Sustainability in Fashion Industry: A View Through the Top Ten Multinational Strategies

Abstract

[EN]Climate change threatens the future of the next generations and is already causing widespread destruction in the present through an increasing number of natural disasters. A new model of production and consumption based on sustainability is required, especially in the fashion industry—the second most polluting sector in the world. Therefore, in order to determine whether these companies contribute to people’s and the planet’s well-being, it is necessary to understand their practices. To this end, we analyse the sustainable practices of the sector by studying the ten most responsible fashion companies according to the BoF Sustainability Index, that is based on the methodology of content analysis applied to case studies. To do this, we have defined a taxonomy of the ten most common sustainability strategies and practices: stakeholder engagement, strong governance and transparency, decarbonisation, biodiversity conservation and restoration, circularity, reducing waste and pollution from the use of plastics, eliminating hazardous chemicals, preserving water quality, diversity, equity and inclusion policies, supply chain responsibility, and supporting the communities in which companies operate. The results show that major business groups have integrated axes into their sustainability strategies that address the industry’s primary social and environmental challenges. These plans are based on ambitious goals that go beyond stakeholder demands and the generation of economic benefits.