The Fashion Pact: a bold mission for sustainability stewardship
The Fashion Pact is a coalition initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron and led by François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, during the G7 summit in Biarritz in August 2019. This initiative brings together over 60 major fashion and textile companies, representing approximately one-third of the industry, with the mission to forge a nature-positive and net-zero future for fashion. Members include Adidas, Burberry, Chanel, Nike, Prada, and many others.
The pact focuses on three primary objectives:
Combat climate change
Aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the members of the coalition have committed to Science-Based Targets (SBTs) which include implementing the principles of the United Nations Charter for fashion sustainability, sourcing 25% low-impact raw materials by 2025, and reaching 50% renewable energy use by 2025, progressing to 100% by 2030. To achieve these goals, the Fashion Pact collaborates with climate experts from 2050 and SYSTEMIQ, who identify strategic areas for collective efforts without duplicating existing initiatives.
One year after its signature, members have collectively reduced GHG emissions by 350-450,000 tons of CO2 equivalents in Scopes 1 and 2. Significant progress has been made in sourcing low-impact raw materials, with ~40% for cotton, and one-third of signatories are on track to meet the 50% renewable energy target by 2020.
Restore Biodiversity
The fashion industry's attention to biodiversity is gradually increasing, a critical area given its reliance on natural resources. The Fashion Pact is committed to protecting endangered species and restoring vulnerable habitats. Collaborating with Conservation International, a nonprofit dedicated to global biodiversity for over 30 years, the pact aims to develop a detailed action plan for the next two years, establish partnerships with global experts, and support scientific analysis to inform biodiversity outcomes.
Initial goals include developing individual biodiversity projects by the end of 2020 and achieving zero deforestation and sustainable forest management by 2025. Notably, 80% of the pact’s signatories had no prior biodiversity commitments, and 50%, joining the pact spurred new organizational actions to combat deforestation.
Protect the Oceans
In terms of ocean protection, the Fashion Pact's primary goal is to eliminate unnecessary and polluting plastics from packaging, such as plastic bags, hangers, and wrapping materials. Members commit to removing plastic from consumer packaging (B2C) by 2025 and business packaging (B2B) by 2030, ensuring that at least half of all packaging is made from recycled plastic by these dates.
The success rates among companies vary: 60% of brands have eliminated plastic bags, while only 15% have removed plastics from hangers and B2B transport bags. Despite uneven progress, collective action drives innovation, addressing these discrepancies and accelerating impact. The Fashion Pact collaborates with (RE)SET to mobilize innovators and leverage collective influence to enhance innovative solutions.
Overall, the Fashion Pact exemplifies a significant collaborative effort where industry leaders join forces to drive substantial change. Highlighting the essential role of cooperation, this collective initiative represents a crucial step towards tangible, positive shifts in sustainability. By engaging large conglomerates, the fashion pact sets a powerful precedent and a hopeful future for achieving large-scale environmental improvements.
