Move to Zero

Move to Zero
Name	Move to Zero
Type	Initiative
Founded	2010s
Founder	Terry Lundgren; popularized by John Donahoe (Nike) associations
Location	Beaverton, Oregon; headquarters with global operations
Industry	Apparel industry; Sportswear industry

Move to Zero Move to Zero is a corporate sustainability initiative launched to reduce carbon emissions and waste within the apparel industry and sportswear industry. The initiative aligns with broader climate efforts endorsed by stakeholders such as United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, World Wildlife Fund, and multinational corporations including Nike, Inc. and peers. It combines renewable energy procurement, materials innovation, and circularity strategies to meet science-based targets recognized by institutions like Science Based Targets initiative and advocates in the climate policy arena.

Background and Origins

The initiative emerged amid rising attention to corporate responsibility following events like the Paris Agreement and campaigns led by NGOs such as Greenpeace and Rainforest Alliance. Early corporate sustainability programs by companies like Patagonia, Inc., Adidas AG, and H&M influenced its design, while academic research from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of Cambridge informed lifecycle assessment approaches. Executive leadership from firms associated with Dow Jones Industrial Average constituents and directors with ties to Sustainable Apparel Coalition helped formalize targets and reporting frameworks.

Goals and Targets

Move to Zero sets greenhouse gas reduction targets aligned with standards from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scenarios and verification methods used by the Science Based Targets initiative. Key aims include transitioning to 100% renewable electricity as modeled in plans by International Renewable Energy Agency, reducing scope 1, scope 2, and portions of scope 3 emissions consistent with protocols from Greenhouse Gas Protocol, and moving toward zero waste landfilled paralleling frameworks used by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Timelines reflect commitments similar to net-zero pledges endorsed by the World Economic Forum and corporate net-zero alliances.

Programs and Initiatives

Program components echo strategies employed in corporate sustainability portfolios like renewable power purchase agreements promoted by Rockefeller Foundation affiliates and circular design labs similar to those at Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Product-level work involves materials substitution efforts comparable to research at Central Saint Martins and Delft University of Technology focused on recycled polyester, bio-based fibers, and closed-loop recycling technologies developed with partners including Worn Again Technologies and Chemical Recycling USA. Supply-chain decarbonization borrows auditing and supplier training methods used by Fair Labor Association and Better Cotton Initiative.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Move to Zero partners with NGOs, private-sector vendors, research institutes, and industry groups such as World Resources Institute, Carbon Disclosure Project, Patagonia, Inc.-adjacent coalitions, and national labs like National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Collaborations have included fabric mills in regions represented by Textile Industry of Bangladesh stakeholders, logistics firms like Maersk for freight optimization, and certification bodies comparable to Global Organic Textile Standard. Strategic alliances mirror cross-sector consortia seen in initiatives with Microsoft Corporation and Apple Inc. pursuing renewable energy procurement.

Environmental and Social Impact

Reported outcomes claim reductions in emissions, waste diversion gains, and recycled-content increases parallel to impacts recorded by programs from Adidas AG and Patagonia, Inc.. Environmental assessments reference lifecycle methodologies practiced at University of California, Berkeley and mitigation strategies advocated by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Social aspects touch on labor conditions and community engagement in manufacturing regions like Bangladesh and Vietnam, with supply-chain labor monitoring approaches similar to those of International Labour Organization and Fair Labor Association.

Criticism and Controversies

Critiques mirror debates leveled at corporate sustainability campaigns such as those facing H&M and Shell plc: concerns over greenwashing raised by Greenpeace and investigative reporting by outlets like The Guardian. Skeptics cite limitations in scope-3 accounting under Greenhouse Gas Protocol rules and question voluntary commitments compared to statutory regulations like those proposed in the European Union Green Deal. Disputes have emerged over recycling claims, paralleling controversies involving companies like Zara and legal scrutiny similar to actions by consumer protection agencies.

Reception and Industry Influence

Move to Zero has been credited with accelerating industry conversations on renewable sourcing, circularity, and materials innovation alongside pioneers like Adidas AG and Patagonia, Inc.. Trade publications such as Business of Fashion, Bloomberg, and Financial Times have covered its milestones, while investors using frameworks from Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures evaluate related disclosures. The initiative’s approaches influenced procurement and product-design choices across multinational apparel firms listed on exchanges like NASDAQ and New York Stock Exchange.

Category:Sustainability initiatives