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Dive Brief:
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Lululemon has hired Nike’s former chief sustainability officer Noel Kinder as its senior vice president of sustainability, the company announced last week.
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Kinder will be “responsible for defining and implementing the delivery of Lululemon’s global internal and external sustainability and environmental strategies, including an effective and efficient governance process,” the athletic apparel brand said in a May 16 release.
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The new sustainability executive will report to Lululemon Chief Supply Chain Officer Ted Dagnese and succeed Esther Speck. Speck stepped down from her role as Lululemon’s senior vice president of sustainable business and impact earlier this month, after serving at the company for almost a decade.
Dive Insight:
Kinder previously served as Nike’s chief sustainability officer for over five years until 2024, and spent nearly 25 years at the company overall. Prior to becoming CSO at the athletic footwear maker, Kinder was the company’s vice president of sustainable manufacturing and sourcing, and served in other key roles in strategic planning, finance and operations, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Kinder was responsible for operationalizing Nike’s global sustainability strategy and accelerating progress toward its corporate climate goals. During his tenure as CSO, Nike announced a “Move to Zero” initiative in 2019 that aimed to minimize the company’s environmental footprint. This included a target to cut carbon emissions across its global supply chain by 30% by 2030 and to power facilities both owned and operated by Nike with 100% renewable energy by 2025.
Lululemon’s new sustainability head has also served on the sustainability advisory board of several organizations and platforms, including the New York Stock Exchange, Greenplaces, Global Fashion Agenda and Collaborative Fund.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Noel to Lululemon to lead our sustainability team. He brings deep global experience in building and scaling sustainability strategies and goals that drive impact and results,” Lululemon’s Dagnese said in the release. The company’s supply chain executive said Kinder’s “leadership, global perspective and proven track record will be instrumental” to the company as it continues to make progress on creating “a more circular and sustainable future.”