According to the United Nations, the fashion industry is responsible for an estimated 2-8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and is an economy key player contributing $2.4 trillion to global manufacturing and employing 300 million people worldwide. Responsive to this effect on the environment and society, the fashion industry is reshaping its business model to become more efficient and sustainable.

Founded in Barcelona in 1984 and currently present in over 115 markets, Mango, one of Europe’s leading fashion groups, sees sustainability as a journey the fashion industry has to make to achieve a more just society and to reduce its environmental and social impact. With design, creativity and technology at the centre of its business model, the company bases its strategy on constant innovation, the search for sustainability and a complete ecosystem of channels and partners.

Mango was pioneer establishing its sustainability department to commit to responsible production in 2002. Now, the company has launched Sustainable Vision 2030 as a cross-departmental core value of the company strategy and business model that influences decision making and the promotion of actions with the lowest environmental and social impact possible.

The roadmap is based on three key pillars. Firstly, the product and its design. By 2025, Mango aims that all cotton used will be more sustainable, that all polyester will be recycled and that 100% of cellulose fibers will be of controlled origin and traceable. From a design point of view, in the next few years Mango will increase designs that are easier to recycle, bearing in mind their composition and construction, as well as committing to durability or the efficient use of materials to avoid waste.

The second pillar of Mango’s new sustainability strategy focuses on implementing measures to reduce the company’s impact on the planet through four policies: climate change, water consumption, packaging and the strategy to protect biodiversity. Mango aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and reduce its total water impact by 25% by 2030.

Finally, the company’s commitment to people. Mango will focus its efforts in the coming years on continuing with its process of supplier auditing, traceability and transparency, in order to ensure that appropriate working conditions are fulfilled for workers in the factories the company works with throughout the world. By the end of 2022, Mango became the first Spanish major fashion company to publish a list of its tier 3 factories, related to suppliers of fabrics and trimmings, after being the first to publish the tier 1 and 2 list. In addition, the company will continue to implement numerous training projects principally focused on providing children and women access to education in countries such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, so that these become a lever of change for societies.

Mango is Associate Sponsor of Global Fashion Summit: Copenhagen Edition 2023.