Samsonite Marks 110th Anniversary With Commitment To A Sustainable Future

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Company Known for Leadership in Innovation Plans to Lead in Sustainability to Secure its Next 100+ Years

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Mar 11, 2020, 00:01 ET

BOSTON, March 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on its heritage of innovation, quality and durability, Samsonite marks its 110^th anniversary with the launch of "Our Responsible Journey," a global strategy and commitment to lead the industry in sustainability. Since it was founded in Denver, Colorado, in 1910, Samsonite has established itself as the world's best known and largest lifestyle bag and travel luggage company. Underscoring this leadership, "Our Responsible Journey" focuses on Samsonite's legacy of designing products that last; its commitment to reducing its impact on the planet; and how it engages its people, partners and communities in this progress.

Renowned for driving many industry firsts throughout its history, Samsonite will strengthen its efforts to make sustainability a key focus of its future innovation. This includes commitments by Samsonite's brands, including Samsonite^®, Tumi^®, American Tourister^®, and Gregory®, to:

increase the use of sustainable materials and packaging;
continue to develop innovative solutions to ensure product durability, access to repairs and end of life solutions; and
use 100 percent renewable energy while reducing carbon emissions to become carbon neutral by 2025.

"Throughout Samsonite's 110-year history, our values of respecting our people, the planet and our impact on the world have endured. How we treat each other and how we care for the world we live in are guiding values that, together with our heritage of industry leadership, make it a natural step for Samsonite to take the lead on sustainability," said Kyle Gendreau, Samsonite International CEO. "While we've been focused on sustainability for several years, 'Our Responsible Journey' is how we will accelerate the implementation of sustainable business practices globally to meet our goals. This strategy will touch every aspect of our business to help us further our long-standing leadership in the industry."

Since 2018, Samsonite has launched more than 50 collections worldwide that include a sustainable material such as recycled PET, recycled nylon, post-industrial recycled polypropylene, wood waste and cork. And its Recyclex™ fabric is made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled PET bottles, which have already diverted an estimated 52 million 500ml PET bottles from landfills.

"Our Responsible Journey" focuses on four areas most material to the business:

Innovative Products: Samsonite is committed to designing durable products and increasing the use of more sustainable materials, decreasing the burden on landfills. Additionally, most products can be repaired worldwide, reducing the need to replace items.
Carbon Action: Samsonite is working to minimize the impact of its owned and operated facilities by reducing its carbon intensity, committing to 100 percent renewable energy and becoming carbon neutral by 2025. Samsonite has planted more than 700,000 trees around the world since 2017 as part of its carbon reduction efforts and to preserve the beautiful places where its consumers travel. Further, Samsonite is committed to work more closely with suppliers so that they move toward carbon neutrality as well.
Thriving Supply Chain: Samsonite cares for the people and communities around the world where it works, and works with suppliers who meet the Samsonite code of conduct, ensuring that its partners also act fairly and responsibly. In addition, Samsonite is expanding its existing social compliance program to focus on further protecting human rights in its supply chain.
People Focused: Recognizing that its people are among its greatest assets, Samsonite is focused on ensuring all employees have access to development opportunities, has a goal to achieve gender balance in key roles, and is committed to supporting its people and communities where they live and work.

The global travel industry never stands still and throughout its 110-year lifespan, Samsonite has been resolutely focused on innovation, design, and has been an industry leader in the use of new materials. The company is pioneering new solutions for the decades to come helping travelers' journey further, with ever lighter, stronger and more sustainable products.

About Samsonite
Samsonite International S.A. ("Samsonite" or the "Company", together with its consolidated subsidiaries, "the Group"), is the world's best-known and largest lifestyle bag and travel luggage company, with a heritage dating back 110 years. The Group is principally engaged in the design, manufacture, sourcing and distribution of luggage, business and computer bags, outdoor and casual bags, travel accessories and slim protective cases for personal electronic devices throughout the world, primarily under the Samsonite^®, Tumi^®, American Tourister^®, Speck^®, Gregory^®, High Sierra^®, Kamiliant^®, eBags^®, Lipault^® and Hartmann^® brand names as well as other owned and licensed brand names. The Company's ordinary shares are listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ("SEHK").