Athletic apparel leader Lululemon has named Noel Kinder, formerly Nike’s Chief Sustainability Officer, as its new Senior Vice President of Sustainability. He replaces long-time sustainability lead Esther Speck and will report to Chief Supply Chain Officer Ted Dagnese .
🌱 Kinder Brings 25 Years of Industry Expertise
- At Nike from 1999 to 2024, Kinder served as CSO from 2018 onward, spearheading enterprise-wide green initiatives including the “Move to Zero” strategy and the adoption of science-based targets Green Retail+12ESG Today+12Sustainability Magazine+12.
- His tenure marked substantial sustainability milestones, such as scaling Nike’s use of renewable energy to 96%, cutting scope 1 and 2 emissions by 69%, and diverting 100% of waste from landfill in its supply chain ESG News+4Sustainability Magazine+4ESG Dive+4.
Kinder also held significant roles in manufacturing, sourcing, and served as Nike Vietnam’s general manager, overseeing a major share of the company’s production industry5zero.org+8ESG Today+8The Financial Analyst+8.
🚀 Kinder to Propel Lululemon’s Impact Agenda
Kinder will define and execute Lululemon’s global sustainability vision, encompassing internal operations and external stakeholder engagement. Dagnese expressed confidence in Kinder’s “deep global experience and proven track record” to help build “a more circular and sustainable future” industry5zero.org+12Lululemon Corporate+12ESG Today+12.
Kinder said, “I’m excited to join Lululemon at an important time in their sustainability journey. Lululemon is a leader in innovation and deeply committed to advancing its sustainability and climate goals…” ESG News+6Lululemon Corporate+6ESG Investing+6.
✨ A Strategic Move Amid Industry Shifts
His hire signals Lululemon’s strengthened commitment to its Impact Agenda, which includes goals for circularity, preferred materials, and emissions reduction. The move comes following Kinder’s departure from Nike after a major reorganization of Nike’s sustainability division in 2023 ESG Today+9CSO Futures+9Sustainability Magazine+9.
With Kinder at the helm, Lululemon aims to accelerate its climate strategy and embed sustainability more deeply across its global value chain Lululemon Corporate+2ESG News+2ESG Post+2.
