#solvedifferent
This past March, Peclers’ Head of Fashion Consulting, Yvonne De Bruyn, was invited to Nairobi by the UN to participate in the 4th UN Assembly for the Environment and the launch of the “Alliance for Sustainable Fashion.” During three days of discussions, brands, companies, entrepreneurs, committed influencers and United Nations agencies spoke about encouraging the private sector, governments and NGOs to act in ways that will reduce fashion’s negative impact in social, economic and environmental terms and to implement objectives for sustainable development .Our Head of Fashion Consulting discusses the event’s lessons, major challenges and recommendations for working in partnerships so brands can integrate and make contributions by passing from simple intentions to concrete, responsible models.
SM: After returning from Nairobi and having participated in three intense days of discussions and meetings, what are the main objectives that caught your attention and seem do-able in the short and medium term?
YDB: To begin, I cite Siim Kiisler, the president of the United Nations Environment Assembly: “The UN does not perceive sustainability as limiting fashion but rather as an initiative element for reinforcing the industry’s creativity and passion.”Beginning with this encouraging observation, it is imperative to make this industry circular through the entire value chain while maintaining its growth. All players in the fashion industry must look beyond competitivity to explore collaborative approaches. This doesn’t mean categorizing sustainable fashion as simply being about protecting the environment but ratherreducing one’s societal impact to guarantee a respect for human rights while creating new jobs and opportunities.
SM: What are the Alliance for Sustainable Fashion’s objectives for today and tomorrow?
YDB : The United Nation’s Alliance for Sustainable Fashion and its partners have developed a program whose main objective is to better coordinate the efforts of all the industry’s sectors with an eye on reducing waste and improving the environment by 2030. Thanks to an integrated approach, the organization’s ambition, along with the support of its member countries, is to become a reference platform to unite manufacturers, institutions and companies around 17 objectives. These will cover eco-responsible and societal actions by globally uniformizing approaches and sharing experiences to encourage sustainable fashion.
SM: From your point of view, what are the measures that industry players, including Peclers, expect from the UN’s worldwide initiative?
YDB : Beyond the texts that encourage companies to integrate societal and environmental actions in their strategies, we mainly want legislators to raise their requirements by globalizing and uniformizing new regulations rather that creating silos. Since we know the problems our clients encounter, we would like to have simplified procedures set up in every value chain. Finally, we await the implementation of effective actions that aim to encourage initiatives which will “break away” from traditional models and support innovative platforms in terms of sustainable and responsible development.
SM: What do you think are the actions a brand must take when it wants to integrate societal and environmental responsibility in its strategy? YDB: It is vital to begin with one’s brand values and a knowledge of one’s consumer. Brands that succeed are those which have been able to define clear objectives and attainable measures for sustainable development and honor their commitments when confronted with consumers who seek transparency and authenticity. Those who commit to changing their model will have a competitive advantage as will those who anticipate consumer demands to undertake sustainable, responsible actions. Today, it is essential for a brand to act on its own scale and be able to communicate sincerely.
SM: Finally, how can the Peclers agency inscribe itself in the Alliance for Sustainable Fashion program to share its vision and expertise and help brands contribute to a sustainable consumer society?YDB: Besides being proud of its role as an ambassador to support the UN’s actions, Peclers, thanks to its team of experts, is a connector, facilitator and a strategic partner that accompanies brands who wish to give meaning to their commitment. Our 360° approach lets us elaborate innovative solutions together to guide brands in their changes and project themselves beyond just the next season. In brief, we recommend and accompany actions that will make any evolution profitable to increase a company’s positive influence in consumers’ lives.”}” data-sheets-userformat=”{“2″:897,”3”:{“1″:0},”10″:1,”11″:4,”12″:0}”>Revolutions take place slowly – and then all at once – before they become inevitable. Since we are both witnesses and players in one of the most important transformations in the history of humanity, the United Nations calls upon us to radically modify our ways of conceiving, producing and consuming in order to assure the planet’s survival while exhorting us to “think about the planet, and live simply.” #solvedifferentThis past March, Peclers’ Head of Fashion Consulting, Yvonne De Bruyn, was invited to Nairobi by the UN to participate in the 4th UN Assembly for the Environment and the launch of the “Alliance for Sustainable Fashion.” During three days of discussions, brands, companies, entrepreneurs, committed influencers and United Nations agencies spoke about encouraging the private sector, governments and NGOs to act in ways that will reduce fashion’s negative impact in social, economic and environmental terms and to implement objectives for sustainable development .Our Head of Fashion Consulting discusses the event’s lessons, major challenges and recommendations for working in partnerships so brands can integrate and make contributions by passing from simple intentions to concrete, responsible models.
SM: After returning from Nairobi and having participated in three intense days of discussions and meetings, what are the main objectives that caught your attention and seem do-able in the short and medium term?
YDB: To begin, I cite Siim Kiisler, the president of the United Nations Environment Assembly: “The UN does not perceive sustainability as limiting fashion but rather as an initiative element for reinforcing the industry’s creativity and passion.”Beginning with this encouraging observation, it is imperative to make this industry circular through the entire value chain while maintaining its growth. All players in the fashion industry must look beyond competitivity to explore collaborative approaches. This doesn’t mean categorizing sustainable fashion as simply being about protecting the environment but ratherreducing one’s societal impact to guarantee a respect for human rights while creating new jobs and opportunities.
SM: What are the Alliance for Sustainable Fashion’s objectives for today and tomorrow?
YDB : The United Nation’s Alliance for Sustainable Fashion and its partners have developed a program whose main objective is to better coordinate the efforts of all the industry’s sectors with an eye on reducing waste and improving the environment by 2030. Thanks to an integrated approach, the organization’s ambition, along with the support of its member countries, is to become a reference platform to unite manufacturers, institutions and companies around 17 objectives. These will cover eco-responsible and societal actions by globally uniformizing approaches and sharing experiences to encourage sustainable fashion.SM: From your point of view, what are the measures that industry players, including Peclers, expect from the UN’s worldwide initiative?YDB : Beyond the texts that encourage companies to integrate societal and environmental actions in their strategies, we mainly want legislators to raise their requirements by globalizing and uniformizing new regulations rather that creating silos. Since we know the problems our clients encounter, we would like to have simplified procedures set up in every value chain. Finally, we await the implementation of effective actions that aim to encourage initiatives which will “break away” from traditional models and support innovative platforms in terms of sustainable and responsible development.
SM: What do you think are the actions a brand must take when it wants to integrate societal and environmental responsibility in its strategy?
YDB: It is vital to begin with one’s brand values and a knowledge of one’s consumer. Brands that succeed are those which have been able to define clear objectives and attainable measures for sustainable development and honor their commitments when confronted with consumers who seek transparency and authenticity. Those who commit to changing their model will have a competitive advantage as will those who anticipate consumer demands to undertake sustainable, responsible actions. Today, it is essential for a brand to act on its own scale and be able to communicate sincerely.
SM: Finally, how can the Peclers agency inscribe itself in the Alliance for Sustainable Fashion program to share its vision and expertise and help brands contribute to a sustainable consumer society?
YDB: Besides being proud of its role as an ambassador to support the UN’s actions, Peclers, thanks to its team of experts, is a connector, facilitator and a strategic partner that accompanies brands who wish to give meaning to their commitment. Our 360° approach lets us elaborate innovative solutions together to guide brands in their changes and project themselves beyond just the next season. In brief, we recommend and accompany actions that will make any evolution profitable to increase a company’s positive influence in consumers’ lives.