SAN FRANCISCO–Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) today released its 2030 Water Strategy – Beyond the Blue, a new roadmap to reduce water use, improve water quality, and help suppliers and communities become more resilient to climate change. The strategy builds on LS&Co.’s legacy of water leadership and is an element of its Climate Transition Plan.
“We know climate change is the existential challenge of our time—and water is where many of its impacts are felt most acutely,” said Michelle Gass, President and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. “Our 2030 Water Strategy outlines how we’ll continue to lead on water stewardship, not just by reducing our own impact, but by helping build resilience in the places that need it most.”
Three Pillars for a Water-Resilient Future
The 2030 Water Strategy is centered on three key pillars:
- Improve Our Foundation: LS&Co. will use science-based insights to improve its performance and deepen its understanding of the impacts and dependencies on water and nature. This work will inform how and where the company prioritizes actions in the areas of high-water stress to address the water impact of manufacturing and raw material usage.
- Reduce Our Impact: By 2030, building on progress made to date, LS&Co. aims to:
- Reduce absolute freshwater use by 15% across its apparel and textile manufacturing suppliers, compared to a 2022 base year.
- Ensure 40% of water used in manufacturing is recycled or reused.
- Publish an open-source industry guide on water recycling and reuse.
- Ensure that 100% of direct discharge supplier facilities achieve the “Foundational” performance level of water pollution compliance and 25% reach “Progressive” level, as defined by the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation.
- Foster Resilience: LS&Co. will also:
- Support suppliers with training and tools to strengthen their water resilience.
- Launch watershed restoration projects in areas of high-water stress, aligned to its 2030 biodiversity goal, such as the Sutlej and Indus basins in Pakistan and the Meghna basin in Bangladesh.
- Expand water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects, including its participation in WaterAid’s Women + Water Collaborative in India, which aims to reach 150,000 people with access to clean water in its first two years.
“A reliable supply of clean water is essential for health, dignity and a life full of opportunity. But 2.2 billion people in the world still do not have access to that life-saving resource. In Levi Strauss & Co., we’ve found a partner that values the power of collaboration to address the water crisis, one of the most challenging, but solvable, problems of this generation,” said Kelly Parsons, CEO, WaterAid America.
Looking Ahead
LS&Co.’s new strategy builds on its current water goals, which run through the end of this year. It also connects the company’s water goals with its broader climate and nature strategies, emphasizing transparency and focusing on the communities most affected by water stress. The targets are aligned with leading global frameworks, including the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
“This strategy is about more than water savings—it’s about resilience and supporting business continuity for the long-term,” said Jeffrey Hogue, Chief Sustainability Officer. “We’re working to ensure that our supply chain and the people within it are equipped to adapt to some of the most acute impacts of climate change.”
LS&Co. will report annually on progress toward its 2030 water goals and continue to collaborate with industry peers, NGOs, and local stakeholders to drive systemic change. The water strategy complements other steps the company is taking to build supplier resilience, like its recently launched Energy Accelerator Program (LEAP) in India, which supports suppliers’ transitions to renewable electricity.
“Levi Strauss & Co’s leadership in advancing water availability, quality, and access for communities shows what’s possible through adoption of the Water Resilience Coalition’s Positive Water Impact framework,” said Jason Morrison, Head, CEO Water Mandate and President, Pacific Institute. “Their 2030 Water Strategy embodies the ambition needed for a water-resilient future.”
