Anta Sports, founded in 1991, is a well-known global sporting goods company who designs, develops, manufactures, markets and sells professional sporting goods, including sports shoes, apparel and accessories, for Chinese consumers. Through a diversified brand portfolio, including ANTA, FILA, DESCENTE and KOLON SPORT, and the successful acquisition of the international sports brand group Amer Sports in 2019, it has internationally recognized brands including Arc'teryx, Salomon, Wilson, Peak Performance, Atomic, etc. .
In addition to the rapid growth in business, Anta Group also regards sustainable development as one of the focuses of the group's development strategy. Our supply chain is mainly locating in China, so we pay special attention to the compliance performance of our Chinese supply chain. There is a lot of common ground with what IPE has been working towards. This year is great opportunity for us to focus on the supply chain and the group's own production units to use IPE's platform and tools to manage environmental performance of themselves and upstream partners and eventually the entire related value chain in accordance with the requirements of IPE. Thanks to our good level of management over the supply chain, we have disclosed our important supplier factory information on the IPE green supply chain map. Let self-operated factories and strategic core suppliers register a blue map enterprise account to track their own environmental compliance. If there are relevant records, they are required to disclose and remove them immediately. At the same time, they are also required to further promote their waste and wastewater treatment providers to register IPE accounts and track their own compliance performance. We also require self-operated factories and strategic core suppliers to actively disclose emission data, including carbon data, via the PRTR platform.
Energy & water conservation, emission reduction efforts of self-operated units
Anta's self-operated shoe material factory uses purchased steam, which accounts for 58% of the total greenhouse gas emissions on site. The purchased steam is stored in water after being used in production scenarios, and recycled in the energy consumption scenario of the dormitory building, achieving 100% recycling of the purchased steam. Combined with other emission reduction actions, the total greenhouse gas emissions of the entire plant in 2022 will be reduced by approximately 900tCO2e compared with 2021.
In terms of offices and logistics parks, by completing smart metering systems, adopting energy-efficient lighting and HVAC system equipment, and refined energy-saving management methods (such as zoning lighting, automatic induction conference room air conditioning start and stop, etc.), we have also achieved annual Greenhouse gas emission reduction of approximately 600 tCO2e.
Green energy and waste gas emission reduction cases in the supply chain
In terms of ESG capacity building for the supply chain partners, we published our ESG strategy and implement it to all partners, launching the "Monthly Talk - ANTA Sustainability" which is a monthly magazine and the quarterly forum for footwear, apparel and accessories suppliers. And we regularly provide ESG trainings to all partners, inviting partners to share good practices to comprehensively improve their sustainability work.
We vigorously promote the use of renewable energy by suppliers. By August of 23, we newly added 25 main partners equipped with photovoltaic project. At present, more than 80 partners have completed the photovoltaic layout, helping Anta Group to eventually realize the "strategic partnership 50% of energy consumption is replaced by renewable energy by 2030", and the goal of "realizing carbon neutrality by 2050". For example, Shenzhou, as a strategic partner, installed distributed photovoltaics in its Shendie factory (Garment No. 5) in 2020. The annual photovoltaic power generation is about 2000MWH, accounting for about 30% of the total electricity consumption. 70% of the electricity consist fully with green electricity or REC certificates, that is, achieving 100% use of renewable electricity in 2023. Another partner Suzhou Keqi will complete the installation of distributed photovoltaics in 2023, and the annual power generation is expected to be about 1190MWH, accounting for about 30% of their total electricity consumption. Other partners, such as Dongguan Quality, installed photovoltaics in 2023. The annual photovoltaic power generation is about 430MWH, and photovoltaic power generation can account for about 10% of the total electricity consumption.
Meanwhile, Anta's apparel supply chain department has worked with major suppliers to formulate water-saving, carbon reduction, and emission reduction goals and action plans, involving more than 50 projects in the year of 2023. For example, in 2023, our supplier partner Taihua completed the 3000T/d reclaimed water reuse project, optimized and expanded the 3000T/d reclaimed water reuse system on top of their original sewage treatment and recycling system, saving about 1 million tons of water annually. From October 2022 to May 2023, our partner New Wide gradually phases out the original 1:8 high temperature and high-pressure overflow dyeing machine and replace it with a 1:3.5 ultra-low bath ratio dyeing machine, with a total of 30 units, an annual reduction of about 22,800 Tons of steam consumption. In 2022, the partner Dali upgraded the exhaust gas treatment system, reducing VOCs emissions by 11.75 tons as well as particulate matter in exhaust gas emissions by 5.24 tons per year, and the removal rate of waste particulate matter, oil fume, and VOCs reached 60%.
Supplier solid waste reduction case:
With the request and support of Anta Group, core supplier Anxin Sports cooperated with Antai Bottom Factory to use iron turnover frames to replace cartons for sole packaging, saving 100,000 cartons and reducing 100,000 tons of solid waste annually.
In addition, in order to seek other waste reduction opportunities, Anxin Sports is also actively exploring various waste reduction solutions, looking for waste treatment manufacturers that can reuse and reduce the amount of incineration. For example, trying to make building templates out of waste materials; genuine leather can be made into bag accessories and keychains; cooperate with car line companies to recycle wire tubes and reuse them; waste mesh and fabrics can be used as stuffing for sofas and quilts, and can also be made into particles are used to make recycled silk, plastic bags, etc.
Case of supply chain water efficiency improvement & wastewater reduction
One of the outstanding suppliers of Anta Group, Shengzhou Shengtai Knitting is also vigorously implementing green transformation, saving water and reducing emissions, with the promotion and support of Anta Group. Since 2016, they have implemented the transformation to reuse steam condensate, using an average of 6,000 tons of water every year. Starting in 2023, they have also launched a new project using special microelectronic radiation technology as a color fixation process. The fabric is immersed in a bath of reactive dyes and treated with a radiation "printing" process, which helps generate free radicals from both, which then initiate polymerization. In a very short period of time, these dye molecules are covalently fixed on the surface of the fabric, enabling environmentally friendly coloring of cotton. Compared with traditional dyeing, this process is more efficient and uses less water, effectively reducing water consumption and wastewater emissions.
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