Annotations - csr

Corporations have also signaled their interest in pursuing sustainable cashmere—and their Corporations have also signaled their interest in pursuing sustainable cashmere—and their willingness to pay a premium for it. H&M has made a willingness to pay a premium for it. H&M has made a commitment commitment to phase out ‘conventional’ to phase out ‘conventional’ cashmere in favor of sustainably-sourced cashmere, while cashmere in favor of sustainably-sourced cashmere, while French luxury fashion group French luxury fashion group Kering Kering (which owns such brands as Gucci, Alexander McQueen, and Yves Saint Laurent) is (which owns such brands as Gucci, Alexander McQueen, and Yves Saint Laurent) is working with the Wildlife Conservation Society to develop its own sustainable cashmere supply working with the Wildlife Conservation Society to develop its own sustainable cashmere supply chain in Mongolia. Kering has partnered with Stanford University’s Natural Capital Project to map chain in Mongolia. Kering has partnered with Stanford University’s Natural Capital Project to map out the grasslands; on the ground, the Wildlife Conservation Society works with 207 herder families out the grasslands; on the ground, the Wildlife Conservation Society works with 207 herder families to create annual pasture management plans, which aim to spread herders across viable grasslands to create annual pasture management plans, which aim to spread herders across viable grasslands and maintain reserve and emergency pastures.

These are all given as examples of market-based sustainability initiatives

Those problems are pushing fashion labels to respond. Fastfashion giant Hennes & Mauritz AB in March said it would phase cashmere out of its product lineup by 2020. Gucci parent Kering SA is backing a project to encourage Mongo­ lian herders to graze their goats in ways that protect the steppe. Stella McCartney and Patagonia have sworn off cashHerds of cashmere goats have grown sharply in Mongolia. mere produced directly from goats in favor of garments made using cashmere scraps left over from workshops. “We hope that it will be pos­ sible to source cashmere more sustainably in the future, and we want to contribute to mak­ ing the industry more transpar­ ent and responsible,” H&M said

Fashion industry responses.

WCS's Sustainable Cashmere project may offer part of the solution. The project, whose budget the organizers won't disclose, is funded by mining giant Rio Tinto, which runs a massive copper mine not far away, and Kering, the French luxury apparel giant that owns Gucci, Balenciaga, and other brands. Both aim to help offset their impact on the Mongolian environment, a requirement of Rio's mining agreement and part of Kering's corporate social responsibility program.

Quality is our priority. Enforcing the strictest standards throughout the entire manufacturing process, from raw material to final product, enables us to offer our clients premium cashmere We are campaigning for the protection of animals and the environment and have always mad a point of complying with social standards.

#quality #standards (applied by the manufacturer)

For production, the company partnered with Johnstons of Elgin, a family-owned factory in Scotland. In business for over 200 years, it is the largest employer in the small community of Hawick. Long associated with luxury and an emphasis on craftsmanship, Johnstons of Elgin is a name known for its socially responsible practices.

(as "craftsmanship")

Meanwhile, a large mining operation in the region needed biodiversity offsets to comply with performance standards required by its lender, the International Finance Corporation. By partnering across these sectors, Kering could intervene in their supply chain with additional resources from mining offset commitments, to secure a future supply of better quality cashmere while also securing the livelihoods of the herders, improving the local environment, conserving biodiversity and even enhancing the air quality of major cities almost 10,000km apart.

Samdanjigmed Tulganyam, who is superintendent, Biodiversity at Oyu Tolgoi, stresses the mine's long-term commitment to drive significant improvements in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health in the South Gobi, as part of its multilateral financing requirements. Oyu Tolgoi is also committed to driving positive outcomes for herders

The "positive outcomes for herders" are not clear?

Supply chain transparency is at the heart of how Rio Tinto operates, from mine to market. And in Mongolia, we're extending our approach to help support a supply chain on which large numbers of local community members depend the luxury cashmere market.