In 2015, IUCN and Hugo Boss agreed to collaborate to gain a better understanding of the dependence and impacts of the company’s main product value chains (apparel and accessories) on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Together, they also identified potential opportunities for mitigating negative impacts to biodiversity and ecosystem services across the value chains.
Following the discussions and lessons learned by this exercise, both parties agreed to publish a report on the findings with recommendations for the fashion industry on how it can take action to improve its conservation impact and overall performance. One of the main recommendations put forward in the report, Biodiversity Risks and Opportunities in the Apparel Sector, is for companies to start using a risk assessment framework.
“Assessing the risk to biodiversity in a company’s operations and supply chain is the most effective approach to managing and reducing biodiversity impacts,” said Gerd von Podewils, Senior Vice President of Global Communication for Hugo Boss AG. “There is a growing awareness in the fashion industry about the environmental and social sustainability challenges it faces, and with that awareness comes the responsibility to act,” he added.
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