Jo Spolton

Great perspective Peter Ford. Your insights on the Fashion Transparency Index 2023 are strong! H&M continues to lead the pack on measuring up in transparency, climate action and sustainability. 🌍👗 #FashionTransparency #Sustainability #FashionIndustry #H&M Fashion Revolution

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While Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) and its partners across the value chain have made significant strides in reducing CO2 emissions through the creation of a collaborative community of practice with a shared costs/ pooled funding model, it's very clear that we face a challenging task. This model, which invests in solutions that demonstrate proven CO2 reductions, potential for wide-reaching impact, and scalability, is a strong step forward. However, the ongoing growth of the industry continues to drive up CO2 emissions. So, now what? To truly transform the environmental impact of fashion, we must rapidly build a system where apparel and accessories are produced with zero negative impact—clean water, clean energy, and net zero emissions. Until we achieve this, it's crucial that more players join this initiative. We urge you to step off the sidelines. Be Bold & Brave! Advocate for this cause within your company. Highlight the importance of future-proofing your brand, mitigating associated risks, and securing the future of the sector. The call to action is clear: own your role in this work & commit with greater dedication and focus on achieving meaningful outcomes now. [Thank you Jasmin Malik Chua & Sourcing Journal for covering this important topic and out work at Apparel Impact Institute]

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That's a wrap on Series 5 of the Climate Pioneers Show 🎤 It was such a joy deep diving into the world of 'Angel Investing for Impact' We covered all aspects of investing including: 💡 Why climate is a savvy investment strategy. 💡 The lack of gender diversity in the angel community. 💡 Why angel investment is an important source of capital for Founders. 💡 How to build (and execute) an angel fundraising strategy. 💡 How to prepare for due diligence. 💡 The legal aspects of raising angel investment. 💡 How to start your own angel investing journey. If you missed any of the episodes - they're all on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts - please go back and listen! 🎧 (Links in the comments below) And please 'follow' the Climate Pioneers Show to get updates when Series 6 launches this Summer. Watch this space 👀

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Are there any groups out there focused on businesses and organisations actually delivering circular economy or regenerative products or services? There seems to be lots of chatter but a shortage of groups linking organisations who are taking action. Input welcome!

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Yes Pauline Op de Beeck! Your points are dead-on. As you have shared before; * There is not enough implementation taking place – we need to move beyond action plans. * Brands must have financial skin in the game to move beyond action plans and low-hanging fruits. * Implementation will not scale through suppliers taking on debt alone. * Brand commitments and collaboration are crucial so that suppliers are not taking on all the risk. I hope all industry actors will read this to discover how they can lead and show strong progress towards transparency, climate action and sustainability. 🌍👗 . 🌍👗 #FashionTransparency #Sustainability #FashionIndustry #sciencebasedtargets #FashionIndustryCharterforClimateAction

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What's been going on in sustainable fashion this week? ⬇ 1) Following on from stark warnings from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) that the world is dangerously close to its 1.5°C climate threshold - we are starting to see more businesses make rapid cuts to help halve global emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050. Last week we saw New Look and River Island commit to a number of long term and short term emission reduction targets which have been approved by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). 2) Last week the CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive) was finally approved by EU Parliament - meaning companies will be liable for the human rights and environmental impact in their supply chains. The CSDDD was originally intended for companies with 500+ employees and €150M+ in revenue, however the thresholds have been increased to 1000+ employees and €450M+ in revenue. The directive still needs to reach final approval in May before it will be enforced, and then member states have 2 years to incorporate the new rules into their national laws. For your step by step guide to Legislation in the fashion industry, join Sustainable Fashion School NOW! 3) British heritage knitwear brand John Smedley Ltd is reopening its factory in the UK for the first time in more than 40 years. In partnership with The Board of Trade, The British Fashion Council, and the UKFT Association, the initiative aims to encourage brands to bring knitwear manufacturing back to UK shores. 4) British luxury brand Chinti & Parker have launched its first collection of Digital Product Passports powered by Fabacus. Customers can access detailed information across approximately 100 data points, about materials used, production processes and the environmental characteristics of each garment. 5) On 1st May '24, eBay UK will be launching their first EBAY LIVE, hosted by comedian Katherine Ryan and Ebay's Pre-Loved Style Director Amy Bannerman. Items available will include pieces worn by Katherine, or from her hit show 'The Duchess'. All funds raised will be donated to the Women's Heath Information and Support Centre. 6) TikTok Tok have launched their 'Pre-Loved Luxury' category on its channel Tik Tok Shop, allowing users to browse and purchase second hand luxury pieces from within the app. The category will launch in partnership with Luxe Collective Fashion, Sellier, Sign of the Times, Hardlyeverwornit.com and Break. Archive 7) Circularity platform Recomme.co and ACS (Advanced Clothing Solutions) have joined forced with the UK Fashion and Textile Association to launch 'Repurpose'. Repurpose will facilitate a 'one-stop-shop' circular solution, to ensure unwanted and damaged products are sent to the right place to maximise their value - whether it be resale, rental, or recycling. The initiative will provide brands with the data to scale solutions and reduce the complexity of working with multiple third party platforms.

