UN Global Compact to launch fashion sector initiative

In a groundbreaking move the United Nations and NICE have agreed on the development of the first sector-specific initiative under the Global Compact, which will be launched on May 3rd 2012 in Denmark at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.

“As an industry facing serious and widely publicised social and environmental challenges, the fashion and textile industry is uniquely positioned to launch a sectoral initiative under the umbrella of the UN Global Compact,” said Georg Kell, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact. "We are very excited about this effort and lookforward to collaborating with NICE and its partners."

The strong coalition between the fashion industry (represented by the network organization Danish Fashion Institute with its Nordic partners) and the UN will enable one of the world’s largest industries to move towards a more sustainable future.

Eva Kruse, Chairman of the Nordic Fashion Association and CEO of the Danish Fashion Institute, said: ”We are very excited to be leading the process to develop a platform that can unite especially small and medium-sized fashion companies across borders globally to help tackle the challenges that our industry and planet faces. Fashion has historically had the capacity to affect the society as a whole, and therefore fashion is a great place to start building a new creative future aligned with the ecosystem we are all a part of. We look very much forward to engaging leading experts and leaders of international fashion companies in the work of creating a meaningful and ambitious tool for the global fashion industry.”

Further details of the new UN Global Compact & NICE Fashion Code will be available at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit May, which expects to attract between 800 – 1000 delegates.

The event, which majors on sustainability has already confirmed key speakers such as Rick Ridgeway, Chairman of Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Vice President of Environmental Initiatives, Patagonia; Helena Helmersson, Head of CSR, H&M; George Kell, Executive Director, UN Global Compact; and Galahad Clark, CEO, Terra Plana.