Kering leads the fashion industry in adopting science-based targets for nature
During the UN biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia, Kering made a groundbreaking announcement today, becoming the first fashion company to officially adopt science-based targets for nature. This announcement follows a year-long pilot program involving 17 global companies, which was announced by the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN). Kering is spearheading this initiative within the fashion sector.
The pilot program, which involved companies such as LVMH, L’Occitane, and H&M from the fashion and beauty industries, saw 17 global enterprises test the science-based targets for nature over the past year. Kering, along with pharmaceutical giant GSK and building materials company Holcim, are now among the first three companies to formally commit to these targets. This commitment entails meeting the targets and publicly disclosing progress, as the pressure on companies to preserve biodiversity intensifies, mirroring the scrutiny they face regarding climate action.
While biodiversity loss has garnered less global attention compared to climate change, scientists emphasize that it poses an equally significant threat to the planet's health. The fashion industry, which has struggled to meet its climate targets, lags even further behind in biodiversity efforts. Addressing biodiversity is particularly challenging for even the most informed and proactive companies, as biodiversity strategies must encompass the entire impact of fashion on nature, from soil health and water pollution to the relationships between communities worldwide and their local ecosystems. Furthermore, biodiversity efforts are geography-specific, meaning they will vary from one region to another, unlike carbon emissions, which contribute to the global total regardless of their origin.
Of the 17 companies that participated in the pilot, SBTN reports that a majority completed the main steps involved: assessment, prioritization of environmental impacts, and target setting. Some are expected to publicly adopt their validated targets within six months after the pilot concludes (by January 10, 2025). Others plan to resubmit their targets using updated methods from SBTN, while some viewed the pilot as an opportunity for testing and learning, according to Billman.
SBTN targets are categorized by impact, starting with freshwater and land (Kering has targets for both; the other two companies have freshwater targets only), and will eventually include oceans and guidance for cities. For fashion companies looking to set nature targets in the future, key hotspots are likely to be related to leather tanneries, agricultural supply chains, and textile production, such as the washing and dyeing stages of manufacturing.
