PPB February 2020

H anesBrands is a company with an unmistakably big presence, both in the promotional products industry, where it operates as Hanes/ Champion, and in retail, with nearly 1,000 company-owned stores across the globe. As a responsible manufacturer with a workforce of nearly 70,000 operating in 40 countries, and such a large global footprint overall, HanesBrands continues to grow in many capacities, not only from its commitment to reliable product, but to conscious engineering, sustainability and bettering the communities where its workers and customers live, work, learn and play. “We are a company of brands trusted by millions of consumers, so we cherish our achievements and strong reputation for corporate citizenship and social responsibility,” says Rachel Newman, vice president and general manager of HanesBrands Activewear. “It’s truly part of our DNA.” To touch communities more directly, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based supplier launched Hanes for Good in 1991, its philanthropic arm, to focus mainly on disaster relief efforts. It’s an all-hands-on- deck effort, with HanesBrands’s employees having donated more than 550,000 hours of their time to service. “When it comes down to it, everyone wants to feel like they are making a difference, and they want to work for a company that does business the right way,” says Newman. The program has made a tremendous impact since its inception. Through Hanes for Good, HanesBrands has donated more than $41 million to the UnitedWay of Forsyth County to help families in need, along with other local organizations—like the Arts Council of Winston- Salem and Forsyth County and Habitat for Humanity—and in 2019, it celebrated its 10th year of the annual Hanes National Sock Drive, which has donated more than three million pairs of socks to help the homeless. And this year, the company plans to celebrate its 10th year of Hanes4Education, a program that allows schools to receive cash back for purchasing printed HanesBrands shirts; the program has paid out more than $1 million to U.S. schools. On a global scale, Hanes for HanesBr ands SOCIAL GOOD The team of employees behind supplier HanesBrands dedicate their time through Hanes for Good, a philanthropic program intended to help people in need around the globe. by Danielle Renda Helping Hands Across The World Service work is woven into the fabric of Hanes as a company. Much of the work that Hanes does, worldwide, is led by its employees, who volunteer their time to help with after-school, academic- focused programs, renovate infrastructure and have the difficult conversations that have led to a major sustainability push in the manufacturing processes. 66 | FEBRUARY 2020 | THINK