GlobeNewswire Inc | Oct 14, 2020 11:29AM EDT

October 14, 2020

MONTREAL, Oct. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gildan Activewear Inc. (GIL: TSX and NYSE) announces that it has ranked 32nd overall among The Wall Street Journals new ranking of the Top 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies in the world. The Company also claimed the 6th spot among the top 10 companies in the world in the business model/innovation sub-ranking. This recognition underscores the effectiveness of the Companys vertically-integrated operating model and supply chain from a sustainability standpoint. This has been a founding principle of the Companys business strategy which is fully aligned with the increasing expectations of our customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders. Gildan was second among only three apparel companies included in the top 100 ranking and was also the only North American apparel company.

We are proud of our inclusion in this new Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ranking and acknowledgment as a top global performer, said Glenn Chamandy, President and CEO at Gildan. This recognition is a direct result of our unique business model of owning and operating our manufacturing facilities and reflects the continued commitment and progress we have made towards our vision of Making Apparel Better. Over the last thirty-five years, we have built a company known as much for the quality of our products as how they are made under our Genuine Responsibility program which allows us to manufacture clothes responsibly and ethically, he added.

The Wall Street Journalsinaugural ranking of the Worlds Most Sustainably Managed Companies was produced based on a review of more than 5,500 publicly traded companies around the world that met disclosure standards for data showing what programs, policies and performance metrics they have in place for several key sustainability dimensions, including environment, human capital, social capital, and business model/innovation. The scores take a broad view of sustainability that assesses a companys ability to create value over the long term, using criteria considered most financially relevant as defined by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), a nonprofit organization that works with companies and investors to create a framework for reporting on sustainability. More information on the methodology used to assess companies is available here.

The full list of companies included on the ranking as well as their individual scores is available here.

About Gildan

Gildan is a leading manufacturer of everyday basic apparel which markets its products in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, under a diversified portfolio of Company-owned brands, including Gildan, American Apparel, Comfort Colors, Gildan Hammer, Prim + Preux, GoldToe, Anvil by Gildan, Alstyle, Secret, Silks, Kushyfoot, Secret Silky, Therapy Plus, Peds and MediPeds, and under the Under Armour brand through a sock licensing agreement providing exclusive distribution rights in the United States and Canada. Our product offering includes activewear, underwear, socks, hosiery, and legwear products sold to a broad range of customers, including wholesale distributors, screenprinters or embellishers, as well as to retailers that sell to consumers through their physical stores and/or e-commerce platforms, and to global lifestyle brand companies.

Gildan owns and operates vertically-integrated, large-scale manufacturing facilities which are primarily located in Central America, the Caribbean Basin, North America, and Bangladesh. Gildan operates with a strong commitment to industry-leading labour and environmental practices throughout its supply chain in accordance with its comprehensive Genuine Responsibility program embedded in the Company's long-term business strategy. More information about the Company and its corporate citizenship practices and initiatives can be found at www.gildancorp.com and www.genuineresponsibility.com, respectively.

Investor inquiries: Media inquiries:Sophie Argiriou Genevieve GosselinVice President, Investor Director, Corporate Communications andCommunications Marketingsargiriou@gildan.com ggosselin@gildan.com