Jason Berns heads the Sustainability and the Product & Manufacturing Innovation teams at Ralph Lauren. He is responsible for developing and implementing the Company’s global corporate sustainability strategy, spanning the entire value chain. Jason also oversees innovation, identifying unique, consumer-focused opportunities in key materials, product and manufacturing areas. His objective is to drive the Company’s impact reductions, enhance product performance and increase circular business models through responsible, ethical practices.
His work in product innovation includes the launch of the world’s first scalable apparel serialization and authentication program – Digital Product IDs – which has been implemented on hundreds of millions of items globally. He was also responsible for the implementation of 3D design and development; the creation of a recycled, waterless version of the iconic Polo Shirt; and marquee innovative technologies for Team USA’s Olympic uniforms such as Intelligent Insulation, a first-to-market fabric that adapts to cooler temperatures by expanding and creating a layer of insulation. Jason has also led several investments in materials technology companies, including NFW and Tira. He was the recipient of the Don Percival Award in 2024, recognizing outstanding contributions to the application of automatic identification and data capture technologies.
Before joining Ralph Lauren in 2016, Jason led the open innovation team at Under Armour Inc. and held roles at Salomon Sports, Arc’teryx Equipment and Fisher-Price.
Jason holds a Bachelor of Science Industrial Design from the University of Cincinnati, has served on several startup boards, acts as an advisor to several venture funds and is listed as an inventor on over a dozen patents