Exploring Sustainability with Hy Rosario and Brooke Beshai
(6 min. read)
We all choose our own way to explore this amazing planet we live on. At HOKA, we know our home needs protecting. We caught up with Hy Rosario, Director of Outdoor and Kids’ footwear, and Brooke Beshai, VP of Sustainability to discuss the role of sustainability at HOKA.
HOKA: Give us a brief introduction. What do you do for HOKA, and how long have you been with the brand?
Hy Rosario: My name is Hy and I’m the Director of Outdoor and Kids’ footwear. I’ve been on the HOKA team for 4-years and it’s been an amazing and exciting. So excited to share the HOKA journey into a considered approach of creating footwear!
Brooke Beshai: My Name is Brooke and I am the VP of Sustainability and Compliance at Deckers Brands, the parent company of HOKA, and I have been at the organisation a little over 13 years.
HOKA: How would you define #YesToLess? What is the goal?
Hy: #YesToLess is a philosophy which is highly connected to the way loyal HOKA fans (new and existing) approach their lives; whether work, personal, social, or fitness. We have set aggressive goals to reduce our impact, while ensuring we deliver on all things you love about HOKA.
Inspiring our consumers, is an ethos deeply integrated into the HOKA Brand’s DNA. “yes to less” is a reminder towards our impact goals, through a holistic and long-term approach.
HOKA: How does your role impact sustainability at HOKA?
Hy: Like all functions at HOKA, we are laser-focused on the consumer. HOKA was born in the French Alps and as such, we have a direct interest and connection to the Outdoors. The Outdoor footwear team services a consumer segment that is super passionate and believes in doing good, while “getting outside.” Our audience requires their brands to take an active interest in working to build more considered products.
The broader HOKA consumer base, is keen to preserve the environment so all can enjoy these natural landscapes/resources.
Brooke: In my role I work with our broader cross-functional teams to set corporate level strategy and drive progress against our Sustainable Development Goals. We believe in a holistic approach to sustainability, meaning you have to not only be looking at environmental indicators (GHG emissions, waste generation, waste diversion, water consumption, etc.) but also the social indicators (minimum wage, forced labor, child labour, health and safety, etc.). We strive to be mindful of our actions, respectful of our planet, and to ensure our employees and factory workers feel appreciated and empowered to be their true authentic selves. If we do these things, we believe we will be a sustainable and resilient business.
HOKA: What are the most important factors you take into account when looking to design and create more sustainably?
Hy: We always start with what our consumer requires from a “performance first” lens. Next we work with our Design, Development, Materials Teams, and Suppliers, to deliver these performance attributes. Along the way, we ask ourselves what can be done to make the product with a more considered approach. Can we make it with less parts and materials? Can we use more recycled or bio-based materials?
Can we make it with greater efficient processes? Can we reduce water/energy usage? Can we reduce waste in the process? Can we make it more durable? These are just some of the ways we collaborate to rethink our approach to becoming more sustainably-minded.
HOKA: What do you see as HOKA's biggest strides in the progress towards less?
Hy: We are weaving sustainability into all of our Product Creation Processes. The various functions and disciplines are working in tandem to support our goals. Every new step, product, and season improves on our team’s learnings and I’ve witnessed this evolution. The team work being done is amazing and thrilling!
Brooke: Our organization is filled with incredibly passionate, purpose-led, employees who are eager to do what they can for our communities and our planet. Being transparent and honest about our sustainability journey is key to the success of our program. I am proud to see the HOKA team embrace our mantra of ‘Do Good and Do Great’ in how they volunteer in our communities around the globe and how they are thinking about product design and creation.
HOKA: What are you looking forward to in HOKA's sustainability journey?
Hy: HOKA’s approach to product is built on the platform of bold innovation, for the purpose of inspiring new user experiences. Looking towards the future, it is exciting to see the application of this prime directive, within the lens of our sustainability journey. I am confident that our efforts in reducing impact will also be a bold and creative approach.
HOKA: What should consumers look for when wanting to shop sustainably?
Hy: Understanding sustainability within products is not an easy task. As consumers ourselves, we want to make it easy to give you the information you need to make a confident purchase. For example, Deckers, our parent company, publishes an annual ESG report. This report is transparently published for consumption so if you want to get deep, the report can let you nerd out. It can be accessed at www.deckers.com/responsibility and shows how committed we are to ESG. This is a great starting point for consumers who want to learn more!
HOKA: Anything else you’d like to share?
Hy: At HOKA we are approaching sustainability with a holistic and long-term approach. This means that we focus on the environment, the social, and the governance elements. This thought process is an integrated method that puts humans and the planet on an equal footing. It’s a tremendous team effort, but worth every bit of energy on the journey. I am excited about where we are going in order to inspire our consumers on their own adventures!
