PRESS RELEASE: September 30, 2014, Toronto ON – Fashion Takes Action (FTA) presents the World Ethical Apparel Roundtable (WEAR) set to take place on November 3 & 4, 2014 at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto. This is the first time a conference of this kind has been held in Canada, bringing together local and international thought leaders from across the apparel supply chain to collaborate and explore new benchmarks in social and environmental sustainability.
The two-day conference will focus on the many challenges AND solutions facing the fashion industry today as it relates to water, waste, toxic chemicals, labour and carbon. WEAR will consist of keynotes, industry panel discussions, and networking sessions. Speakers hail from organizations such as H&M, Gildan, Workers United, SHARE, Eileen Fisher, Me to We Style, Made in a Free World, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Ethical Profiling, Responsible Sourcing Network and more. The three keynote speakers are Ian Spaulding of Elevate Global Limited, Tom Smith of SEDEX Global and Connie Ulasewicz of San Francisco State University.
This first time conference for Canada is geared toward anyone working in apparel – designers, buyers, retailers, suppliers, as well as communications professionals, NGOs and academics. It is not exclusive to those already engaged in ethical business practices, but rather FTA organizers hope to see greater attendance from Canadian companies who are curious or have just started to engage in CSR practices.
“There is an industry shift underway in our understanding of ethical practices, sustainability and the fair treatment of industry workers” states Michael Lavergne of Fashion Takes Action, “and gaining a better understanding of leading international practices is what this event is all about.”
Topics covered include:
- Creating Shared Value & Profitability Through Sustainable Business Practices
- The Evolution of Social Standards & Systems; Navigating Change
- Make Fair, Buy Fair; Responsible Supply Chain Practices from Design through Delivery
- Supply Chain Transparency; Tools and Trends in Visibility & Risk Management
- Innovation, Impact & Perception: Telling New Stories
For the full schedule and speaker bios, visit http://www.wear2014.com