Timberland Celebrates Earth Day with Global Community Service Projects

Employees, business partners and more volunteer in their communities in celebration of the brand’s annual spring service day
May 11, 2017 11:00 AM ET

STRATHAM, N.H., May 11, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland, a leader in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, today announced it is conducting service projects in more than 15 countries throughout April and May as part of the company’s 19th consecutive celebration of Earth Day. Timberland has supported thousands of communities around the globe as part of its longstanding commitment to community service, from its headquarters in Stratham, New Hampshire to Hong Kong, China.  

Created to infuse volunteerism into the company’s culture, Timberland’s Path of Service™ program, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, provides full-time employees up to 40 paid hours annually to serve in their communities. As part of the Path of Service™ program, Timberland organizes two annual global service events for employees and partners: Earth Day in the spring, which focuses on environmental projects and Serv-a-palooza in the fall, which focuses on addressing community-based needs.

“At Timberland we are Earthkeepers, and that means we’re committed to making a difference in the communities where we live, work and explore,” said Atlanta McIlwraith, Timberland’s senior manager of community engagement. “Our Earth Day projects around the world, from planting community gardens and cleaning up beaches to supporting local charities, are a testament to the passion our employees and business partners have for protecting and restoring the environment.”                                                                                                                    

This year, Timberland expects more than 1,400 volunteers around the world will engage in some 11,000 hours of service. Examples of Timberland projects taking place in celebration of Earth Day include:

  • New Hampshire: Timberland headquarters will close on May 11 to host seven projects throughout the New England seacoast, to create and develop green spaces and other environmental initiatives, as well as maintain safe areas for community members to lead healthy, happy lives.
  • Milan, Italy: On May 17, 120 volunteers will partner with Legambiente, an Italian environmental association, to help create a green space at a school in the south of Milan. Volunteers will plant a garden, create a playground area, paint the school and fix broken fences. They will also partner with Retake Milan to transform a 1600 sqm space in the West part of the city that has not been used for over 60 years into a community garden for local schools, using recycled pallets for planting activities.
  • Pou Yuen, Vietnam: Most Timberland employees’ children from the local Pou Yuen factory attend a primary school close to the heavily-polluted Ba Tieng canal. On April 21, 60 volunteers planted over 150 trees with protective fences around the school, creating fresher air for the children and reducing odors from the canal.
  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: On May 3, 50 volunteers partnered with the Malaysia Nature Society to clean an urban community forest, Bukit Persekutuan. Volunteers helped maintain green lungs in the city center by planting trees, cleaning and rebuilding the park’s paths.

Beyond its dedication to community service and volunteerism, Timberland is fueled by a commitment to innovate and operate its business responsibly and to do the right thing – in terms of its products, the communities it serves, and the outdoors. Earlier this spring, Timberland launched the Timberland® X Thread™ collection in partnership with Thread, a Certified B Corporation that transforms plastic bottles from the streets and canals of Haiti into what Thread calls “the most responsible fabric on the planet.” The collection goes beyond environmental sustainability, creating social value and impact in the form of cleaner neighborhoods and meaningful new job opportunities.

To see more of the brand’s CSR and sustainability initiatives and for more information on how Timberland is working to be a more responsible business, visit responsibility.timberland.com.

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 – to make things better for 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.

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