According to www.esgdive.com, Gap has appointed Jeffrey Hogue, former chief sustainability officer of Levi Strauss & Co., as its new chief sustainability officer — a move aimed at accelerating its 2050 carbon neutrality goal and broader ESG commitments.
Leadership Transition and Strategic Mandate
Jeffrey Hogue stepped down from his six-year tenure as Levi’s CSO in mid-2026 to assume the role at Gap, succeeding Daniel Fibiger, who served as vice president of global sustainability for over 15 years before announcing his departure in April 2026. The appointment was formally announced by Sally Gilligan, Gap’s chief supply chain and transformation officer, in a late June 2026 LinkedIn post.
Hogue stated he will collaborate with leaders across Gap and its global supply chain to “
strengthen and embed sustainability throughout the business
.” His mandate explicitly covers environmental, social, and governance pillars — including human rights and women’s rights; climate, water, waste, materials, and circularity; regulatory compliance; and multi-stakeholder collaboration with suppliers, governments, NGOs, and industry partners.
Proven Track Record in Climate and Water Targets
During Hogue’s leadership at Levi’s, the company launched its first climate transition plan and committed to net-zero emissions across its supply chain by 2050. It also set binding near-term targets: a 90% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, using a 2016 baseline; and a 42% cut in absolute Scope 3 emissions by 2030, relative to a 2022 baseline.
Last year, Levi’s updated its water strategy to reduce freshwater use in operations and increase recycling and reuse within manufacturing — an initiative directly informed by Hogue’s prior work. Before joining Levi’s in 2020, Hogue held ESG leadership roles at C&A, McDonald’s, and Danisco, where he served as director of sustainability and later CSO.
Gap’s Integrated ESG Framework
Gap — parent company to Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta, and its namesake brand — has aligned its corporate goals with science-based benchmarks. Its latest impact report confirms a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its full value chain by 2050, measured against a 2017 baseline. It also pledges to become water positive by midcentury.
In addition to these headline targets, Gap participates in cross-industry initiatives such as the fashion supply chain decarbonization coalition launched in June 2024, which includes H&M and other major apparel retailers. Sally Gilligan emphasized that Hogue “
brings deep global experience … along with a proven track record of advancing sustainability through business leadership, partnership, and innovation
.” She further noted he will serve on the Gap Foundation Board, the governing body overseeing the company’s global community investments, volunteer efforts, and social impact programs.
Industry Context and Supply Chain Implications
Hogue’s appointment reflects a growing trend among global apparel brands to institutionalize sustainability leadership at the C-suite level — particularly as regulatory pressure mounts on Scope 3 emissions reporting and due diligence. The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and evolving U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure rules are driving demand for executives with integrated supply chain and ESG fluency.
For supply chain professionals, this signals intensified focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 supplier engagement, material traceability, and collaborative water stewardship — especially in high-risk geographies like the US Southwest and Southeast Asia, where textile dyeing and finishing account for disproportionate freshwater withdrawal. Gap’s 2050 net-zero target and midcentury water-positive pledge require verifiable progress not only in owned-and-operated facilities but across thousands of contract manufacturers — a scope demanding both data infrastructure and trusted partnerships.
Source: esgdive.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
