As 2020 begins to draw to close, fashion companies, organizations and non-profits are taking the opportunity to lay out sustainability plans and roadmaps for 2030, 2040 and beyond.
Yoox Net-a-Porter Group joined them Wednesday, publishing a 10-year sustainability plan inspired by the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Yoox Net-a-Porter Group divided its Infinity plan into four focus areas: circular business, circular culture, planet positive and people positive. Each focus offers three commitments—these include “build an inclusive world” and “become climate positive” for example—that the company has expanded on by listing one to four “first initiatives.”
“Infinity underpins a deep-rooted transformation toward a more sustainable and inclusive future, building on our dedication for over a decade, driven by our chairman and CEO Federico Marchetti, to champion incredible brands leading the way in sustainability, and to draw on our skills in technology, innovation, editorial and curation,” Giorgia Roversi, director of sustainability and inclusion at Yoox Net-a-Porter Group, said.
Among other things, the Infinity plan calls for the luxury e-commerce company to begin piloting and marketing resale schemes across its platforms starting next year. By 2025, Yoox-Net-a-Porter plans to establish longer-term programs across all four of its online stores. The company also said it will design and launch care and repair pilots in Milan, London and New York starting next year, with the full launch slated for 2023.
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The company additionally is aiming to become a zero-waste business by ensuring that 100 percent of its operational waste is reused, recycled or composted by 2023. To get to that point, its plan calls for advancing the company’s sustainable packaging program and conducting an advanced assessment of its waste management in 2021.
Looking further, the Infinity plan calls for the online retailer to become “climate positive” across its operations and private label value chain by 2030. In the near future, Yoox Net-a-Porter said it will work to reach that larger goal by consulting with its owner the Richemont Group to set a science-based emission reduction target, completely switching to 100 percent renewable power for all owned and operated facilities by the end of this year and expanding its current carbon emissions compensation program.
The Infinity plan also includes several initiatives related to Yoox Net-a-Porter’s social impact. This includes giving all part- and full-time employees two volunteer days per year, encouraging suppliers and brand partners to share data that tracks diversity throughout its supply chain, launching a new equity and diversity policy by the end of 2020, introducing mandatory inclusion-training modules for all employees by the end of the year and training all marketing and communication teams on new marketing and editorial framework to ensure the company’s content reflects a diverse society.
“Collaboration will be crucial, as lasting impact must be achieved by working together,” Roversi continued. “Only by sharing what works—and what doesn’t—and by constantly strengthening our commitments will we be able to instill real change. All 12 Infinity commitments are underpinned by pilots and initiatives that will allow us to share learnings, tools, and information to inspire and enable our colleagues and brand partners, as we work to bring luxury and fashion into balance with our planet.”