Today, iconic British fashion house Burberry has announced its commitment to becoming a Climate Positive brand by the year 2040 alongside its current pledge for a net-zero target by the same year.
The bold new promise is one of the first for the luxury market, where the brand will not only strive to achieve net-zero by 2040, but go beyond this to create a lasting positive environmental impact on places, plants, people, and species by investing in key initiatives to support wider urgent climate change efforts through the Burberry Regeneration Fund.
On the back of founder Thomas Burberry's lasting sentiment to create clothing inspired by the outdoors, Burberry's current chief creative officer, Riccardo Tisci, is furthering the memory in a momentous way. "I have always had a very deep, emotional connection to nature." Tisci said in a statement. "It has a power and a purity that gives you a sense of coming back to yourself and of what is really important in life. I am so proud that as a company we are making these inspiring steps to protect our beautiful planet and the future for our next generations."
To achieve such a monumental step, the brand will take action within its own value chain, guided by climate science. It will accelerate its ambition to reduce emissions across its extended supply chain, aiming to reduce them by 46% (from a previous target of 30%) by 2030. This means Burberry’s Science-Based Targets will be aligned to the 1.5°C pathway set out in the Paris Agreement. The brand has pledged to accelerate low-carbon future solutions and investing in nature-based projects with carbon benefits that restore and protect natural ecosystems and enhance the livelihoods of global communities through the Burberry Regeneration Fund.
Building on the work the brand plans to do internally, Burberry has announced it will also invest in initiatives beyond its value chain that support the world’s efforts to create a resilient, zero carbon future, including investing in programmes that protect and restore natural ecosystems that remove carbon from the atmosphere, funding climate resilience projects that empower vulnerable, frontline communities to adapt to changing realities and
protect livelihoods, and actively advocating for what it will take to transform the fashion industry, in partnership with NGOs, peers and policymakers.
“Burberry was built upon a desire to explore nature and the great outdoors and they have remained our inspiration for more than 150 years. Drawing on this heritage of exploration and driven by our creative spirit, today, we are setting a bold new ambition: to become climate positive by 2040. As a company, we are united by our passion for being a force for good in the world. By strengthening our commitment to sustainability, we are going further in helping protect our planet for generations to come.” said Marco Gobbetti, Chief Executive Officer at Burberry.
This is an exciting corner for Burberry to turn and a bold statement that we are sure the wider fashion community will strive to hold the brand to. It is always an optimistic time when luxury brands begin to make moves towards a better planet for all.
Image: @burberry
