Last Updated: 2020.01.14
Fast Retailing Signs Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action
FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.
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Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. today announced that it has signed the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, sponsored by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This charter supports the goals of the Paris Agreement in limiting global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and specifies measures for the entire fashion industry to implement, focusing on a 30% aggregate reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, including the supply chain.
Fast Retailing respects the targets for reductions in GHG emissions specified in the Paris Climate Agreement, and has been implementing measures to determine and reduce the volume of GHG emissions from all its business activities, from procurement of raw materials to manufacturing processes, distribution, and store operations. In February 2019, Fast Retailing announced that within two years it would set science-based targets (SBTs), specific targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions based on the Paris Agreement targets and scientific knowledge.
By signing the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, Fast Retailing will further strengthen such measures as procurement of sustainable materials, reducing the environmental load in the manufacturing process, and promoting dialogue with consumers and raising awareness, as well as accelerate coordination throughout the industry to reduce GHG emissions.
Yukihiro Nitta, Group Senior Vice President responsible for Sustainability, commented, "Fast Retailing considers sustainability to be a foundation of its business, and pursues measures to expand operations while at the same time reduce its environmental load. Responding to the increasingly serious issue of climate change is an urgent issue of the highest importance for all corporations. By signing the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action in accordance with the Paris Agreement, Fast Retailing is accelerating coordination with companies and stakeholders around the globe, and contributing to the realization of a sustainable world across industries."
Fast Retailing's main measures to respond to climate change
■ Advancing use of recycled materials
From the product planning stage, Fast Retailing encourages the use of raw materials with a lower environmental load. In the 2020 Spring/Summer season, UNIQLO will launch high-function, quick-drying Dry EX products using polyester fibers recycled from PET bottles. From the 2020 Fall/Winter season, UNIQLO plans to sell down products made partially with recycled down recovered from pre-worn UNIQLO down products that are collected from customers in stores.
■ Reducing energy consumption in material production
In the apparel industry supply chain, material production requires a particularly large amount of energy. To reduce this environmental load, as an initial target Fast Retailing is pursuing a program to reduce energy consumption at UNIQLO's major material factories by 10% compared to 2016 levels by 2020. By formulating SBTs, Fast Retailing will set further targets for long-term reductions.
■ Enhancing energy efficiency of stores
Fast Retailing has set a target to reduce GHG emissions at UNIQLO stores in Japan by 10% per unit area compared to fiscal 2013 levels by 2020. As a result of the introduction of LED lighting, revisions to store design and other measures, a 19% reduction had been achieved by the end of fiscal 2018. In September 2019, the UNIQLO Kawagoe Store became the first retail outlet in Japan to receive Gold Level certification in the Building Operations & Maintenance (O+M) category for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), an international environmental performance evaluation system for structures and site utilization. The UNIQLO Shenzhen Wanxiang Tiandi Store, opened in March 2018, utilizes renewable energy from solar panels.
See the following link for details on Fast Retailing's response to climate change.
https://www.fastretailing.com/eng/sustainability/environment/climatechange.html
