ASOS is latest fast fashion giant to unveil ambitious new ESG goals

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Sep 16, 2021

Ambitious and industry leading is how ASOS describes the next phase of its “stretching” Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) goals.

The online fashion giant’s 'Fashion with Integrity' (FWI) 2030 programme, which includes a commitment to achieve Net Zero across the full value chain by 2030, “continues the journey towards becoming a truly global retailer in a responsible and sustainable way”, it said Thursday.

In essence, the focus is on “minimising ASOS' impact on the planet, delivering positive benefits for people who work in fashion and meeting increasing demands from customers for greater choice in responsible fashion”. 

To that end, ASOS said it has set “two overarching pillars: Planet and People”, underpinned by four key goals:

To be carbon neutral in its direct operations by 2025 and achieve Net Zero across its value chain by 2030; shift towards more circular systems, ensuring 100% of ASOS own-brand products and packaging are made from more sustainable or recycled materials by 2030, prioritising circular design, and facilitating product recovery programmes; accelerate transparency and human rights within its supply chain and the wider industry, publishing a detailed human rights strategy and implementation reports annually from 2023; and driving diversity, equity and inclusion across every aspect of the business, with a focus on leadership representation… ensuring at least 50% female representation and over 15% ethnic minority representation at every leadership level by 2030.

Nick Beighton, CEO, said: "Our progress will be driven by a more diverse team with equity and inclusion at its heart, leading a business where transparency and human rights remain central to our approach. And, as we continue our journey to becoming a Truly Global Retailer, our new goals will ensure that we do so sustainably and responsibly”.

He added: "We will work closely with our brand partners and our suppliers, and we will forge new relationships and partnerships to drive progress and build new solutions to enable the achievement of our FWI 2030 goals".