Fashion industry leaders present sustainability initiatives to G7

A new sustainability initiative called the Fashion Pact has seen 32 of the world’s leading brands and textile companies sign up to work together to mitigate the impact of the fashion industry on the environment. The group will be fronted by Kering Chairman and Chief Executive Offer Francois-Henri Pinault and present to the heads of the G7, who meet at Biarritz this weekend from 24-26 August.

Back in April, Emmanuel Macron, President of France, had given Mr Pinault a mission to bring together the leading players in fashion and textile, with the aim of setting practical objectives for reducing the environmental impact of their industry. The Fashion Pact coalition includes groups and brands in Luxury, Fashion, Sports and Lifestyle, along with suppliers and retailers, all of whom are already involved in separate environmental strategies. It comes as the textile sector is responsible for 6 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly one-fifth of pesticide usage

Science-based targets sets best practice for fashion businesses

The Fashion Pact’s objectives draw on the Science-Based Targets (SBT ) initiative, which focuses on action in three essential areas for safeguarding the planet:

• Stop global warming: by creating and deploying an action plan for achieving the objective of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in order to keep global warming below a 1.5°C pathway between now and 2100.

• Restore biodiversity: by achieving objectives that use Science-Based Targets to restore natural ecosystems and protect species.

• Protect the oceans: by reducing the fashion industry’s negative impact on the world’s oceans through practical initiatives, such as gradually removing the usage of single-use plastics.

In a statement, Kering said private companies and nation states have an essential role to play in protecting the planet. “With the Fashion Pact, some leading players in the fashion and textile sector are joining forces for the first time to launch an unprecedented movement. A collective endeavor by its nature, the Fashion Pact is open to any company that wants to help to fundamentally transform the practices of the fashion and textile industry, and to meet the environmental challenges of our century.”

The companies that have signed up to the Pack include: Adidas, Bestseller, Burberry, Capri Holdings Limited, Carrefour, Chanel, Ermenegildo Zegna, Everybody & Everyone, Fashion3, Fung Group, Galeries Lafayette, Gap Inc., Giorgio Armani, H&M Group, Hermes, Inditex, Karl Lagerfeld, Kering, La Redoute, Matchesfashion.Com, Moncler, Nike, Nordstrom, Prada Group, Puma, PVH Corp., Ralph Lauren, Ruyi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Selfridges Group, Stella Mccartney, Tapestry.

Image courtesy of Stella McCartney