Product Sustainability Manager

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The Barbour story began in 1894 in South Shields in the North East of England. Founder John Barbour began supplying oilskins and other garments to protect the growing community of sailors, fishermen and dockers. Still family owned and now fifth generation, Barbour HQ remains in South Shields. Under the leadership of Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour, Barbour has grown into a lifestyle brand sold in over 55 countries worldwide including Europe, the US and Asia offering a wardrobe of stylish functional clothing, footwear and accessories inspired by the unique values of the British countryside.

The iconic Barbour Bedale and Barbour Beaufort wax jackets continue to be made by hand in the factory in South Shields. In 2020, Barbour launched Wax for Life, an overarching name for all of Barbours wax services designed to encourage customers to extend the life of their wax garments. Wax for Life includes re-waxing and repairs (first introduced in 1921) and Barbour Re-Loved an upcycling circularity initiative.

Each year over 70,000 wax garments are sent back to Barbour globally to be repaired, rewaxed or altered.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Product Sustainability Manager to join our Supply Chain team here at our Head Office in South Shields. This new role will support the Senior Sustainability Manager in further implementing activities to support our environmental sustainability commitments. The role will focus on enhancing Barbours products by improving their sustainability credentials whilst retaining, or even further advancing, their quality, heritage and durability.

A key focus of the role will be to increase the use of preferred materials and to support compliant product sustainability claims as well as improving and utilising product sustainability data. The role will work closely with our Design, Fabric Development and Quality teams as well as the Supply Chain Sustainability Manager.

• Improve the sustainability impacts of Barbours products, including carbon reduction, by identifying and implementing design and material changes.
• Increase the uptake of preferred materials across Barbours product range, prioritising options for cotton, wool, leather and synthetics. Work with colleagues to understand fabric briefs, identify viable preferred material options, implement accordingly and ensure compliant claims can be made.
• Ensure brand compliance with requirements set out by relevant third‑party schemes including Better Cotton initiative, Leather Working Group and Textile Exchange Standards (GRS, RCS, OCS, RWS, RAS, RDS). Approve product claims in line with these standards and legislation, where appropriate.
• Develop strong working relationships with Barbours Design teams and Fabric Development team and implement processes, policy and training as required to support Barbours environmental sustainability commitment across its product range.
• Oversee improvements in the availability, accuracy and management of product sustainability data in line with business need. This includes utilizing key systems such as PLM.
• Analyse data, including results from carbon reports, eco‑scores and EPR submissions, to identify products and materials with the greatest environmental risks or opportunities and prioritise actions.
• Support the development of Barbours product‑related sustainability policies and ensure these are upheld across the business. These include Barbours Animal Welfare Policy and Product Certification Manual.
• Stay up to date with current and proposed legislation and best practice relating to environmental sustainability of products.
• Complete sustainability reports and respond to customer queries relating to environmental sustainability.
• Form a key part of Barbours sustainability team, help embed a culture of sustainability throughout the business and contribute to other areas of sustainability activity as required.

• Strong value of textiles experience in cotton, wool, leather and/or polyester and polyamide is favoured.
• Good working knowledge…