On Wednesday, October 30, 2019, Milliken announced a new content partnership with National Geographic and revealed the company’s 2025 Sustainability Goals at an event on the Milliken campus in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
“Today we are proud to announce that Milliken is working with National Geographic to develop a thought-leadership platform that will engage communities, customers, and our associates with our 2025 Sustainability Goals,” said CEO Halsey Cook.
The keynote speaker was National Geographic explorer and photographer Brian Skerry, who spoke about his life and craft. Skerry is one of the top ocean photographers in the world, and he strives to create images and stories that both celebrate the ocean and highlight the devastating environmental impacts he’s seen.
"We must take action,” Skerry said.
We’re living at this pivotal moment in history, where maybe for the first time, we understand both the problems and the solutions.Brian Skerry
"I’m especially optimistic because today, being here at Milliken, I see a company that has that vision and has that leadership, and really cares about a sustainable planet.”
“We started looking outside at the world, and saw that there were many environmental issues, societal issues, community issues that maybe we needed to address for us to be the kind of company we wanted to be for the future,” said Cook.
Chief Marketing Officer Danna Vetter added that Milliken’s business clients report an increasing demand for environmentally responsible practices among consumers. “As a partner to those clients, we want to make sure that we too are acting responsibly, and that together we can drive impactful solutions.”
Milliken’s advanced science and technology has the potential to make a real difference. “It takes everyone to think about the ingredients that go into our products, and to think about the entire lifecycle of our products,” said Chief Administrative Officer Debra Clements.
Cook closed the event by inspiring Milliken associates to take their own actions to create a better world. “We all have a role to play in making our sustainability goals a reality,” he said. “Today I challenge you to set a goal for yourself that aligns with the efforts of Milliken.”
