Apparel and footwear

Led by World Resources Institute (WRI), the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released guidance which applies to retailers, brands, finished goods manufacturers, mills, etc. that are primarily engaged in activities that contribute to the production and sale of apparel and footwear products.

The guidance was informed by an Expert Advisory Group with representation from companies, consultants, NGOs, academic institutions and other individuals with sectoral and/or GHG accounting expertise. We also convened a broader group of stakeholders to provide input at key milestones.

Financial support for the guidance was provided by Nike, Inc., Target Corporation, ClimateWorks Foundation, C&A Corporation, and Lenzing.

Highlights from the guidance development process:

• June 2017: Project commenced with a scoping phase. View slides from the launch webinar.
• May 2018: WRI held an open stakeholder feedback session at the Sustainable Apparel Coalition conference in Vancouver and commissioned a public, online survey on the first version of the guidance. View slides from the webinar and see a summary of public comments.
• September 2018: WRI shared the guidance with stakeholders including apparel and footwear suppliers, local brand representatives, and individuals from industry associations in Ho Chi Minh City.
• November 2018: After incorporating feedback from stakeholders, WRI released a second version of the guidance for public comment. WRI presented an overview of key insights and recommendations from the guidance at the American Apparel and Footwear Association Environmental Committee Fall 2018 Meeting in New York City.
• February 2019: WRI presented an update on the sector guidance at the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. A summary of key points of feedback was publicly shared.
• February–June 2019: WRI incorporated feedback from the External Stakeholder Group and broader stakeholder group, as well as feedback from WRI’s internal review process, into the current draft of the guidance. We also updated the guidance to be in conformance with the latest version of the SBTi criteria, released in April 2019.
• On June 25, WRI and the Apparel Impact Institute launched the final guidance at a workshop in Barcelona.

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Sign up for the SBTi's Apparel and Footwear Stakeholder Advisory Group to stay up to date with project milestones