Social responsibility is the responsibility that Clarks accepts for the way in which their operations make a social, environmental, and economic impact. The brand has always taken their responsibilities seriously - from providing education and housing for their very first workers in the 1800s to supporting international initiatives to improve people's lives today. They recognize the importance of caring for employees, suppliers and stakeholders all over the world; and are working to create a sustainable future.

Protecting resources
In 2009, Greenpeace highlighted the environmental impact of the increasing level of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Clarks shares these concerns regarding the environmental impact of the leather industry on the Amazon rainforest, and the subsequent effect on biodiversity and climate change. They took a proactive stance on this issue, supporting effective measures that help protect the Amazon rainforest environment. Accordingly, Clarks' policy is:

• Not to use leather in products that are produced from cattle raised in the Amazon Biome
• To maintain the principles of Greenpeace's 'Commit or Cancel' policy for halting deforestation for cattle ranching in the Amazon Biome
• To work with Non-Governmental Organisations, the Leather Working Group, and Government authorities to support and promote a long-term strategy towards achieving zero deforestation in the Amazon Biome
• To support the development and implementation of a traceability system for leather products, with the objective of ensuring that the leather within supply chain is traceable back to where it originated.

Reuse & Recycling
Beyond materials for shoemaking, in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland Clarks operate one of the biggest retail footwear reuse schemes in the world - "Shoebiz", and are working alongside other brands and retailers to support Loughborough University's work to make recycling of footwear practical on a commercial scale

Employment and Working Conditions
Clarks puts people's needs at the centre and have minimum standards for the treatment of people wherever they operate around the world, and those employed making products. They promote family-friendly working for employees, and give people the tools and training to develop their potential to move forward. Welfare of third-party workers - Clarks has an established factory audit programme that enables to review working conditions in factories that they use and to identify opportunities for improvement.

Charity
Soul of Africa is a self-sustainable charity initiative that helps orphans affected by AIDS. It aims are twofold: to raise funds and to create employment through the sale of hand-stitched shoes. Lance Clark set up the initiative in 2004 after visiting an AIDS-stricken community in Durban, South Africa. The scheme trains previously unemployed, and often unskilled, women to hand-stitch shoes, which are sold through Clarks' stores in the United Kingdom and the United States, plus other retailers.