Nike Vietnam ramp production and carbon commitments back up to pre-pandemic levels

By 2025, Nike goal is to be at 100 per cent renewable energy all of their facilities worldwide. Photo: Le Toan

Nike’s chief sustainability officer Noel Kinder shared at a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the sidelines of the COP26 Conference in Glasgow that all of Nike's nearly 200 factories in localities that were disrupted by COVID-19 had returned to production according to newswire baochinhphu.vn.

Previously, the plant closures in Vietnam, where almost half of all Nike footwear are produced, have added to the strain on global supply networks.

It will likely take some time until the group can ramp back up to full production in Vietnam but it invalidates rumours that Nike could run out of sneakers made in Vietnam due to COVID-19.

At the same time, Nike is working towards its sustainability goals, including powering its owned and operated facilities worldwide with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025

Noel Kinder who had been three years in Vietnam posted on his Linkedln: “I am also very proud of the work the Nike team has in Vietnam, including working with manufacturers to install solar systems on the roofs of their factories. However, what excites me the most is the common desire of all parties to do more to protect our planet.”

He added: "The importance of this country is the reason we work with policy makers and stakeholders, such as the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam (ERAV) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Program. Vietnam's Low Emission Energy (VLEEP), funded by USAID, aims to work towards a policy that allows producers to purchase renewable electricity directly from power companies."

“And that is why we highly appreciate the initiatives that Vietnam is taking to promote the renewable energy sector, including: Prime Minister's Decision No. 13/2020 / QD- TTg dated 6/4/2020 on encouraging solar energy development in Vietnam; Circular No. 18/2020 / TT-BCT dated July 17, 2020 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade on project development and sample PPA applicable to solar power projects; And the recent draft circular of the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the pilot program of the direct selling and buying mechanism (DPPA),” he shared.