GOING CIRCULAR
Coats
Coats is a leading industrial thread company. At home in some 50 countries, its products are sold in over 100, and it has a workforce of over 18,500 across six continents around the world. For over 200 years, the company has been restless pioneers, working to harness talent and technology in textiles to enhance people’s lives. Coats’ pioneering history and innovative culture ensure the company leads the way around the world.
Read More
From the CEO’s Desk
Rajiv Sharma
Group Chief Executive
For over 250 years, Coats has worked closely with its suppliers and customers making the threads and materials that literally hold together the fabric of our lives. This longevity has been no accident, as we have continually changed, adapted and responded to the needs of our customers and societal changes. And it is vital for the future success of our business that we continue to respond in a robust and positive way to new challenges.
The world is changing. The effects of climate change and environmental damage to our planet are becoming more apparent; the resources we use are becoming scarcer; and we need to find new ways to operate more efficiently and reduce our waste. We need to embrace diversity and difference, using this as a way to innovate and create better products and services for our customers around the world.
I want Coats to be a part of the solution, working with all our partners, to create new products and ways of working that protect the environment and the fragile world we share. I want us to be recognised by society as a business with high standards and levels of respect, made up of talented and motivated people supporting hundreds of local communities of which we are a part. I want our investors to know that we are managing our risks well and seizing opportunities to be better and to innovate. We aspire to be pioneers and leaders in sustainability within our industry. We are placing sustainability at the heart of our business strategy – this will be the basis on which we prioritise, innovate and grow.
About
Company Background
It provides complementary and value-added products, services and software solutions to the apparel and footwear industries. It applies innovative techniques to develop high technology performance materials threads, yarns and fabrics in areas such as automotive, composites, fibre optics and oil & gas. The company works with nearly 30,000 apparel and footwear manufacturers and 4,000 retailers and brands globally, as well as with over 7,000 performance material customers. Headquartered in the UK, Coats is an FTSE 250 company, a constituent of the FTSE4Good UK Index and a participant in the UN Global Compact.
- Each year Coats makes enough thread to go into 8 billion pairs of jeans—that is one for every person on the planet;
- Every month, Coats produces enough thread to stretch all the way to the Sun;
- More than 450 million pairs of shoes are made every year using Coats’ thread;
- More than 100 million car airbags are made using Coats’ performance materials threads every year;
- In 1879, Thomas Edison used Coats’ thread in his experiments to invent the light bulb;
- Coats’ flame-retardant performance materials threads can withstand temperature as high as 1,000 degrees Celsius;
- Coats Epic EcoVerde is the world’s first 100% recycled premium sewing thread.
- The company’s vision is to be the world’s leading industrial textiles company delivering innovation, digital solutions and sustainable value to all stakeholders.
- Our customers are looking for unique products, services and digital solutions to support their objectives.
- Our shareholders require a strategic balance of growth and efficiency, to deliver sustainable, high quality earnings.
- For our employees, we must provide an environment that offers them growth to reach their maximum potential within a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace.
Our Policy
Sustainability Policy
For many years, Coats has had a robust approach to sustainability, underpinned by a long-standing commitment to high standards of corporate behaviour. Limiting impact on the environment is a fundamental part of its business. Coats’ ambitious new strategy ‘Pioneering a sustainable future’, launched during 2018, focuses on five priority areas where “we can accelerate progress, through the targeted investment of capital and resources. Through these five areas, we demonstrate our support for the UN Sustainability Development Goals.”s
Priority Areas- Water: This is a precious resource. In some parts of the world as water scarcity becomes more apparent, then so do the risks we potentially face—not least competition for resources, higher costs, the effect on water quality, and the possibility that water shortages will limit production. These risks are often shared with the community around us.
- Energy: The effects of climate change could have far reaching consequences and risks for our business, whether this relates to disruption to our supply chain, availability of raw materials or increased costs of energy. It is in our interests to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and to play a part in combating climate change.
- Effluent and emissions: While we seek to optimise our processes, we will always generate some wastewater and some of this will be discharged to the environment. We have strict internal and external standards to which we adhere to protect our local environment and avoid damage to the watersheds on which ultimately both our business and the neighbouring communities depend.
- Social: We are a global business that operates in over 50 countries on six continents, with a wide and diverse range of cultures. We seek to create a culture of inclusiveness, honesty, and positive teamwork where each employee can reach their potential in a safe working environment. High ethical standards underpin the way we do business, as we build trust and ensure fair practices with our suppliers and customers.
- Living sustainably: Natural resources are becoming increasingly scarce. Environmental factors and population growth are increasing demand and putting pressure on the ecosystems of which we are a part. We follow the principles of the waste hierarchy to reduce, reuse and recycle our waste in an efficient and, ultimately, value creating way. This requires us to use resources, efficiently and limit the disposal of waste to landfill. Corporate responsibility and sustainability are core to the way the company does business. Coats is pioneering a sustainable future by finding new and innovative ways to create long-term, sustainable growth. “We are transforming our business, investing in new techniques and technologies, and continuously improving our policies, processes and programmes in order to create a lasting positive impact. Through collaboration, partnership and the sharing of knowledge and goals, we can transform our industry and bring about positive, long-lasting change that supports businesses, people, and our planet.”
Intiatives
Sustainability Initiatives