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GFA provides in-depth analysis, masterclasses and reports based on the latest industry data. GFA specialises in communicating complex sustainability content in a compelling and actionable manner and is responsible for leading industry publications such as Fashion CEO Agenda, Fashion on Climate and Scaling Circularity
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Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey & Company present research and a fact base to complement the priorities outlined in the CEO Agenda; which intend to guide and mobilise industry players in taking bold action on sustainability. This COVID-19 edition of the CEO Agenda presents six opportunities for fashion executives to rethink and rebuild a sustainable more resilient fashion industry.
The Pulse Report was co-developed with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a global management consulting firm and one of the world’s leading advisor on business strategy, and Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), the coalition that has developed the Higg Index, a suite of tools that standardises value chain sustainability measurement for all industry participants.
According to the Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2018 report, the industry’s performance remains weak. The Pulse Score is 38 out of 100. In the past year, it improved by six points. The Pulse Survey, which covers the perspectives of decision-makers from all industry segments, confirms that the sustainability agenda became increasingly prominent in shaping the corporate agenda. Of the executives polled, 52% reported that sustainability targets provided guidance for almost every strategic decision they made—an increase of 18 percentage points from last year. While encouraging, these results also indicate the need for still more movement toward increasingly responsible practices.
The Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2017 Report explores alternative business models for how clothes could be made, distributed and consumed based on a proposed ‘landscape for change’ including 40 possible ways to increase industry sustainability performance. We looked at materials including cotton and polyester and chose to highlight the intrinsic dilemmas that need to be considered for every material choice. The report aims to inform its readers about both the opportunities and the ramifications of substituting conventional cotton. As stated in the report “the proposed landscape is a first attempt to sketch out the spectrum of options available. It is meant to invite further input and rich discussions during the coming year.” Similar to this, the Pulse report also quantified a number of initiatives to help demonstrate the possible value to be captured if the industry would start to act immediately on selected topics. The examples used under each change lever served an illustrative purpose and were not straightforward recommendations as such.
This report shines light on social and environmental implications and intersections. It puts forward a vision statement for the fashion industry, striving for, ‘a thriving industry that creates prosperity for people and communities by working within planetary boundaries, reversing its impact on climate change and protecting biodiversity.’
