About

“If you don’t wear garbage, you are wearing a barrel of oil,” Simone Colombo, Head of Corporate Sustainability, OVS.  

With that quote, Colombo described the challenges of the textile industries shift to a circular economy from consumer perception of recycled garments to the lack of scalable technology that addresses the whole supply chain from start to finish. OVS was one of the first brands to sign on to P4G Partnership Circular Fashion Partnership (CFP). CFP works with brands, manufacturers and recyclers to capture textile waste from the production of ready-made garments back into the production of new fashion products.  

On March 10, P4G’s Director of Strategy and Engagement, Leila Yim Surratt, spoke at a webinar “Sustainable Textiles: Building back better and greener – financial tools & alternative business models,” in which panelists underscored the need for a paradigm shift in the textiles industry through partnerships for a green, equitable transition. The Consul General of Denmark in New York, Ambassador Berit Basse, and Danish Climate Ambassador Tomas Christensen opened the session by highlighting Denmark’s push for a sustainable textile industry through innovative public-private partnerships and trade models. 

The discussion centered on the sector’s challenges to reduce pollution and waste, especially as COVID-19 has constrained financial resources. Panelists advocated for a multi-tiered approach to greening the industry throughout the supply chain. Transformative change requires biological solutions to decrease waste and pollution during production, such as Novozymes’ GeoTowels project which eliminates harsh chemicals using a new enzymatic process that avoids wastewater pollution and reduces energy use. The industry must also pursue financial stimulus to protect workers, and the right messaging to encourage consumers to recycle garments.  

Yim Surratt highlighted that no one actor can tackle this crisis alone, reinforcing the need for effective partnerships that truly engage industry leaders. P4G’s approach, exemplified by the Circular Fashion Partnership and Sustainable Future for Textile Factories, enables a more resilient textiles ecosystem whereby innovative partnerships deliver environmental sustainability and economic progress. The webinar underscored P4G’s key role as leading a collaborative approach that will transform the industry.  

The webinar was co-hosted by the Danish Consulate in New York, the Tishman Environment and Design Center at the New School, and The Trade Council.  

You can watch the full session here.

About

Global campaigns like the Race to Zero are “well suited to the menu of activities that P4G supports” – Dominic Waughray, Managing Director, Center for Global Public Goods, World Economic Forum

“P4G fills a gap in bridging the government agenda and private sector activities” – Arifin Rudiyanto, Deputy Minister for Maritime and Natural Resources Affairs, Ministry of National Development Planning, Indonesia

These and other observations shared by P4G Board members at the March 16th Board meeting crystallized the role that P4G plays as a global delivery mechanism for the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, and Building Back Better.

Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Flemming Møller Mortensen began the meeting by sharing the need for focused and unified efforts from P4G’s network to reach the Paris Agreement goals and highlighted the upcoming 2021 P4G Seoul Summit as an important stepping stone to achieve more aggressive climate ambitions ahead of COP26. This sentiment was echoed by Ambassador for Climate Change Yeonchul Yoo of the Republic of Korea, who shared the Summit theme of an “Inclusive Green Recovery Towards Carbon Neutrality” and the commitment it signaled to supporting vulnerable countries, leveraging the opportunity to Building Back Better, and building a strong foundation to meet long-term climate goals.

P4G Board members and designated representatives from Chile, Mexico and Ethiopia called out their national climate priorities and acknowledged P4G’s value in accelerating innovative solutions to advance their agendas. Minister Juan Carlos Jobet of Chile stated his country’s ambition of being among the top 3 producers of green hydrogen and its derivates by 2040 and how Chile can drive collaboration with the P4G ecosystem to reach this goal. Commissioner Fekadu Beyene of Ethiopia highlighted the strong alignment between P4G’s partnerships in Ethiopia and the country’s National Development Plan and how P4G directly supports Ethiopia’s growth and sustainability priorities.

There was consensus among the private sector Board members of P4G’s role as a catalyst for innovation where Julia Prescot, co-founder of Meridiam, shared the need for a conduit where money from the private sector can flow to solutions and called P4G, “A gatherer of private sector money” that scales a small idea into a much greater one.

Karin Finkelston, Vice President of Partnerships, Communication, and Outreach at IFC stated, “P4G plays an interesting and needed role in this upstream work on the policy reforms needed at the country level that will allow the private sector to come in.” 

Dominic Waughray from the World Economic Forum shared the collaboration opportunities P4G provides for a clean energy transition between WEF and country partners like Denmark, Colombia and Indonesia. He also spoke about the potential for creating an arc of impact from the P4G Summit to the WEF Annual Meeting all the way to COP26 and beyond.

P4G Global Director, Ian de Cruz, expressed gratitude for the network’s support in integrating P4G across global campaigns and initiatives and solidifying P4G’s place in the global agenda. De Cruz noted, “Your input is vital to P4G’s approach of improving throughout P4G’s learning journey.”

