Kontoor Brands, Inc.

Previous report

Environmental, social and governance ("ESG") issues and regulations, including those related to climate change and sustainability, and stakeholder response thereto may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and damage our reputation.

Previous report

Companies across all industries are facing increasing scrutiny relating to their ESG practices and policies. The landscape related to ESG regulation, compliance, and reporting is constantly evolving, including expanding in scope and complexity. For example, the SEC, the State of California, and the European Commission have published proposed or final rules, including the European Commission's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, that would require significantly increased disclosures related to climate change and other issues. We may experience significant future cost increases associated with regulatory compliance for ESG matters, including fees, licenses, reporting, and the cost of capital improvements for our operating facilities to meet environmental regulatory requirements. Increased focus and activism related to ESG may hinder our access to capital or negatively impact our stock price, as investors may reconsider their capital investment based on their assessment of our ESG practices and policies. In particular, investor advocacy groups, institutional investors, shareholders, employees, consumers, customers, regulators, proxy advisory services and other market participants have increasingly focused on ESG practices and policies of companies. These stakeholders have placed increased importance on ESG practices and their effect on companies from an investor, consumer, customer or employee perspective. If our ESG practices do not meet investor or other stakeholder expectations and standards or evolving regulatory requirements, our stock price, brand, sales, ability to access capital markets, reputation and employee retention, among other things, may be negatively affected.

Previous report

In addition, we have published goals across a range of ESG areas, including environmental sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions, and diversity, equity and inclusion matters. Although we intend to meet these goals, we may be required to expend significant resources to do so, which could increase our operational costs. In addition, we could be criticized for the scope or nature of these goals, or for any revisions to our goals. Moreover, we may determine that it is in the best interests of our Company and our shareholders to prioritize other business, social, governance or sustainable investments over the achievement of our current goals based on economic, technological developments, regulatory and social factors, business strategy or pressure from investors, activist groups or other stakeholders. If we do not adapt to or comply with new ESG regulations, such as those related to climate change, carbon emissions and related ESG disclosure requirements, or fail to meet our goals or evolving investor, industry or stakeholder expectations and standards, or if we are perceived (whether or not valid) to have not responded appropriately to the growing and various concerns for ESG issues, customers and consumers may choose to stop purchasing our products or purchase products from a competitor, and our reputation, business or financial results may be adversely affected. Further, if we incur adverse publicity and reaction from investors, activist groups or other stakeholders related to our ESG efforts and goals, the perception of us and our products and services by current and potential customers, as well as investors, could be adversely impacted which could adversely impact our business and financial results.

Previous report — wording carried elsewhere

Careful consideration of the risk factors set forth under Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented below, should be made.