Dive Brief:
- The Sustainable Apparel Coalition launched a Manufacturer Climate Action Program, according to a press release sent to sister publication Fashion Dive.
- The program, announced at the SAC annual meeting in September, was created in collaboration with Nike and Target Corporation. It’s part of a larger Decarbonization Program and is intended to drive apparel manufacturers toward an overall reduction of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions, per the release.
- Part of the SAC’s larger strategic plan includes a commitment to “a minimum 45% reduction of GHG emissions by 2030.”
Dive Insight:
The SAC is a coalition of more than 280 global retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics and nonprofit affiliates. Its MCAP seeks to help manufacturers begin decarbonizing by “providing an intermediate pathway for them to measure carbon emissions and develop science-aligned targets” for emissions reduction.
“At our size and scale, we have a responsibility to drive impact,” Noel Kinder, chief sustainability officer at Nike said in the release. “With a challenge like climate change, we know we can’t do it alone. NIKE’s SCAP was designed to help suppliers take a leadership role in addressing their climate risk. Working with SAC and Target to develop the MCAP program is the next step in scaling impact across NIKE’s supply chain and the industry.”
The MCAP specifically targets Scope 1 and 2 emissions, because that’s where manufacturers have the most control, per the release. It does not address Scope 3, because the SAC stated in its release that this category can “often create a barrier for manufacturers taking steps toward setting science-aligned targets.”
“Through our Decarbonization Program, we co-create solutions and foster collaborations necessary for systemic change within global supply chains, recognizing that addressing this challenge requires that no single entity can tackle this challenge alone,” Joyce Tsoi, SAC’s director of collective action programs, said in the release. “By partnering with industry leaders and offering scalable solutions, we can empower our industry to confront emission reductions and instigate the change we need to support low-carbon transition.”
The newly-announced MCAP is designed to help manufacturers reduce energy use, save money, and “meet the business expectations of their customers,” per the release. It endeavors to help manufacturers set CO2 reduction goals while providing guidance and training. Additionally, the program stresses accountability by asking producers to disclose their progress annually and share their findings publicly.
“We understand the importance of transparent disclosure of performance and progress against sustainability goals, activities, and commitments,” Tsoi said in an email to Fashion Dive. Similar to the better known Paris Climate Agreement, this fashion-industry specific initiative to substantially curb CO2 emissions needs the active participation of every facet of the manufacturing process.
The SAC is currently gauging interest of its members in MCAP and plans to begin implementing the program in 2024. Progress of the program will be tracked and made publicly available on the SAC website, where member and industry level performance will be tracked and posted.
