Apparel Online India Magazine May 2nd Issue 2018 | Page 14

SUSTAINABILITY
H&M Group
Sustainability
Report 2017
In India
A company that is truly
walking on the path of
sustainability, H&M has
been very transparent in
sharing its sustainable
goals and milestones.
With 4,739 stores in 69
markets and e-commerce
in 43 markets, H&M’s
products are made in
1,668 supplier factories
around the world that
employ over 1.6 million
people, of which 62%
are women. The Group
has more than 1,71,000
colleagues (employees)
around the world, of
which 76% are females.
Interestingly, 72% of
management positions
are filled by female
employees. The brand
was the biggest buyer of
Better Cotton (in 2016),
second largest user of
organic cotton as well
as the second largest
user of recycled cotton
(in 2017). The Group’s
Sustainability Report 2017
has many interesting and
motivational inputs on
its initiatives, progress,
strategies and further
targets. Apparel Online
has picked up some of
the interesting elements
from this 100-page
exhaustive report…
With focus on India, the report
mentioned that in 2017, it worked
together with Organic Cotton
Accelerator (OCA) on prototype
sourcing pilots in India in which it
collaborates with one spinning mill to
carry out farmer capacity building and
to improve supply chain transparency.
The brand is founding partner of OCA.
It becomes more important as H&M
is working to eliminate Manmade
Cellulosic Fibres (MMC) – viscose,
rayon and lyocell derived from ancient
or endangered forests and trying to
replace them with sustainably-sourced
alternatives. As of October 2017, 25% of
the MMC fabric supply chain (including
rayon, viscose, lyocell and modal) has
been audited and classified as low
risk for sourcing wood from ancient
and endangered forests or other
controversial sources.
Its industrial relations and workplace
dialogue programmes also increased
in 2017. Wheras, workplace dialogue
training in 34 factories across India
reached up to 24,000 workers, its
28 supplier factories are implementing
the Fair Wage Method, reaching 27,620
workers. Interestingly, Cambodia and
Indonesia covered less factories but
more workers in these programmes.
Vision and
Strategy H&M
in 2017…
100% leading the change • 55% of its denim products
achieved a ‘green’ level,
which means they used a
maximum of 35 litres of
water per garment during
the treatment processes.
• Promote and scale
innovation.
• Drive transparency.
• Reward sustainable actions.
100% circular & renewable
• A circular approach to how
products are made and
used.
• Use only recycled or
other sustainably sourced
materials.
• A climate positive value
chain.
100% fair & equal
• Fair jobs for all.
• Stewards for diversity and
inclusiveness.
14 Apparel Online India | MAY 16-31, 2018 | www.apparelresources.com
• Reduced emissions from its
own operations by a further
21% compared to 2016.
• Used the equivalent of
over 100 million plastic PET
bottles in recycled polyester.
• Collected 17,771 tonnes of
textiles through its garment
collecting initiative for reuse
and recycling. This is 12%
more than last year, and
t