In episode 405 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chris Fox, chief sustainability officer at HanesBrands, a global everyday apparel manufacturer operating iconic brands Hanes, Champion, and Bonds. Listen in as Fox discusses his career background (1:00), highlights and achievements from HanesBrands' 2022 Sustainability Summary Report (2:13), and how the company transparently reports on its sustainability progress with a dedicated website (6:00). He shares how HanesBrands sets and re-evaluates sustainability goals as time goes on (7:50), how the retailer stays accountable internally to measure efforts against its goals (12:00), and a new global initiative to engage employees (13:35).

Inn addition, Fox discusses the focus to use less across the HanesBrands organization (16:15), how sustainability efforts can benefit businesses financially (18:40), and the launch of its "I’m In" global associate sustainability campaign (20:05). Lastly, he comments on the consumer engagement opportunities he sees in the future at HanesBrands (22:45).

Chris Fox has led global corporate social responsibility and sustainability at HanesBrands since 2005. He's responsible for developing and overseeing the company’s comprehensive sustainability strategy, including operational policies and internal and external programs supporting the people, planet and product pillars. With his many years in the sustainability and ESG space, Fox is extremely excited to be driving Hanes toward its far-reaching and aggressive 2025 and 2030 sustainability goals.

Fox joined the organization in 1999 and held a number of roles within the Hanes legal function before focusing on corporate responsibility and sustainability, including representing the Champion business, the supply chain, and our Asia business development team. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary and his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Wake Forest University.