True impact includes environmental sustainability.
A Letter From Our Founder
Dear Adelante Community,
We originally started Adelante Shoe Co. with a singular social mission — to catalyze economic opportunity within underprivileged communities in Latin America. However, as we’ve grown over the last several years, we’ve come to realize that true social impact must also be environmentally sustainable.
Adelante already has a head start when it comes to making a positive environmental impact. First off, we sell resoleable footwear that, when properly cared for, will last a lifetime. Approximately 300 million pairs of shoes are dumped into U.S. landfills each year, so the longevity of footwear is an important step toward reducing waste. Plus, most leather components used in Adelante shoes are vegetable tanned or sourced from tanneries with verified environmental sustainability certifications. And handmade production, which emits very little CO2 into the environment, provides a great baseline from which to achieve carbon neutrality.
With the goal of formalizing our approach to responsible environmental stewardship, we’ve developed Environmental Sustainability Objectives that we aim to achieve fully by 2030. As with our social impact, we will report progress towards our environmental objectives in our annual Impact Report.
Thank you for taking part in this journey with us.
Sincerely,
Peter Sacco
Founder & CEO
Environmental Sustainability Objectives
Adelante Shoe Co.’s 2030 Environmental Sustainability Objectives are:
Operate an entirely carbon-neutral business, from the beginning of our supply chain through to product fulfillment.
Ensure that our supply chain, production process, and product do not contaminate waterways or other natural habitats.
Our Approach
Supply Chain
Starting with our most-used raw materials, gradually switch to supply chain partners who themselves produce in accordance with Adelante’s 2030 Environmental Sustainability Objectives.
Production
Identify a Guatemala reforestation partner to offset Adelante’s carbon output resulting from production. Ensure raw material waste is upcycled.
Fulfillment
Explore alternative shipping options that are more environmentally sustainable. Measure and offset the carbon output of product fulfillment.
Product
Maintain focus on crafting quality and durable products that spend decades on customer’s feet rather than in landfills.
Impact Measurement
Similarly to the Living Well Line, we’ll measure our environmental impact against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) every 12 months.
The UN SDGs define development across a wide array of social and environmental themes.
By achieving the Adelante Environmental Sustainability Objectives, we will directly impact the following UNSDGs:
UNSDG 12
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
UNSDG 13
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
UNSDG 14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development
UNSDG 15
Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss