Efforts

The manager explains that the sector's progress is not recent and highlights the role of Origem Sustentável (Sustainable Origin), the world's only ESG certification program developed exclusively for companies across the footwear supply chain, launched in 2013. “More than simply certifying companies, Origem Sustentável more than certifying companies for advancing ESG practices within their operations,” says Schlindwein. Today, 45% of Brazil's footwear production is already certified under the program, and that share continues to grow. 

Environmental

The Abicalçados study highlights, for example, that 93% of participating companies divert industrial solid waste from landfills by adopting environmentally responsible disposal methods, including reuse, recycling, co-processing, and other sustainable technologies. “The share of companies that ensure environmentally appropriate waste management is the highest among the environmental indicators, likely because it was one of the first sustainability initiatives adopted by the industry,” says Schlindwein. He adds that, over the past five years, the percentage of companies implementing environmentally sound industrial solid waste disposal practices has increased by six percentage points.

Still within the environmental pillar, the Report shows that, last year, 82% of companies sourced 100% of their electricity from renewable energy through the Free Energy Market or self-generation. The share of companies using renewable energy recorded the largest increase among all indicators since the survey began in 2021, rising by 35 percentage points.

Supplier Alignment

Across the footwear supply chain, 74% of footwear companies reported conducting regular assessments of their suppliers to verify compliance with legal, environmental, and social requirements—3 percentage points higher than in 2024 and 17 percentage points higher than in 2021.  In addition, 70% of companies have implemented restricted substances management programs, requiring suppliers to test raw materials and components to ensure compliance with substance limits established by regulations such as REACH, the regulatory framework governing the entry of products into the European market.  

Social

Within the social pillar, 75% of companies had initiatives in place in 2025 to promote diversity and inclusion across their workforce, representing an increase of seven percentage points compared to 2024. Among the most widely adopted practices were inclusive recruitment (67%), regular diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) training for employees at all organizational levels (49%), and transparent communication on diversity and inclusion initiatives (49%).

Governance

Within the governance pillar, the survey found that 82% of companies had governance improvement practices in place in 2025, the highest level recorded over the past three years. Among the most widely adopted initiatives were internal and external audits (75%), the establishment of a code of conduct and ethics (72%), and transparent reporting and communication through regular disclosures of the company's financial performance, goals, risks, and sustainability practices (50%).

The Footwear Industry Report – Brazil 2026 is available for free download. In addition to ESG indicators for the sector, the publication provides a comprehensive overview of the Brazilian footwear industry, including key industry data and short- and medium-term projections.

Tess: Recycling That Drives Savings

Tess, the manufacturer behind the Kenner, Redley, and Cantão brands, with a production facility in Campina Grande, Paraíba, is a standout example of ESG best practices in the Brazilian footwear industry. Producing between 20,000 and 30,000 pairs per day, depending on seasonal demand, the company integrates sustainability principles across all ESG pillars.

Recertified at the Diamond level, the highest distinction awarded by Origem Sustentável, Tess has continued to improve its performance within the program. According to Cleber Antonio Valvassori Pechina, the company's Corporate Health, Safety, and Environment Manager, the group increased its score from 549 points in 2023 to 581 points in 2025. “Compared to the previous certification cycle, our greatest progress came in ESG sustainability management and the social pillar,” he says.

Among its sustainability highlights, Tess recovers a significant share of the waste generated during its manufacturing process. Part of this material is reincorporated into production, returning as raw material for new EVA sheets and rubber outsoles, while another portion is sent to external recycling, supporting the recycling value chain and the livelihoods it generates. “Internally, we achieve an average 42% reincorporation rate for EVA and rubber, while 17% of these same materials are directed to external recycling, based on the total volume generated. The remaining waste, which cannot be recycled or reincorporated, is sent for co-processing, preventing it from becoming an environmental liability in landfills,” explains Pechina.

According to Pechina, material recycling alone generates monthly savings of approximately R$250,000, totaling R$3 million per year.  “Our current target for final waste generation is 0.090 kg per pair produced. This is our best result of the past five years, during which we have reduced this indicator by 100% compared to where we started,” he says.

The realization of this recycling potential can be seen in Kenner’s RE.USE line, one of Tess’s best-selling product lines. “The reuse of EVA and rubber in our manufacturing process is already a common practice for us. The RE.USE line was created specifically to showcase and promote this approach. Today, the proportion of recycled rubber incorporated into monochromatic products ranges from 10% to 20%,” says the manager.

Dass Group: A Giant Committed to Sustainability

One of Brazil’s largest footwear manufacturers, Dass Group is another leading example of sustainability. The company’s operational structure comprises 13 manufacturing facilities, four vertically integrated units, and two commercial offices located in Brazil and Argentina, in addition to 45 company-owned stores. This manufacturing network supports an impressive annual output of more than 19 million pairs of footwear and 18 million garments produced and marketed each year.

Recertified at the Diamond level, the highest distinction awarded by Origem Sustentável, the company has established itself as a robust industrial and commercial platform in the sporting goods sector, supported by a workforce of more than 26,000 employees. Jenifer Adrian da Silva Martim, ESG Coordinator at Dass Group, highlights that sustainability is intrinsically embedded in the company’s business strategy, guiding key decisions aimed at balancing its economic, social, and environmental pillars.

According to Jenifer, the company has achieved significant gains through initiatives such as rainwater harvesting and the reuse of treated wastewater from its Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) for industrial processes, sanitary systems, and landscape irrigation. In the field of the circular economy, projects such as transforming textile waste into shoe insoles have created internal value while reducing final disposal costs. “In addition, awareness and training initiatives focused on waste segregation at the source—such as the project expanded at our Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia facility—have increased the local recycling rate by 6% to 8%,” she says.

The Dass Group’s commitment to mitigating climate impacts is reflected in significant advances in the management of its energy matrix. Today, 100% of the electricity used across the industrial operations of its Brazilian facilities comes from renewable sources purchased through the Free Energy Market. This strategic transition to clean energy, combined with the lower emissions factor of Brazil’s national electricity grid, has had a direct and positive impact on the company’s emissions inventory: in 2025, Dass Group recorded an 81% reduction in Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with electricity consumption compared to the previous year.

The Dass Group’s social pillar recorded significant progress in 2025, driven by continued investments in corporate education and the strengthening of its learning culture. Through its Educa Dass digital platform, the company centralized its learning pathways, generating more than 205,000 accesses throughout the year. This initiative resulted in the issuance of more than 30,000 certificates and an average of 20.4 training hours per employee, underscoring the company’s commitment to professional development and workforce qualification. Beyond its internal audience, the Group’s social responsibility also extended to the development of the communities where it operates. In 2025, its internal committee managed investments of more than R$620,000 in 22 social projects through Brazil’s tax incentive programs.

Via Marte: The Social Pillar Takes Center Stage

Certified at the Gold level under Origem Sustentável, Via Marte stands out for the strength of its social pillar. With three manufacturing facilities in Brazil producing more than 6 million pairs annually, the company has made ESG practices a strategic pillar of its business.

Over the past few years, Via Marte has expanded its sustainability initiatives, achieving significant progress across both the social and environmental pillars. In the environmental area, for example, the company completed its first Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory in 2023, transitioned to 100% renewable electricity, and reduced its energy consumption by 7%. It also strengthened its waste management initiatives, enhanced water consumption controls, improved product traceability through production serialization, and expanded the monitoring of emissions and environmental performance indicators. 

Within the social pillar, the company continues to invest in the health, safety, and professional development of its employees. Its key initiatives include maintaining a health and safety management system that covers 100% of employees and service providers, delivering more than 2,000 hours of training in recent years, offering professional development programs in partnership with SENAI, encouraging technical and academic education, and implementing programs that promote the inclusion of people with disabilities and workplace diversity. The company’s social commitment also extends to the communities where it operates through blood donation drives, winter clothing campaigns, support for hospitals, charitable organizations, cultural events, and local sports initiatives. 

According to Jardel Dettenborn, a representative of Via Marte’s Sustainability Committee, in addition to generating positive impacts for society and the environment, these initiatives also deliver operational benefits. “In the marketplace, this positioning strengthens Via Marte’s corporate reputation, enhances brand value, and builds greater trust among customers, business partners, and other stakeholders. At a time when consumers are paying increasing attention to companies’ environmental and social practices, investing in ESG represents not only a corporate responsibility, but also an important competitive advantage,” he says.

Via Marte maintains a number of ongoing ESG initiatives focused primarily on the circular economy, the efficient use of natural resources, and reducing the environmental impacts of its operations. Among its most notable projects is the reuse of synthetic material scraps generated during the manufacturing process, which are repurposed in the production of insoles. The initiative reduces industrial waste, lowers the consumption of virgin raw materials, and reinforces the company’s commitment to the principles of the circular economy. Another project currently underway involves the installation of rainwater harvesting systems, allowing collected water to be used for non-potable purposes such as cleaning outdoor areas and supporting operational activities.

About Origem Sustentável
Created by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Companies Supplying Leather, Footwear, and Leather Goods Components (Assintecal) in 2013, Origem Sustentável not only certifies sustainable manufacturing but also serves as an ESG roadmap for companies of all sizes and levels of maturity.

Based on international sustainability best practices, the Program is structured around 104 indicators distributed across five dimensions: economic, environmental, social, cultural, and sustainability management.

Origem Sustentável features four certification levels: Diamond (more than 80% of the indicators achieved), Gold (more than 60%), Silver (more than 40%), and Bronze (more than 20%). Audits are conducted by independent organizations, including SENAI, SGS, ABNT, Intertek, and Bureau Veritas. More information is available at www.origemsustentavel.org.br.