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Extract below from Bill Blain's excellent Morning Porridge blog (link below): "The big issue across Western Economies remains consumption – how much can consumers actually buy after their disposable incomes have been slashed by energy price inflation, higher taxation, inflation and low wages – the latter being a consequence of the increasing “financialisation”, aka greed, of corporates to pay workers less to make bosses richer. (That’s the reality of the last 20 years; bosses got insanely rich and higher paid. Workers got poorer.) When consumers can’t consume because all their income is consumed by higher rents, paying of credit cards, taxes, and dismal jobs… that’s when to worry. That time is now. Crashing consumption is the issue we haven’t yet seen on company earnings – yet." https://lnkd.in/d42VhKd9

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Can a circular economy save us? Well, it's definitely a step in the right direction. With most products running on a linear economy, a circular economy advocates for circulating resources so they can reach their full potential. As Net Zero Scotland puts it, 'It's about making the most of what we have by making it last as long as possible, rather than automatically purchasing something new.' Growing consumer trends can make enforcing this circular economy hard. From the craze of Stanley cups to the rise of disposable vapes, it's hard to keep materials within the production loop when there seems to be a new trend daily. However, the tides appear to be shifting. A study by Seven Clean Seas found that about 57% of consumers are willing to change their purchasing behaviour to help the environment. A further 66% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable brands. Clearly, consumers care about the carbon footprint of their products. Admittedly, there are challenges to a circular economy, including: ❗Systemic change ❗Rethinking design ❗Technological costs ❗Government regulations Yet the positives outweigh the negatives. In the words of Ellen MacArthur, “If we could build an economy that would use things rather than use them up, we could build a future.”  #sustainability #circulareconomy #impact

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Some of the “eco-claims” used to indicate the nature of products (and cater to consumer demands) have been around for years, including the classic “organic”. Newer claims like “net zero” and “carbon neutral” can be useful, but are also part of an avalanche of labels that aren’t as clear or well-established. One example of these categorizations is “regenerative”- does it truly indicate that farmers are integrating regenerative agricultural practices into the creation of a product? If so, who is approving the distribution of this label, and how do farmers become eligible to stick this eco-claim on their packaging? Shifting to regenerative agriculture will be necessary as part of the fight against climate change. However, few consumers understand the complexity of these farming strategies, or even how they help reduce emissions and “heal’ our soil. As a result, “regenerative” could become the new “sustainable”- popular and unique enough to increase consumer enthusiasm, but vague enough to keep the purchase of a product from becoming an intellectual challenge. With its potential to indicate useful information about what we consume but unfortunate lack of specificity, it may end up like its highly accessible forebearer: “organic”. #Organic #Regenerative #EcoClaims

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I started subscribing to Hannah Ritchie's Substack, "Sustainability by Numbers" today and it turns out to be a milestone day in UK coal history. Her article today details the closure 🔒 of the UK’s last coal power station, marking a significant step in the fight against climate change. Hannah's data-driven storytelling shines a light on the UK's rapid transition away from coal, offering historical context and global insights. https://lnkd.in/ewh7tZkf Her ability to make complex information accessible is truly commendable ClimArts Climate Outreach Some highlights: - Hannah provides fascinating historical data, noting that when her grandparents were born, CO2 emissions from coal in the UK were around 10 tonnes per person – nearly double China's current per capita footprint - Visual Data: The article includes several illuminating charts, showcasing the decline of coal in electricity production and employment in the coal industry - Global Perspective: Hannah doesn't limit her analysis to the UK. She provides a broader view of coal's decline across Europe and North America, while also discussing its use in Asia. Let’s celebrate this achievement and continue supporting voices like hers as we work together toward a sustainable future! #storytelling #climate #future

