(Marketwire) - The Timberland Company (NYSE: TBL), a leading outdoor footwear and apparel company and environmental steward, today announced that it has achieved a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The company successfully reduced its emissions by 36 percent in 2009 over its 2006 baseline coming from Timberland owned and operated facilities and employee air travel. Timberland is on pace to reach its goal of a 50 percent emissions reduction by the end of 2010.

Energy Achievements
This reduction was attained primarily through increased energy efficiency at Timberland's retail locations, renewable energy procurement at its distribution facilities and decreases in employee air travel:

• Retail: Timberland is the first company to achieve the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Retail certification for mall-based stores. All new Timberland® stores in North America are built to LEED specifications and the company achieved energy savings by installing state-of-the-art LED lighting in nearly all of its US stores.


• Distribution Facilities: By the end of 2009, Timberland sourced approximately 12 percent renewable energy globally. Timberland uses primarily solar power in its Ontario, CA, distribution center and 100 percent wind power at its Enschede, Netherlands site. In 2009, Timberland's Danville, KY, distribution center began purchasing locally-produced renewable electricity.


• Employee Air Travel: Timberland has asked employees to consider alternatives to travel and has prioritized alternative options -- including the use of virtual presence and Web conferencing in order to reduce the amount of air travel employees use.
  

"We're pleased with our energy efficiency progress, but we still have work to do to help our employees globally make further reductions and source more renewable energy. Additionally, there is a huge opportunity to make better product design decisions and engage more with our value chain to address our broader carbon footprint," said Betsy Blaisdell, Sr. Manager, Environmental Stewardship. "Timberland is committed to reducing its carbon footprint -- both in our facilities and throughout the supply chain -- and conducting our business in the most environmentally-responsible way. In 2009, we made improvements that we are proud of and can continue to build upon."

Moving Forward
Since a large portion of Timberland's emissions come from within the supply chain, which Timberland does not directly control, an effort is underway to ensure the company is working with suppliers to help reduce those emissions. Part of that process includes reporting the size and scope of those emissions and Timberland currently reports product-related footwear factory emissions on a quarterly basis.

The company uses a three-pronged approach to further contribute to emissions reductions in its supply chain:

• 1. Timberland uses tools like the Green Index® rating system to empower product developers to choose less carbon intensive materials at the design stage of creating its products. The Green Index® rating system also gives consumers information about the environmental footprint of Timberland's footwear.


• 2. Timberland collects information from its suppliers about energy use and then uses that information to share energy efficiency strategies with its factories. New in 2010, Timberland factory assessors have been trained to use a carbon management toolkit which helps factory management understand the sources of energy consumption and ideas for reducing it.


• 3. Timberland analyzes and makes modal shifts for transporting products from factories to distribution centers in an effort to minimize fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Additional CSR Performance Highlights
Timberland has also seen significant achievements in other areas of CSR focus including product, workplace and service.

• Product: Timberland significantly exceeded its public commitment to source 10 percent organic cotton, reaching 38 percent usage in 2009. In 2010 Timberland will establish new targets for organic cotton and introduce reporting and targets for recycled and renewable materials.


• Workplace: Timberland continues to show progress in sourcing from environmentally-responsible tanneries. At the end of Q4 2009, the company sourced from 27 tanneries, nearly 60 percent of them scoring Silver or better on audits conducted by the British Leather Company's cross-brand Leather Working Group (LWG). The LWG audit results, along with follow up remediation plans, indicate that Timberland is on track to meet its goal to only source from silver-rated tanneries by year end 2010.


• Service: In 2009, Timberland employees served 82,293 hours of community service -- a four percent increase over 2008. Timberland has a strong commitment to the outdoors and encourages employees to embark on service projects that will strengthen communities by improving green spaces and access to the outdoors. On April 22, the company will plant its one millionth tree in the Horquin Dessert in China.

Talk with Timberland
Today, April 8, Timberland's CEO Jeff Swartz will host a CSR Stakeholder Call to discuss the importance of engaging mainstream consumers in reducing global emissions. These calls are open to the public and designed to help the company engage a wide range of stakeholders to find solutions to key challenges facing responsible business. The conversation will be recorded and available for public listening next week at http://www.earthkeeper.com/CSR/Stakeholder-Engagement-Calls. In the meantime, to join the conversation after the call, visit www.earthkeeper.com/voicesofchallenge to engage directly.

About Timberland
Timberland (NYSE: TBL) is a global leader in the design, engineering and marketing of premium-quality footwear, apparel and accessories for consumers who value the outdoors and their time in it. Timberland markets products under the Timberland®, Timberland PRO®, SmartWool®, Timberland Boot Company® howies® and IPATH® brands, all of which offer quality workmanship and detailing and are built to withstand the elements of nature. The company's products can be found in leading department and specialty stores as well as Timberland® retail stores throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, South Africa and the Middle East. Timberland's dedication to making quality products is matched by the company's commitment to "doing well and doing good" -- forging powerful partnerships among employees, consumers and service partners to transform the communities in which they live and work. To learn more about Timberland, please visit www.timberland.com. To learn more about becoming an Earthkeeper, visit www.earthkeeper.com.

Timberland

Timberland

Timberland is a global outdoor work and lifestyle brand that’s on a mission to equip and inspire a new generation to step outside and move the world forward. Based in Stratham, New Hampshire, Timberland also has international headquarters in Switzerland and Shanghai. Best known for its original yellow work boot introduced in 1973 to take on the harsh elements of New England, Timberland today offers a full range of footwear, apparel and accessories made with eco-conscious innovation for people who share the brand’s passion for enjoying – and protecting – Nature.

At the heart of the Timberland® brand is the core belief that a greener future is a better future. This comes to life through a decades-long commitment to make products responsibly, protect the outdoors, and strengthen communities around the world. The brand has committed to plant 50 million trees worldwide by 2025, and has a bold vision for its products to have a net positive impact on Nature by 2030, giving back more than they take. To share in Timberland’s mission to step outside, work together and move the world forward, visit a Timberland® store, timberland.com or follow @timberland or @timberlandpro. Timberland is a VF Corporation brand.

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