Thread Announces Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Provide Dignified Jobs and Mobility to Plastic Bottle Collectors in Haiti

New York, New York, September 21, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Thread, the leader in responsible fiber and fabric production, today announced a new Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action to address the problem of undignified and child labor in global supply chains, through a targeted effort in Haiti. 

For many people across the globe, recycling offers a key entry point to participate in the circular economy - an economy that is restorative and aims to keep products, components, and materials at their highest utility and value at all times. In Haiti, many families rely on plastic collection as a sole source of income and often face the difficult choice of involving children in this work in order to ensure the security and well-being of the family. 

"The very bottom of the supply chain is where people are the most vulnerable. No longer is it okay to ignore the issue because it's difficult to talk about. We're proud to be working with great partners like Timberland and HP to find a solution in Haiti that can change our global understanding of dignified work."

Ian Rosenberger , Founder and CEO

In partnership with Timberland, HP, Team Tassy, and ACOP, Thread’s commitment will help improve the working conditions and upward mobility of some 300 Haitians - 200 of them children - by providing valuable educational opportunities, job training, and medical care. The programs will impact the surrounding communities of Molea and Menelas, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, while working towards a scalable global solution.     

“The very bottom of the supply chain is where people are the most vulnerable,” said Ian Rosenberger, Founder and CEO of Thread. “No longer is it okay to ignore the issue because it’s difficult to talk about. We’re proud to be working with great partners like Timberland and HP to find a solution in Haiti that can change our global understanding of dignified work.” 

“We are honored to contribute to this important work being spearheaded by Thread,” said Colleen Vien, director of sustainability for Timberland, which has done extensive agroforestry work in Haiti over the past five years. “They are looking beyond the environmental value associated with the collection and recycling of plastic bottles, and digging into some of the very real social implications. This progressive approach has the potential to truly change the face of global supply chains in the circular economy.”

“We are excited about the innovation occurring in Haiti as we help turn waste into a resource that generates income and improves conditions for families living in poverty,” said Stuart Pann, HP Chief Supply Chain Officer. “This commitment builds on our company’s vision to create technology solutions that help make life better for everyone, everywhere by creating a more inclusive circular economy that treats all workers with dignity and respect.”

Through various partnerships, Thread expects to have invested $300,000 in monetary and in-kind donations by December of 2019, providing for a detailed field assessment, wellness exams, healthcare services, and the construction of a long-term, career-oriented support network in Haiti. The model will serve as a pilot to expand to similar regions throughout the world. 

In addition to joining the Commitment to Action, both Timberland and HP plan to source materials from the revamped collection system in Haiti in order to provide long-term market support to the program. Timberland will also continue its longstanding commitment to Haiti with the launch of a special collection of shoes and bags made with Thread Ground to GoodTM fabric in Spring 2017. HP will incorporate the materials into its closed loop process for manufacturing inkjet cartridges using recycled plastic.

About Thread
Thread, a Certified B Corporation based in Pittsburgh, PA, transforms plastic bottles from the streets and canals of Haiti and Honduras into the most responsible fabric on the planet. Each product made with Thread™ fabric supports a vibrant network of dignified jobs in the developing world and the United States. See how at www.threadinternational.com or follow the Ground to Good™ story @threadintl.

About Timberland
Timberland is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of premium footwear, apparel and accessories for the outdoor lifestyle. Best known for its original yellow boot introduced in 1973, Timberland today outfits consumers from toe-to-head, with versatile collections that reflect the brand’s rich heritage of craftsmanship, function and style. Timberland markets lifestyle products under the Timberland® and Timberland Boot Company® brands, and industrial footwear and workwear under the Timberland PRO® brand. Its products are sold throughout the world in leading department and specialty stores as well as company-owned retail locations and online. Timberland’s dedication to making quality products is matched by an unwavering commitment to environmental and social responsibility – in terms of its products, the outdoors, and communities around the globe. To learn more about Timberland, a brand of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), please visit timberland.com or follow us along the modern trail @timberland.

About HP Inc.
HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions, and services, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at http://www.hp.com.

About Team Tassy 
Team Tassy accompanies families in Haiti out of poverty through good, dignified jobs. The process begins with access to medical care and ensuring all school-aged children have access to an education, while addressing all basic needs such as debt and shelter with their parents. Once families are work-ready, they participate in job training program and are placed into dignified jobs. They receive follow-up services to ensure long-term success in the workplace. Once our families graduate, we ask that they lend a helping hand to the next family in need. 

Team Tassy believes that by placing at least two heads of households into dignified work, our families and the community can pull themselves out of poverty forever. To join the movement, visit www.teamtassy.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @TeamTassy.

About ACOP
L’Association des collecteurs d’objet en plastique, ACOP (Association of plastic collectors) is a professional association comprised of 13 Haitian entrepreneurs who run collection centers in Molea. The association was formed in 2015 to develop a scholarship program for the children in Molea working to collect plastic from the landfill. Their vision is for these kids to realize their potential and to create a more just and decent society.

About the Clinton Global Initiative
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together 190 sitting and former heads of state, more than 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 3,500 Commitments to Action, which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

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Source: Thread