Burberry gets highest ever score in 2020 DJSI

23
Nov '20

Pic: Burberry

Burberry, a British luxury fashion house, has been included in the 2020 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the sixth consecutive year, achieving its highest ever score. Ranked second place overall in the ‘Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods’ sector, the company secured leading positions within the product stewardship and social reporting categories.

The principle global sustainability metric, the DJSI evaluates a company’s governance, economic, environmental and social performance as well as assessing supply chain management and climate change strategy. It is a trusted benchmark for investors who integrate ESG considerations into their decision-making and investments, according to Burberry.

Burberry has a longstanding commitment to sustainability, with social and environmental programmes in place for more than 16 years; its latest five-year responsibility agenda is truly holistic covering all its products, global operations and the communities that sustain the luxury industry.

Two thirds of Burberry products make an environmental or social contribution, with a goal for all products to do so by 2022. These can relate to a broad range of social and environmental programmes including, the amount of organic content or recycled natural fibres used in materials, delivery against carbon emissions standards at production facilities or social initiatives such as workers being paid the living wage or supported through wellbeing programmes.

In addition, Burberry holds targets to procure 100 per cent of cotton more sustainably and source 100 per cent of leather from tanneries with environmental, traceability and social compliance certifications by 2022. Currently, 75 per cent of its cotton is procured more sustainably through a portfolio approach, which includes working with partners such as the BCI and Textile Exchange, as well as exploring new sources, including organic and regenerative cotton, and 64 per cent of its leather is sourced from suppliers with such certifications.

During 2019/20, Burberry reduced its market-based emissions by 86 per cent (since base year 2016/17) and procured 83 per cent of its total energy (90 per cent of which electricity) from renewable sources. Burberry is now carbon neutral across 85 per cent of its site globally, including the Americas region, its EMEIA and China retail stores and UK operations, and aims to be 100 per cent carbon neutral by 2022.

These goals are underpinned by two additional climate goals approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) for Burberry’s own operations and extended supply chain. The targets covering greenhouse gas emissions from Burberry’s operations (Scopes 1 and 2) are consistent with reductions required to keep warming to 1.5°C, the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement. To date, Burberry has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 82 per cent (since base year 2016/17). Through engaging with suppliers on energy efficiency and renewable energy, the company has reduced emissions in its supply chain by more than 1600 tonnes of carbon. These initiatives, alongside its transition to more sustainable raw materials, are contributing to Burberry’s Scope 3 Science Based Target.

In February 2020, Burberry announced the creation of its Regeneration Fund designed to support a portfolio of carbon offsetting and insetting projects to directly tackle the environmental impact of its operations. The new insetting projects will be implemented within Burberry’s own supply chain and will work to promote biodiversity, facilitate the restoration of ecosystems and support the livelihoods of local producers, as well as storing carbon at source and removing it from the atmosphere. Kick-starting the programme, Burberry has partnered with PUR Projet to design and implement regenerative agricultural practices with some of its wool producers in Australia. The project will work at farm level to improve carbon capture in soils, improve watershed and soil health, reduce dryland salinity and promote biodiverse habitats.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (GK)

More Burberry Group Plc News... More Fashion News - United Kingdom...