From May 21 to 23, over 1,000 representatives from brands, retailers, NGOs, policymakers, manufacturers, and innovators gathered at the iconic Copenhagen Concert Hall for the 2024 Global Fashion Summit. Celebrating its fifteenth year, the Summit, under the theme “Unlocking the Next Level,” urged attendees to take decisive action towards long-term sustainability goals, with a vision extending beyond 2030 and into 2050.
The Summit commenced with opening remarks from Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark, a supporter since the Summit’s inception in 2009. Federica Marchionni, CEO of the Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), followed, emphasizing the need for inclusive growth to address global sustainability challenges. “Growing inclusively allows us to involve more manufacturers, especially since most greenhouse gas emissions occur where products are manufactured,” Marchionni remarked.
Over 110 influential speakers took the stage, including Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer of Kering, Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, and Paul Polman, co-author of “Net Positive.” The Art of Slow Luxury panel featured prominent voices discussing sustainable luxury practices, highlighting the balance between slow fashion and luxury.
Several initiatives were unveiled, including the ACT Agreements, which support brands in improving wages and working conditions in Cambodia. The Renewable Energy Initiative, in partnership with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, identified barriers and opportunities for renewable energy uptake in manufacturing countries.
The Future Supplier Initiative by The Fashion Pact developed a collective financing model to support suppliers in decarbonizing their factories. Additionally, the Indigenous Partnership Principles by Conservation International and Textile Exchange and the Next Gen Assembly Roundtable explored the power of economies of well-being to drive change in the fashion industry.
Significant announcements and initiatives marked the Summit, including the Fashion CEO Agenda 2024, which aims to guide fashion organizations towards a net-positive industry by 2050. The Trailblazer Program awarded Bloom Labs substantial support to scale their innovative solutions, selected from eight pioneering companies.
The Innovation Forum facilitated over 400 business meetings between fashion companies and sustainable solution providers, equipping participants with tools to implement the discussed strategies. Marchionni emphasized that sustainability must be a unifying bond among us all.
Policy was a central focus, addressing the global need for circularity and equitable workspaces. Eighteen strategic roundtable meetings discussed building circular systems in India, pay equity in European value chains, and impactful influence co-hosted by the UN Environment Programme. The French Proposal panel explored policy and penalties for non-compliance with sustainability standards, emphasizing the necessity of regulatory frameworks.
The Summit championed evidence-based strategies to reshape the business ethos, placing net positivity as the overarching goal. “Every company must depart from business as usual with intentions meeting determination,” Marchionni concluded, as the GFA looks forward to many more years of fostering collaborative efforts towards circularity and sustainability in fashion.
In September 2024, Global Fashion Agenda will release a new publication supported by Insight Partner Maersk. This publication will explore transition strategies for circular futures worldwide and examine the crucial role of reverse logistics.
The Thought Leadership Report ‘Reverse Logistics for Circular Fashion Systems’ will provide insights into how the global fashion and logistics industries can collaborate to co-create impactful, scalable solutions.
