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Fashion, I love you, but you are not serious people.
Reflecting on my first eight weeks as CEO, I resonate with a quote from hyper-critical father and media magnate Logan Roy in the TV series “Succession.” The quote makes an impressive stab at the industry’s current sustainability efforts – and shortcomings. I make the argument that fashion needs to get a bit more serious (while still having collaborative fun along the way).
The industry’s approach to sustainability is not working.
The stark reality is that many brands are not meeting their science-based targets, with two-thirds lagging behind and 40 percent even increasing their emissions. As our 2023 Cascale annual report showed, 59.7 percent of Cascale members have set or have begun the process of either setting science-based targets (SBTs) or science-aligned targets (SATs), a 28.9 percent increase from the previous year. Our goal is ambitious, aiming for 80 percent SBT adoption from corporate members.
While these targets are set with the best intentions, they often crumble under the complexity of real-world challenges.
The complexity of the supply chain.
Back to the supply chain, it’s no secret the majority of the industry’s carbon footprint (around 70 percent per McKinsey & Co.’s 2020 “Fashion on Climate” report) resides in manufacturing. Manufacturers work with multiple brands, each with their own sustainability goals, leading to contradictory projects and often paralyzed progress. We need to align plans and work in partnership with manufacturers to make meaningful progress.
A call to action.
At Cascale’s recent Manufacturer Forum in Shanghai, our Cascale team brought together 200 attendees to elevate manufacturers’ voices and solutions. I was recently on the road meeting with manufacturers in cities such as Ahmedabad and Bangalore in India, Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Dhaka, Bangladesh. What am I hearing? We must listen to manufacturers. Brands and retailers too have a powerful role to play in pushing change. Now is the time for buyers to use their influence to drive change through responsible purchasing practices and verifiable decarbonization targets, while manufacturers increasingly lead to transform and future-proof their facilities.
This quote summarizes the potential I see for us at Cascale as an accountability figure:
“It’s clear that we have some work to do to help coordinate this industry. Cascale is committed to driving impact and will hold the industry to account when progress is too slow.”
We must move beyond promises and work in true partnership for the betterment of the industry, its workers, and the planet. Read the full article here, and as always – my virtual Cascale door is always open.
