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"Actions speak louder than sustainability reports"

Last week, the BRC hosted our first Fashion Sustainability Summit, in partnership with H&M. Bringing together leading brands and retailers from across BRC membership, the summit focused attention on the barriers and breakthroughs to delivering a sustainable fashion industry. Through two insightful panels and a fireside chat with H&M, attendees explored the ways in which nature and biodiversity are shaping retail, the tangible impact of circular business models, and the role of policy in progressing sustainability in the sector. 

Panel 1: Dressing for Nature: Fashion’s Role in Protecting Nature & Biodiversity 

Chaired by WRAP with panellists from Seasalt, Primark, Global Canopy, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF), this first panel explored fashion’s relationship with nature and biodiversity. 

  • Nature and biodiversity loss are changing business-as-usual. The discussion showed how nature and biodiversity considerations are becoming increasingly important to the panellists' business operations and reaffirming the need for better supply chain practices management to ensure healthy environments. The panellists touched on the importance of nature and biodiversity to brand identity, tapping into customer and employee interest in nature through environmental projects and reducing reliance on raw materials. 
  • Action on nature and biodiversity. The discussion highlighted the need to conduct business-wide risk assessments to fully understand impacts and dependencies on nature, which can then provide a clear focus for supply chain intervention. The panellists recognised the difficulties in defining and measuring biodiversity and the importance of working closely with credible partners. 
  • Circular business models and growth. EMF recognised the importance of circular business models in reducing fashion’s impact on nature, through waste reduction and recyclable materials, and the need to work with businesses to scale up the usage of circular models. The discussion highlighted the financial opportunities for circular business models, and that responsible growth should be viewed by businesses as the new way forward to balance the sale of new products and services with tackling overconsumption. 
  • The need to move beyond the minimum regulations. Global Canopy provided an overview of the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), and how fashion brands may be implicated in the future. The panel emphasised the importance of regulation in securing a level playing field for businesses to work on their nature impacts but cautioned against complacency with minimum standards, calling for businesses to progress beyond compliance level.  
  • The time for action is now. As we come ever closer to breaching irreversible global tipping points for nature, the industry must scale-up action now to mitigate supply chain disruption. The panel reiterated the influence brands have to shape consumer behaviour by making sustainable choices more accessible – and as such, have a responsibility to act. 

Fireside Chat: Bringing Sustainability into the Heart of Your Business 

Draper News Editor Lee Kenny hosted our fireside conversation with the Head of Public Affairs & Sustainability at H&M, Marcus Hartmann. With over 20 years of sustainability experience, Marcus stressed the need to integrate transparency into the heart of businesses, reflecting on H&M’s sustainability journey so far – from publishing their first sustainability report in 2002 to seeing a 22% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain, and a 24% reduction in its own operations (from a 2019 baseline)Marcus emphasised how upcoming legislative requirements must focus on increasing positive impact as opposed to just reporting. 

Panel 2: The Role of Legislation in Creating a Circular Economy for Textiles 

Chaired by Drapers with panellists from H&M, ReLondon, WEFT, and New Look, this second panel explored the progress in adopting circular business models across the fashion industry and the key role of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Textiles in driving progress – and aligning efforts – across the UK and EU.  

  • The current state of a Textiles Extended Producer Responsibility (tEPR) scheme. With EU tEPR schemes coming into force in the Netherlands and California, plus EU-wide tEPR proposals and further reporting and due diligence legislation around the corner, the discussion highlighted the importance of getting ahead of the curve in the UK. Reducing divergence with EU legislation will be important for UK businesses. With government activity on textiles,such as the Circular Economy Taskforce, in its fledgling stages, project pilots such as WEFT’s EPR for Textiles Sandboxprovide the beginnings of what a tEPR scheme could look like for the UK.businesses.  
  • The importance of regional initiatives. ReLondon highlighted that businesses should not wait for government to act: regional authorities are already paving the way for local circular initiatives aiming to change consumption habits. Making repair accessible and building consumer knowledge of reuse, rewear and resale strategies is essential for recirculating textiles.  
  • The need to integrate circularity in your business model. The discussion underscored that circularity is not an ultimate end game – it is a practice that must be fundamentally integrated into all business models. Businesses must take the first step and act now.  

What’s next?  

  1. Get involved in cross-industry initiatives: 
  • Circular Fashion Innovation Network (CFIN) - CFIN is an industry-led programme led by the British Fashion Council (BFC) and UK Fashion and Textile (UKFT) in partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to accelerate the UK towards a Circular Fashion Ecosystem. Find out more here. 
  • Textiles 2030 – Textiles 2030 is the UK’s leading voluntary initiative supporting businesses and organisations within the fashion and textiles industry to transition to more sustainable and circular practices by the end of the decade. Find out more here. 

 Join our call for action: