The Fashion Charter was set up in 2018 to provide a clear pathway for the fashion industry to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. So, how exactly does the Charter work and why is it important? Read on and find out!

What impact does fashion have on climate?

It is estimated that the fashion industry contributes to between 2 and 4 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions due to its long supply chains and energy intensive production. The fashion industry produces about 20 per cent of global wastewater, while 85 per cent of textiles end up in landfills or are incinerated when most of these materials could be reused. Overall, the industry consumes more energy than the aviation and shipping industry combined, which highlights the importance of emissions reductions across the sector.

What is the Fashion Charter?

The charter’s main goal is to drive the fashion industry to net-zero emissions no later than 2050. “It offers a collective plan for decarbonizing the fashion industry  bringing together all stakeholders at the same table and delivering change at the pace the world needs,” says Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, the Fashion Charter Lead at UN Climate Change. “The Fashion Industry Charter also offers an opportunity for key stakeholders in the industry to learn from one another, make collective decisions, and push the entire industry's ambition, at speed and scale. Our work ahead focuses on turning ambitious pledges into near term plans and enhancing accountability for delivering on commitments through better tracking of progress and impact.”

What do signatories have to do?

Signatories pledge at the head-of-organization level to reach (net)-zero GHGs as soon as possible and by 2050 at the latest, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5C. They explain what steps will be taken toward achieving net zero, especially in the short- to medium-term. These plans then need to be submitted to the UN Climate Change within 12 months of signing. Signatories need to take immediate action towards achieving net zero. They should demonstrate actions that have been taken on an annual basis and commit to publicly report progress against interim and long-term targets at least annually, via CDP. Finally they should cover all emissions, including Scope 3 for businesses and investors where they are material to total emissions and where data availability allows them to be reliably measured, and all territorial emissions for cities and regions.

Who can join the Charter?

Any company (a brand, a retailer or a supplier) that is professionally engaged in the fashion sector and can commit to the Charter principles may request to participate as a Signatory by sending a Letter of Commitment signed by the CEO-level, to UN Climate Change. More than 130 companies have joined the Charter since it was set up in 2018, including Burberry, H&M Group, VF Corporation, adidas, Kering, Chanel, Nike, and PUMA as well as suppliers such as Crystal Group and TAL Apparel. “We have signatories from around the world in all sectors of the fashion industry,” Xhaferi-Salihu says. “This shows not only how globalized the fashion industry is, but how seriously much of the industry is taking its responsibility to reduce emissions and ensure its impact on the climate is minimized.”

Why is the Charter important?

Given the effect the fashion industry has on the climate, it is vital that the industry’s key players take steps to reduce their emissions. The Fashion Charter provides a roadmap on how to do this and enables accountability among fashion brands. The Charter is also not a static document: following last year’s COP26 in Glasgow, the Charter was updated to call for signatories to pledge to achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050, instead of the previous target of 30 per cent emissions reductions by 2030. Further commitments in the updated Charter include sourcing 100% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, sourcing of environmentally friendly raw materials, and phasing out coal from the supply chain by 2030 among others. “It is important that the Charter ambition is aligned with the latest scientific guidance,” Xhaferi-Salihu says. “but more important is for companies and industry associations to translate that ambition into concrete actions as quickly as possible with the necessary clarity, rigor and transparency.

What can I do about this?

Send the Fashion Charter Guide to the brands you buy and the retailers you frequent. Ask them if they have joined the Fashion Charter, and if not, encourage them to do so. It is also important to choose fashion brands who are sustainable and working to reduce their own emissions.