Timberland is currently applying a Green Index rating to 14 percent of its footwear; the company plans to apply the rating to 100 percent of its footwear by the end of 2012. Besides empowering footwear designers to lessen the impact of their designs, the initiative also extends the company's commitment to educating consumers on the environmental impact of its products, and to helping them make informed purchasing decisions.

Timberland is not alone in its pursuit of a more environmentally preferred approach to product development and transparency. The company is working through the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) on the development of an industry standard for product footprinting -- the Eco Index™. While the Eco Index is not a consumer-facing label at this time, it will become the industry's first standardized environmental assessment tool.

"Individual efforts, like Timberland's Green Index, are good options for now, but to truly empower consumers, we knew we needed a commitment from the entire industry," said Betsy Blaisdell, senior manager of environmental stewardship for Timberland. "First mover companies only get so far -- collaboration is integral to achieving a consumer-friendly, industry-wide standard, which is why we applaud the launch of the OIA Eco Index as a positive step in the right direction."

The Green Index rating measures and reports on environmental impact in three key areas:

    * Climate impact: Measures greenhouse gas emissions produced from raw material extraction through manufacturing
    * Chemicals used: Measures the presence of hazardous substances (solvent adhesives and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) used in the production of products
    * Materials used: Measures the use of organic, recycled or renewable materials

Timberland is committed to setting targets to reduce the environmental impact of its products. The company is in the process of establishing a reliable baseline for specific environmental indicators and, by the end of 2011, Timberland will have its baseline data.

Industry Standard Needed
While there is no industry standard for environmental labeling, which would allow consumers to compare the environmental impact of products across brands, Timberland is helping address this challenge through its work with the OIA. By contributing to the development of shared industry methodologies for measuring and sharing environmental impact, Timberland and the outdoor industry aim to support clearer communication of environmental impacts to both suppliers and customers.

Timberland believes that open, transparent communications about its business practices might encourage and inspire other brands to consider how they operate -- and communicate about -- their own business. As a result, the company's Green Index methodology is available at www.Timberland.com for anyone to use and learn from.