To uphold worker rights and guarantee equitable remuneration, including living wages for all, fashion companies must adopt responsible purchasing methods, according to research published by the non-profit Global Fashion Agenda, located in Copenhagen.
In the study titled “Fashion CEO Agenda 2024,” the GFA has identified five crucial opportunities for fashion executives and the industry as a whole to have transformative effects for people and the environment.
The GFA produced a report with the objective of guiding fashion groups toward the attainment of a net positive industry by 2050.
In honor of the 15th anniversary of the inaugural Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen, Global Fashion Agenda has prepared a special version of the report.
The research stated that respecting the needs and rights of the 300 million people who work in the fashion industry globally is essential to the industry’s long-term viability and profitability.
The report also emphasized the necessity of implementing concrete measures that ensure fairness, appropriate compensation, the welfare of each employee, and their dignity.
It also made it crucial to defend worker representation and rights, such as freedom of association and collective bargaining, especially during emergency situations.
In order to promote circumstances that support preserving worker rights and enabling equitable compensation, including the provision of living wages to all, it is essential to simultaneously establish responsible purchasing practices, according to the research.
In order to push the envelope on the five goals of the Fashion CEO Agenda—resource stewardship, intelligent material selection, circular systems, safe and respectful work conditions, and improved wage systems—this special issue concentrated on five cross-cutting opportunities.
The research indicates that in order to bring about a fundamental shift, it is necessary to uphold the rights of workers, encourage diversity and inclusivity, redefine success criteria, and alter development paradigms.
The Fashion CEO Agenda added that the industry still faced many difficulties, especially in low-wage nations where workers lacked proper protection, even though it had helped millions of people find work, supported economies, and made significant advancements in occupational health and safety in many workplaces.
The study finds that when sustainability is properly operationalized as an essential part of operations and support services, it can have a big impact on business practices.
According to the study, firms should consider how a circular system will affect both present garment workers and waste handlers who are new to the fashion value chain.
It also said that the industry needs to assess closely how environmental programs impact indigenous peoples and local communities.
