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Using technology to integrate sustainability into global
supply chains
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As with other industries, the current data-boom means
textiles and clothing companies have a number of
opportunities to utilise sustainability data from sensors,
devices and systems at all points along the value chain.
How can brands, retailers and wholesalers best make use of
these data resources to drive efficiencies and better
sustainability outcomes in their supply chain? How can
companies transform their supply chains to be truly
data-responsive? And how can companies present this data
clearly and responsibly to consumers and suppliers and
improve transparency? This roundtable will invite
participants to share insights, pose questions and consider
options for data optimisation in their own companies and
supply chains.
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Enabling innovation within production processes
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The production and processing of textiles can be both
resource-intensive and damaging to ecosystems and human
lives. However, there is significant research going into
the production of new sustainable materials, more efficient
textiles regeneration processes, and the reinvention of
dying and treatment techniques. What can others learn from
the ways that fibre innovation, enzymology and molecular
biology are advancing the sustainable agenda in the
textiles industry? How are new innovations integrated
effectively into established manufacturing processes? How
else does a business need to adapt to enable innovation?
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Embedding the SDGs into business objectives
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The Sustainable Development Goals play a critical role in
focusing business, civil society and governments on a set
of common global priorities. The supply chains, consumer
footprint and scale of employment associated with the
textiles and fashion industries present both opportunities
and challenges to implementing the SDGs in a systemic way.
But how are SDGs effectively embedded in business strategy,
and used to focus the organisation on a common set of
objectives with the buy-in of producers, customers and
other stakeholders? How can global brands align their
performance with the SDGs to leverage their scale and
impact beyond direct supply chains? This roundtable will
consider the key steps companies can take in embedding the
SDGs at the core of their business strategy, goal setting,
performance measurement and communication.
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Carbon and energy efficiency from the first to the last
mile
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The global textiles and clothing industry was responsible
for 1,715 million tons of CO2 emissions in 2015 according
to the Pulse of the Fashion Industry report, which also
estimates that by 2030, under a business-as-usual scenario,
these numbers would increase by at least 50%. Hundreds of
companies globally now recognise that the transition to a
low-carbon economy is the only way to secure sustainable
economic growth and prosperity for all. But in order to
catalyse the change that is required, textiles and clothing
companies need to bring measurable, evidence-based rigour
to their carbon reduction initiatives across the
enterprise. This includes in packaging, logistics and
delivery. How can brands, retailers and wholesalers use
their influence with suppliers to drive down carbon
emissions at all points throughout the supply chain? How
can science-based targets help build and realise the
business case for low-carbon supply chain transformations?
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Industry standards, regulation and policy change
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Achieving positive environmental impact requires buy-in
from business leadership, the wider workforce as well as
government and trade bodies. Whilst the UK government
recently rejected the Environmental Audit Committee
recommendation to create a tougher regulatory environment
for the fashion industry, globally there are a number of
new regulatory regimes which companies need to adapt to.
Higher levels of transparency and regulation in clothing
and textiles are increasing the pressure on brands to
demonstrate impact and business has to offset the cost of
leading versus crisis management. What sorts of industry
standards and benchmarks are helpful in creating robust and
sustainable supply chains? How can companies, the public
sector and trade bodies work together to influence
effective policy change?
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Closing the loop in the textiles economy
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Interest in circular economy principles and business models
is growing rapidly, with companies beginning to recognise
the bottom-line benefits of changing from a linear “take,
make, waste” model to a more circular model of recycling,
renewal and materials innovation. How have players in the
textiles industry begun to close the loop in commercial
production? How can businesses demonstrate leadership by
making their supply chains more circular? This roundtable
will consider the challenges, opportunities and bottom-line
benefits of the circular economy and the impact it has at
an industry-level.
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Nudging consumers away from fast fashion
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A large-scale and encompassing culture change is needed to
reform the fast fashion consumption patterns now embedded
in everyday life. Despite the clear environmental cost,
most of the large retailers and brands are hooked on short
fashion seasons and fast-moving trends. Finding an
alternative business model whilst keeping clothes within
price expectation has proved a stubborn challenge. With
this in mind, bottom-up changes in consumer behaviour and
attitudes are crucial. How can brands nudge customers away
from high-volume consumption trends? What role do
businesses have in helping to change consumer mindsets and
drive sustainable lifestyles?
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Balancing consumer demand with limited natural resources
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In the fashion industry alone, consumer demand has
increased by 60% over the last 15 years, placing
unprecedented stress on natural resources and ecosystems
affected by the production cycle. Meanwhile, the rise of
e-commerce and premier delivery services, the energy
footprint of consumption patterns now extends beyond
production and retail to home delivery, packaging and
logistics. What innovations in packaging design and
materials can drive-down waste? What is required to ensure
circular models are reflected in consumption patterns?
Ultimately, how can businesses balance consumer needs with
pro-social decisions, and receive tangible business
benefits in doing so?
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Ensuring worker wellbeing around the world
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The fashion industry’s track record on workers rights and
wellbeing is poor. Most recently the Nandan Denim fire
killed at least 7 garment workers in Gujarat, highlighting
the persistence of severely deficient working conditions
and implicating 20 global high street brands. How can
international buyers make better sourcing decisions and
leverage social responsibility within devolved supply
chains? What are the key steps companies can take to
building trusted relationships with the suppliers, workers
and local communities with whom they engage?
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Unlocking finance to scale sustainable innovation
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A key driver of the success of the textile industry’s green
transition will be disruptive innovation in textiles,
manufacturing and supply-chains. Of the past few years
there has been a burgeoning of such innovations without an
established pipeline for implementation in industry. Too
often innovators experience a financing-gap and fail to
secure the support they need from brands, investors and
regulators. At the same time, within companies, efforts to
improve sustainability are often cost-increasing which is
hard to justify when profit margins are slim. How can
businesses support innovators to scale their solutions with
and beyond finance? How can sustainability leaders make an
effective case for trade-offs between innovation and
profit? What do investors want to see in order to support
sustainable innovation in the sector?
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