The non-profit organization Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) published the 2023 edition of its GFA monitor at the start of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) on Thursday.
The GFA is committed to accelerating the impact of the sector to create a positive fashion industry. The organization will host a presentation dedicated to the fashion sector on December 5th to highlight the industry’s commitment and responsibility to reflect progress towards a net zero and net positive future, collective best practices for financing and to guide political decision-makers.
“The second edition of the GFA Monitor reaffirms the power of alliances to accelerate action. In a time of socioeconomic and geopolitical turmoil, leaders need clear guidance more than ever to ensure sustainability actions can continue to advance. By working with several industry organizations, we were able to show the necessary steps, bring together a wealth of promising solutions and accompany the fashion industry players on their journey,” comments GFA CEO Federica Marchionni in a press release.
The GFA Monitor launched in 2022 and updated its second edition to reflect the latest guidance and insights from over 25 industry organizations. For the first time, the report also includes new data from the Fashion Industry Target Consultation (FITC), launched by the GFA and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in November 2022 and involving over 900 participants from 90 countries .
The report provides an assessment of the current status (“Where are we today”) of five sustainability priorities – respectful and safe working environments, better wage systems, circular systems, resource management and intelligent material selection – and shows what should be done (“How to act today” ). The report is based on the sustainability framework set out in the Fashion CEO Agenda and includes insights from GFA’s partners – the Fair Labor Association, the Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Apparel Impact Institutes and Textile Exchange.
“The GFA Monitor is a comprehensive resource that provides expert insights into the state of the industry as well as clear measures and best practices. At a time of polycrisis, when the implementation of sustainable practices is in question, the GFA supports the industry by bringing together a wealth of available solutions that can be applied today,” the GFA statement said.
Key Takeaways
Overall, the data shows that the majority of the 900 participants support aligning the industry with the 27 proposed areas of action. They also actively work with industry to make progress in their respective areas. The report also illustrates the level of industry ambition across priorities and the areas where greater alignment of action areas is required.
Responsible purchasing practices
Although 88 percent of brands surveyed said they had set goals for adopting responsible purchasing practices, only 63 percent confirmed that they were measuring progress against these goals. However, brands and manufacturers unanimously agreed to converge in this area and work with the industry to make progress together.
The fewest brands (58 percent) said they had set goals for employee access to effective grievance mechanisms, while the lowest value among manufacturers was for value chain transparency, but it accounted for three quarters (75 percent). .
“The SLCP welcomes the urgent call for a respectful and safe working environment in the GFA Monitor 2023. By promoting greater transparency, the use of convergent tools and responsible purchasing practices in the fashion industry, we can not only improve the lives of millions of people, but also “normalize an industry that thrives on respect, justice and sustainable practices,” explains Janet Mensink, executive director of the Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP).
living wages
While most brands and manufacturing companies (86 percent) said they had set goals to implement fair pay and living wages across the textile value chain, only a third of brands (33 percent) set goals related to freedom of association or collective bargaining and reducing the gender pay gap. In comparison, two thirds of producing/manufacturing companies (67 percent and 86 percent respectively) have made these two important points their goal.
“People working in the global fashion industry deserve to have a safe workplace and be treated with dignity and respect. The FLA is proud to collaborate with the Global Fashion Agenda and its partners on the GFA Monitor, which shows that there are concrete ways for CEOs and companies to improve the future of people and the planet,” added Sharon Waxman, President and CEO of the Fair Labor Association.
resources
Most goal reporting was related to decarbonization and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (88 percent of brands / 89 percent of manufacturing/manufacturing companies) and eliminating hazardous chemicals (86 percent and 100 percent, respectively).
The lowest number of respondents said they had set goals for eliminating microfiber pollution (36 percent of brands and 63 percent of manufacturers/manufacturing companies) and for measuring and reporting progress (33 percent and 63 percent, respectively). .
Intelligent material decisions
A significantly high number of respondents said they had set goals to produce and source materials from preferred and climate-friendly sources (96 percent of brands and 100 percent of manufacturing/manufacturing companies), with the former accounting for most of their goals Materials are based on cotton (92 percent) and the latter on polyester (90 percent).
Circular systems
According to the report, targeting in this area is “very fragmented” with many targets being self-defined, lack of comparability with other companies and inconsistent targets. However, the FITC report shows a surprisingly high percentage of brands and manufacturers setting goals on complex issues such as absolute new resource reduction (74 percent of brands and 89 percent of manufacturers) and overproduction (78 percent of brands and 77 percent of manufacturers). percent of manufacturing companies).
Not surprisingly, the lowest targets were set for eliminating messages that encourage unnecessary consumption (46 percent of brands and 53 percent of manufacturers/manufacturing companies), as many business models in the fashion industry are based on overconsumption. Measuring the actual impact of circular economy models on the quality and availability of jobs to support a just transition to a circular economy is also low on the agenda for brands, while almost three quarters of manufacturing/manufacturing companies (73 percent) support this goal .
“We envision a future where products are used more, made for reuse and made from safe and recycled or renewable raw materials. The Global Fashion Agenda GFA Monitor supports the direction in which organizations are moving to navigate the multifaceted transition to a circular economy for fashion, while emphasizing the transparency essential to achieving this vision,” concludes Jules Lennon, Fashion Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.