Steps towards a more sustainable fashion industry have been taken at the COP27 (United Nations Climate Change Conference) currently taking place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt and in anticipation of the COP 15 (United Nations Biodiversity Conference) that will happen in Montreal on Dec. 7-19.
The first involves a new collaboration by the United Nations environmental agency and a nonprofit dedicated to improving the fashion industry. The second sees arguably the world’s most famous zipper manufacturer, YKK, being even more transparent about its sustainability efforts.
At COP27 this week Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced a new partnership to launch the Fashion Industry Target Consultation. It will be an online survey that asks stakeholders and partners from across the global value chain to share their insights on the industry’s sustainability goals and how to best accomplish them. The pool of those questioned will include brands, retailers, NGOs, manufacturers, data providers, innovators, intergovernmental groups, policy makers and others.
The survey, which is already open and available through Jan. 27, 2023, covers the five priorities of the Fashion CEO Agenda: Respectful & Secure Work Environments, Better Wage Systems, Resource Stewardship, Smart Material Choices and Circular Systems. Participants also have the option of providing their feedback at virtual regional workshops hosted by UNEP and the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion in Latin America and the Caribbean, West Asia, Asia Pacific and Africa.
The analysis of the findings will be shared and the aligned targets will be unveiled in the 2023 publication of GFA’s “Fashion CEO Agenda” at Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition in June 2023. Assessments of the industry’s progress towards the targets will be published in issues of “The GFA Monitor” after.
