of suppliers to encourage more industry collaboration and has led industry efforts to implement sustainability with fabric mills and component parts suppliers. Kobori led development of the company’s environmental vision, which seeks to establish a more sustainable supply chain, from farm to post-consumer. He has 25 years of experience in sustainability and human rights. He serves on the boards of the Levi Strauss Foundation and the Better Cotton Initiative, and on the ILO Better Work program advisory committee.
Resources