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By now you all know that the apparel industry is responsible for 2% of global GHG emissions. Recent studies by the World Resources Institute and Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) stress the need for systemic change. In November 2023, Aii convened key leaders at the Bellagio Center, The Rockefeller Foundation, transforming ideas into concrete actions. This gathering unlocked opportunities for manufacturers to invest in decarbonization with the support of apparel brands and financials institutions. Special thanks to the The Rockefeller Foundation for their support to Aii and Sarah Troup Geisenheimer for co-authoring this piece. Click the link to read more about our findings and solutions. https://lnkd.in/gwH7cTmJ

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Simon Stiell's words are a wake-up call: despite years of effort, the fashion industry isn't moving fast enough on climate action. With emissions still at 'eye-wateringly high' levels, it's clear that we need more than commitments—we need implementation. As we’ve seen through our work at the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), solutions exist, but they need to be scaled rapidly across global supply chains. At Aii we are pushing for deeper engagement, strategic and catalytic investment, and stronger collective action to truly decarbonize the sector. #Sustainability #ClimateAction #FashionIndustry #Aii" --- This integrates Aii's work and emphasizes the need for broader action.

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Do you label your products or services as ‘sustainable’? What about ‘eco-friendly’? If so, do you give evidence for this? If not, you could be greenlighting your customers. This is when an organisation highlights a positive sustainable activity of their organisation to take attention away from all the unsustainable things it’s doing. And consumers don’t like this at all. Which is why 7 out of 10 British consumers don’t see environmental claims by businesses to be credible (Duncan&Toplis). And why 54% said they would stop buying from a company if they had misled them on sustainability claims (KPMG). So, if you do label your products or services as ‘environmentally-friendly’ or any other similar terms, make sure you provide evidence of this. To read more about the issue visit: https://lnkd.in/eduTxNQD Or to make sure you’re being transparent with your customers, get in touch with our team of sustainability consultants. #Sustainability #Environment #ClimateChange

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As someone who is competitive by nature, I love a good league table – especially when the project I worked on is at the top. Volans worked with Unilever on its first Climate Policy Engagement Review and it’s now official that the review has set a new best practice. According to InfluenceMap’s assessment, it is the first such review to fully meet the expectations of The Global Standard on Responsible Climate Lobbying, which is backed by investor groups such as Principles for Responsible Investment, Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC), Ceres, Inc. and Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR). What we need now is a race to the top. We’ve demonstrated it’s possible to score 100% for ‘robustness of corporate climate policy engagement review’, so I hope we’ll soon see more green at the top of this table. Who’s up for it? Danone Facundo Etchebehere Nestlé Rob Cameron Procter & Gamble Virginie Helias ... https://lnkd.in/eWZDJYp9

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What does the farmers' march on Westminster tell us about great climate (or any) comms? For your engagement initiatives, strategy announcements and more? In brief: The demo was best summed up in two images: real tractors being driven around Parliament Square, and beside them toy tractors pedalled by their children. So here are the comms gems... 🖼️ > They made it 𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗨𝗔𝗟. As the saying goes a picture speaks a thousand words. It’s fast. And it lasts. 📖 > Compelling language is powerful but it comes 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱. Our primordial brains whiz pictures straight to the subconscious . 🥣 > They made it 𝟯𝗗. We viscerally absorb the experiential. ❤️ They 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁, by having their children there (vs just talking about them). 📢 They had Jeremy Clarkson there and on side. If we like, respect are entertained or even divided by 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. we’re more likely to listen up. For starters! So what does all of that translated to your climate comms look like? > Ditch the long emails. Use visuals or videos. > Make the text secondary impactful and short. > Support what you’re doing by 3d events - plant-based tastings, gadget amnesties, clothes swaps, loads more ideas on that. > Show what the future will look (in this case positively) - what’s the benefit for your people, the character and success of your company etc > Get leaders (or any 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲) on board, supporting it visibly and personally. At AGM’s for eg, bring in similar businesses who are leading the charge to share their experience. Or loved, inspirational figures like Chris Packham, Ben Saunders or others, who lift us to our purest selves . And… give 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲. What have you had particular success with? I'd love to know your comms wins(or not-so-wins!) p.s I'm with the farmers but that's another post!

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