HanesBrands Named One of the 2021 World’s Most Ethical Companies

Company’s first application to Ethisphere earns it a place among 135 companies across the globe being recognized for leadership in ethical business practices

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HanesBrands (NYSE:HBI), a socially responsible, leading global marketer of branded everyday basic apparel, has been recognized as one of the 2021 World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

HanesBrands is one of only two apparel manufacturers being recognized among 135 companies spanning 22 countries and representing 47 industries. Ethisphere’s assessment process includes more than 200 questions on culture, environmental and social practices, ethics and compliance activities, governance, diversity and initiatives to support a strong value chain. This year, Ethisphere also gauged how applicants adapted and responded to the global health pandemic, safety, equity and inclusion and social justice.

“We have a strong commitment to acting responsibly, and we’re very proud to be recognized by Ethisphere,” said CEO Steve Bratspies. “This honor is the result of 61,000 employees around the world committed to operating our business in the right way. Consumers can be proud that when they choose our apparel they are choosing a company deeply committed to sustainability.”

HBI has a longstanding commitment to leadership in ethical business practices. The company was recently named one of the 100 most sustainable companies in the nation for the second year by Barron’s and earned a leadership level A score, following two years at A-, in the CDP 2020 Climate Change Report. HBI is also the only apparel company in history to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award.

In October 2020, HBI announced wide-ranging 2030 global sustainability goals that include a commitment to science-based environmental targets, a goal of improving the lives of at least 10 million people, and addressing the use of plastics and sustainable raw materials in products and packaging. The goals were launched via a new sustainability website, designed to increase company transparency and reporting on key metrics, including diversity, human rights benchmarks and risk assessments for investors.

“While addressing the tough challenges of 2020, we saw companies lead – above all other institutions – on earning the trust of stakeholders through resilience and a commitment to ethics and integrity,” said Ethisphere CEO, Timothy Erblich. “The World’s Most Ethical Companies honorees continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the highest values and positively impacting the communities they serve. Congratulations to everyone at HanesBrands for earning the World’s Most Ethical Companies designation.”

Learn more about the World’s Most Ethical Companies and HanesBrand’s commitment to responsibility.

Ethisphere Institute

The Ethisphere^® Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character and measure and improve culture. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies recognition program and provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA). More information about Ethisphere can be found at: https://ethisphere.com.

HanesBrands

HanesBrands, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., is a socially responsible leading marketer of everyday basic innerwear and activewear apparel in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia-Pacific. The company sells its products under some of the world’s strongest apparel brands, including Hanes, Champion, Bonds, Maidenform, DIM, Bali, Playtex, Bras N Things, Nur Die/Nur Der, Alternative, L’eggs, JMS/Just My Size, Lovable, Wonderbra, Berlei and Gear for Sports. The company sells T-shirts, bras, panties, shapewear, underwear, socks, hosiery, and activewear produced in the company’s low-cost global supply chain. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 stock Index (NYSE: HBI), Hanes has approximately 61,000 employees in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit the company’s corporate website at www.Hanes.com/corporate and newsroom at https://newsroom.hanesbrands.com/. Connect with the company via social media: Twitter (@hanesbrands), Facebook (www.facebook.com/hanesbrandsinc), Instagram (@hanesbrands), and LinkedIn (@Hanesbrandsinc).