Daily Sustainability Job Post

* The link and job description provided was active on January 27, 2021 – the date this was posted. Please refer to the employer’s website for up to date information. This is not our search, we are providing these links as a service to the community of sustainability and ESG jobseekers.

Position Overview:

Who is Allbirds?

At Allbirds, we believe in using business as a force for good. We’re a global footwear and apparel brand with roots in New Zealand and our headquarters in San Francisco. Since 2016, we’ve been on a mission to prove that comfort, design, and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive. Our commitment to creating better things in a better way is fueled by a belief that the fashion industry needs to focus less on flash and more on thoughtfulness. And as a certified B Corp, we’re dedicated to making the most sustainable products we can using premium natural materials – designed for life’s everyday adventures.

Where we need help

Sustainability is not just a buzzword at Allbirds; it’s part of the fabric of our company (get it?). As we add customers and new products, we strive to not only maintain our commitment to this core value but also continuously improve on it. This means that we need to constantly make deliberate and bold choices about materials, production processes and suppliers we work with. We need someone who can champion the cause of sustainability both inside and outside the organization.

As our operations scale to support new products and new geographies, we are looking for someone who can elevate our supply chain sustainability to the next level. We know that the vast majority of our impact as a company lies outside the four walls of our headquarters in San Francisco, and we want to ensure that we have a positive impact on our broader supply chain. You will be responsible for setting the social and environmental responsibility strategy and standards across Allbirds’ global supply chain. Your day to day will include vetting new suppliers, setting and enforcing Allbirds’ social and environmental standards, as well as working shoulder to shoulder with our suppliers to improve worker wellbeing and reduce environmental impact.

What does the job entail?

You will work with our Sustainability Lead to:

• Set strategy and standards –
  • Keep a pulse on industry trends, constantly seeking out best practices and benchmark against peers
  • Maintain best-in-class code of conduct and other social and environmental standards
  • Develop framework for evaluating factories against Allbirds environmental and social standards
  • Create strategy to reduce energy consumption related to Allbirds products across supply chain, distribution, and customer use
  • Develop renewable energy procurement options to further our carbon neutrality commitment
  • Manage Allbirds’ chemistry standards, including RSL/MRSL, and participation in certification programs like OekoTex and Bluesign
  • Recommend and engage with industry groups and initiatives (SAC/Higg Index, Textile Exchange, Fair Trade, Fair Labor Association, Bluesign, OekoTex, etc.)
• Diligence supply chain –
  • Work closely with Supply Chain team to collect and evaluate sustainability information from suppliers against Allbirds social and environmental standards
  • Based on this evaluation, represent sustainability in recommending approving or not approving new suppliers as well as rating existing suppliers
  • Oversee all social and environmental audits; analyze assessment data and develop and communicate corrective action plans
    Roll out measurement and tracking of emissions, energy, water, and waste at all Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers; manage reporting to Higg Facilities Environmental Module and B Impact Assessment
    Proactively identify key social and environmental risks to the brand and suggest remediation plans
• Collaborate with suppliers –
  • Identify key opportunities to reduce environmental impact; work with factories to create reduction plans and track progress over time
  • Identify key opportunities to improve worker wellbeing; work with factories to implement programs
  • Provide/organize trainings for suppliers on key sustainability topics
• Other
  • While focus of this role will be on manufacturing supply chain, similar principles may apply to environmental and social standards in our distribution centers and retail stores.

What kind of person are we looking for?

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with people from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds
• Self-directed, don’t need or want a lot of over-the-shoulder management; ability to create and maintain timelines and consistently meet deadlines
• Extreme attention to detail and proven ability to organize complex datasets
• Know how to get a lot done efficiently without endless resources

More practical skills needed:

• Bachelor’s degree, ideally with focus on sustainability; graduate degree preferred
• Minimum 5 years working in social or environmental sustainability
• Understanding of apparel supply chain with experience working with factories in the US and abroad; social and environmental audit experience is a plus
• Familiarity with human rights standards and organizations including Fair Trade, Fair Labor Association, SA800, SMETA, WRAP, etc.
• Familiarity with environmental standards and organizations including the Higg Index, OekoTex, Bluesign, etc.
• Expert in Microsoft Office and Google Drive