Gildan Included on the Dow Jones Sustainability™ Index (DJSI) and CDP’s Leadership Band in their 2022 Climate Change Report

• 10^th consecutive year included on the DJSI
  
• 3^rd time included in CDP’s Leadership Band

MONTREAL, Dec. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gildan Activewear Inc. (GIL: TSX and NYSE) is pleased to announce that it has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability™ North America Index for its leading ESG practices. This marks Gildan’s 10^th consecutive year of inclusion in the DJSI. In 2022, Gildan was the only apparel manufacturing company included in the North America Index.

Gildan is also pleased to announce that for the third time it has been included in CDP’s Leadership Band in their 2022 Climate Change report. Gildan received an A- score for its environmental performance and the transparency of its environmental disclosures.

“Gildan’s continued inclusion in DJSI and CDP’s Leadership Band underscores and reinforces our strong commitment to operating sustainably, ethically, and transparently” said Glenn Chamandy, President and CEO of Gildan. “For more than two decades, we have been raising the bar when it comes to our ESG initiatives, recognizing the importance of ESG as an integral part of our business strategy and an important element to our success. This mindset, combined with our vertically integrated business model and our strong, talented workforce, have allowed us to position Gildan as a leading company for ESG practices. Having recently embarked on our Next Generation ESG strategy, we plan to continue to expand our positive ESG impacts even further.”

DJSI – Maintaining sustainability leadership in North America

Gildan achieved an industry best score within the Textiles, Apparel, and Luxury Goods sector in the areas of corporate governance, environmental reporting, social reporting, and product stewardship.

The DJSI follows a best-in-class approach, surveying sustainability leaders from each industry. The DJSI North American sustainability leaders, as identified by S&P Global through the Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), represent the top 20% of the largest 600 North American companies in the S&P Global BMI based on long-term economic, environmental, and social criteria.

Results are available here.

CDP – Leading the way in corporate transparency and action against climate change

Gildan’s inclusion in CDP’s Leadership Band reflects the Company’s efforts in driving its climate strategy throughout the organization. Gildan’s score was based on 2021 ESG performance data, which includes enhanced disclosures on climate risk management and board oversight on climate-related matters, the launch of its Next Generation ESG strategy and introduction of science-based GHG emissions reduction targets, as well as its initial evaluation using the TCFD framework with plans to become fully aligned by 2025.

CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system. CDP scores are widely used to drive investment and procurement decisions towards a zero carbon, sustainable, and resilient economy. In 2022, nearly 20,000 organizations disclosed data through CDP, including more than 18,700 companies' worth half of global market capitalization.

Results are available here.

About Gildan 
Gildan is a leading manufacturer of everyday basic apparel which markets its products in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, under a strong portfolio of Company-owned brands, including Gildan^®, American Apparel^®, Comfort Colors^®, GOLDTOE^®, Peds^®, and under the Under Armour^® brand through a sock licensing agreement providing exclusive distribution rights in the United States and Canada. The Company’s product offerings include activewear, underwear, and socks sold to a broad range of customers, including wholesale distributors, screenprinters or embellishers, as well as to retailers that sell to consumers through their physical stores and/or e-commerce platforms, and to global lifestyle brand companies.

Gildan owns and operates vertically integrated, large-scale manufacturing facilities which are primarily located in Central America, the Caribbean, North America, and Bangladesh. Gildan operates with a strong commitment to industry leading Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices throughout its supply chain in accordance with its comprehensive ESG program embedded in the Company's long-term business strategy. More information about the Company and its ESG practices and initiatives can be found at www.gildancorp.com.