by Elizabeth Kuiper, Associate Director of European Policy Centre & DEPLOY Brand Ambassador _ 25 Mar 2022 (5min read)
One of the interesting insights from the Edelman 2022 Trust Barometer is that businesses outscore governments in terms of trust (61% versus 52%). The COVID-19 pandemic has led to global distrust in politicians and governments leaders, whereas businesses outscore governments on competency and even on ethics. Nevertheless, respondents believe businesses need to step up even more on societal issues such as climate change and sustainability.
Textiles have on average the fourth highest negative life cycle impact on the environment and climate change, after food, housing and mobility. It’s clear that the fashion industry needs to change its business model drastically. Clothes will need to be more durable, reusable, repairable and produced in an energy efficient and resource conserving way. Considering the ongoing pandemic and the momentum for change, there has never been a better time for the European Commission to launch a plan for a sustainable textile industry.
On March 30, the Commission is expected to publish this long-awaited strategy. In the Roadmap they published in 2021, the Commission set out that the strategy aims to ensure that the textile industry recovers from the COVID-19 crisis in a sustainable way by applying the circular economy principles to production, products, consumption, waste management and secondary raw materials, as well as by directing investment in research and innovation.
Greenwashing doesn't cut it and cherry-picking best practices isn’t sufficient anymore. Businesses need to show they are ready for clear sustainability targets and stringent regulations. Indeed, it is challenging. But this is why it is critical for societal stakeholders and supply chain partners to work together and collaboratively with the institutions to create positive impact fast, and show that they are willing to be held accountable.
It’s time to radically rethink the concept of economic growth and to come up with solutions that show how to decouple growth prosperity from resource exploitation both human and environmental, especially in a post-pandemic world.
DEPLOY has done just this; since 2006 in fact: Re-conceptualising the convention and innovating for a circular, agile business model. One that starts from listening and understanding with responsive customisation, sources with creative conservation, streamlines the taking and making to near zero-waste, shares knowledge and substance message with transparent marketing, integrates supply-chain efficiency with hybrid retailing, and continuously responds to the demand of our evolving social-environmental contexts through partnering not just profiting. This is the DEPLOY 360 Sustainability Ethos.
Experience this DEPLOY difference in person on 30 March at the launch of our The Brussels Sustainable Forum, the first of our global ‘Changemakers Series’ of events in Europe.