At the H&M Foundation-organized Global Change Awards, Karl-Johan Persson, Swedish fashion company’s CEO, said all of the group’s clothing should be fully recyclable by 2030.
Climate positive by 2040
During the Global Change Awards, sustainability projects that may be applied to the fashion industry are rewarded. Not only does Persson want to clothing to become recyclable by 2030, he even hopes to become climate positive by 2040.
“Yes, 2030 is not that far off, but we have been working on this for a while. We want to come full circle in the company and we have to detach economic growth from natural resources. If we use recyclable materials for our new collections , we could possibly become climate positive by 2040. As one of the top companies in the fashion industry, we have a responsibility and we want to lead the change too”, he said at the event.
H&M also wants to contribute to sustainability efforts in other ways. Its new stores have become 40 % more energy efficient and the chain is also focused on renewable energy.
Better wages for textile workers
Persson says the company also holds textile workers’ sustainability in high regard, which is why it collaborates with governments like the one in Bangladesh in order to get appropriate wages and labour unions. “That is not just talk, we are actively and seriously working to achieve it.”
He feels nothing will improve if the companies stay away from these countries, because only new jobs can help eliminate those issues. “Is it really bad to manufacture in Bangladesh? I don’t think so. A 2013 World Bank report says that extreme poverty in the region dropped from 43 to 17 % between 1990 and 2011. That was only possible through local job creation, not by staying away.”
