Starting over from zero, with 42%. In other words, from the percentage that, according to the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), identifies the current environmental hypocrisy. That is, the fact that online, more than 4 out of 10 environmental claims are “exaggerated, false, or misleading.” In short: greenwashing.
The opportunity to explore the topic further is provided by The Business of Fashion (BoF), a leading platform in fashion and luxury. Unfortunately, this progress does not take us much further. To the point where one question inevitably arises: is fashion truly changing toward a 100% ecological approach, or is it still trapped in a dead end?
Turning point or dead end?
The Business of Fashion (BoF) periodically publishes a Sustainability Index. According to its latest edition, “although companies are discussing sustainability more than ever, actions are lagging behind public commitments.” A lot of talk — sometimes bordering on propaganda — but few concrete actions. “The overall average score of the companies evaluated was only 36 out of 100, with a considerable gap between commitment and action,” writes the BoF. It then provides details on the green strategies of some leading luxury and fashion groups.
Kering scored 49 points, Hermès 32, LVMH 30, and Richemont 14. In other market segments, H&M and Inditex scored 42 and 41 respectively, while Nike and Adidas achieved 47 and 40 points. The methodology itself is highly revealing: “Information on how companies plan to invest is addressed,” states the BoF. “Companies do not support their major ambitions with sufficient detail.”
Easier said than done
“Many major brands have promised to eliminate toxic chemicals or reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” continues The Business of Fashion. “But they cannot achieve these goals simply by installing insulated windows in their corporate offices in Paris or New York.” The data supports what might otherwise seem like an ironic statement. For example, LVMH reported environmental protection grants of €10.7 million in 2019 and €10.4 million in 2020. Meanwhile, Kering invested €5 million in a fund supporting regenerative agriculture projects. At the same time, Adidas allocated an annual budget between €1 million and €4.5 million in grants for energy efficiency measures and renewable energy generation.
The relationship with suppliers
In the end, for brands to truly achieve their environmental goals, they need to make their production systems economically sustainable. However, this largely falls within what they classify as their “suppliers” sector.
With suppliers, brands should share long-term investments in technology and tools. Yet, as The Business of Fashion (BoF) points out, “suppliers complain that they are often left aside when it comes to financing investments. Instead of placing suppliers against one another every season in search of lower prices, brands should establish strong partnerships, even if that means an increase in production costs.” Fortunately, this is not always the case. However, it is still enough to prevent a truly determined and widespread sustainable transformation. Too often, this burden falls disproportionately on the upper levels of the production chain.