14 EcoAthletes Champs Call on Lululemon to Power Sports with Clean Heat

Last month, fourteen EcoAthletes Champions, came together to send a letter to Calvin McDonald, CEO of sportswear giant Lululemon, calling on the brand to demonstrate true climate leadership. 

This letter builds on last year’s Paris Olympics initiative, when seven EcoAthletes Champion Olympians and Paralympians urged Lululemon to commit to a time-bound renewable energy target — a critical first step towards tackling the brand’s rising greenhouse gas emissions. MacDonald responded, and the company set a renewable electricity target for its core suppliers of 25% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. 

But that wasn’t nearly enough.

Now, the Champions, in the letter to Lululemon below, are calling for two essential steps to ensure this target leads to real impact for our quality of life: a clear plan to transition from fossil fuels to clean heat, and meaningful financial support to help manufacturers decarbonize.

The company responded via email on August 1, with a senior sustainability leader at Lululemon suggesting that ‘tools, resources and partnerships to help suppliers transition to clean energy’ are in development. Later this year, Lululemon will release its annual Impact Report, in which details about the brand’s strategy to accelerate supply chain decarbonization are expected to be revealed.

If those details are substantive and meaningful, EcoAthletes will encourage Champions to publicly support this disclosure as an important positive step. If, on the other hand, the details are lacking specificity and commitment to the significant yet achievable actions we recommend, we will invite the Champions to continue to push Lululemon.

Here is the July letter:

Dear Calvin McDonald, CEO of Lululemon,

As athletes who see the real impacts climate change is having on the sports we love, we really appreciate that Lululemon has listened to our feedback and made a commitment to accelerate climate action in the supply chain.

Athletes know that setting clear goals – like your new 50% renewable electricity target – is crucial to success. But now is the time for Lululemon to truly earn its stripes by turning that target into tangible action on decarbonisation. 

Not all renewable energy is created equal, so we commend your aspiration to use high quality methods such as onsite solar and power purchase agreements (PPAs) that genuinely displace fossil fuels. But there is no sustainability without climate justice, so it’s important to provide meaningful support for your manufacturers around the world to be able to invest in these solutions. What measures have you started taking to unlock finance for high impact renewables for your supply chain?

We note that while Lululemon has increased ambition on its renewable electricity target, a major share of greenhouse gas emissions and toxic pollution comes from burning fossil fuels directly for heat. Therefore, it is essential that Lululemon electrifies manufacturing through technologies like industrial heat pumps and powers these processes with clean renewable electricity. These actions can separate the climate front-runners from the amateurs, and show which companies are serious about reaching their science-based targets. As such, we’re calling on you to show us how Lululemon is investing in clean heat in your next report.

EcoAthletes Champion pro golfers Patricie Mackova (left) and Sára Kousková

If we see clear evidence of these essential steps, athletes stand ready to fully support Lululemon as a sustainable sportswear leader. Mr McDonald, can you commit to publicly sharing your progress this year?

We hope to hear back from you by Monday August 4th.

Jasmyne Spencer of Vancouver Rise FC

Signed,
Leanna Carrière (Canada, ironman triathlon) 
Camille Chevalier (France, golf)
Rhydian Cowley (Australia, racewalk)
Fiona Crackles (UK, hockey)
Jeanee Crane-Mauzy (Vanuatu, ski) 
Myra Fisun (USA, figure skating)
Talia Green (USA, racewalk)
Sára Kousková (Czech Republic, golf)
Patricie Mackova (Czech Republic, golf)
Celina Sattelkau (Germany, golf)
Jasmyne Spencer (USA, soccer)
Imara-Bella Thorpe (Kenya, swim) 
Kim Vinet (Canada, ski)
Rudy Winkler (USA, hammer throw)