Danish Climate Ambassador Tomas Anker Christensen wrapped up the meeting speaking about the needed disruptive approach that P4G brings to advancing partnerships, and how it was charting the way forward for a new way of collaboration.

In the rallying words of Minister Jobet, "Now is the time to be bold, be committed, and to act."

P4G is ready and delivering.

About

On February 15, P4G Partnership Energise Africa met with the Renewable Energy Working Group at Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) to discuss areas of collaboration with the association’s members and network. KEPSA is the co-chair of the P4G National Platform in Kenya. The meeting between Energise Africa and KEPSA’s Renewable Energy Working Group provided an opportunity for the partnership to identify more solar and renewable energy businesses in Kenya that need capital for growth and to raise awareness of crowdfunding for working capital. Different sector participants reflected on the diversified values of Energise Africa’s applications to clean energy sectors in Kenya including mini-grid and biofuels.

Facilitated by the Energy Board Chair Engineer James Mwangi, this meeting was a follow-up from P4G’s initial introduction between Energise Africa and KEPSA’s Energy and Extractives Sector Board in November 2020.

Energise Africa is an impact investing platform for everyday people which enables individuals to invest from just £50 in bonds issued by solar businesses to support clean energy projects in Africa. The platform enables solar businesses in Africa and other emerging markets to raise funds to bring clean energy to millions of households and small businesses across the sub-Saharan region. 

P4G Regional Manager Anteneh Gelaw and P4G Director of Partnerships Robyn McGuckin shared P4G’s approach of delivering concrete solutions through partnerships like Energise Africa and P4G’s role in accelerating green growth in Africa.

Energise Africa Program Manager Isona Shibata and Lendahand Senior Investment Manager Daniël van Maanen presented the benefits of raising finance through the investment platform. Clean, affordable energy is fundamental to Kenya’s Vision 2030 and to achieve this Kenya needs to overcome barriers like the high cost of grid electricity is hampering growth and low private sector investments into clean energy. Energise Africa shared its solution of providing affordable working capital to solar companies in Kenya. This improves the access to clean energy by Kenyan households and businesses while addressing the challenge of high up-front costs.

Energise Africa also shared that it could provide Kenya businesses between £500,000 - £5 million in financing with flexible lending criteria. The platform has already raised over £8 million for Kenyan businesses, improved electricity access for more than 42,000 households, and mitigated more than 46,000 tons of annual CO2 emissions.

There was a consensus among a range of stakeholders from the Kenya Renewable Energy Association (KEREA) that the innovative approach of crowdfunding and blended finance can help address the financing gap and help mitigate the risks associated with investments.

Moving forward, Energise Africa will continue technical discussions with KEREA and further engage with individual businesses among KEREA members for solar business financing and for developing policy recommendations that would be valuable for energy access in Kenya.

Energise Africa aims to have over 300 companies raising finance on the platform by 2025, with a key focus for growth on commercial and industrial solar for productive use, supporting jobs and economic growth.

Please bear in mind that when investing via the Energise Africa platform your capital is at risk and returns are not guaranteed. Please see https://www.energiseafrica.com/risk for more information.

About

“P4G plays a strategic role by bringing all stakeholders together to deliver results for the Paris Climate Agreement and the SDGs in five key areas: food and agriculture, water, energy, cities and circular economy.” With those remarks Suharso Monoarfa, Minister of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS), Indonesia, kicked off a substantive discussion at a P4G Pre-Summit event focused on accelerating innovative P4G partnerships to achieve Indonesia’s national development and climate ambitions.

The stakes are high for Indonesia. It’s looking at kickstarting a post pandemic economic revival rooted in sustainable principles while juggling a growing population exerting increasing demands on the country’s natural resources.

By highlighting innovative business and finance models like the Getting to Zero Coalition, Women’s Livelihood Bond, Siklus and FLAWLESS, the event showed the alignment of P4G’s partnerships and portfolios with Indonesia’s key national priorities such as a renewable energy transition, plastic waste management, and reducing food loss and waste.

Speakers like Dr. Yahya Rachmana Hidayat, Director for Energy, Resources, Mineral and Mining, Bappenas, shared that for Indonesia to meet its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 it needed to mobilize US $96 – $325 billion over the next 10 years from non-government stakeholders. Shinta Kamdani, CEO of Sintesa Group and private sector co-chair of the P4G Indonesia National Platform also reinforced the need for investment to help Indonesia meet its renewable energy needs and ambitious climate emissions targets.

Both speakers acknowledged the value of P4G’s approach of mobilizing investments into partnerships and portfolios and the role the platform plays to help Indonesia achieve it green growth goals. This was also echoed by Sylvi Gani, Director of Financing and Investment at Indonesia’s infrastructure investment company PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI), who shared the benefits of a collaboration behind an institution like SMI and P4G to provide catalytic capital to models of change for infrastructure development.

The webinar featured ministers from Denmark and South Korea and was a strong illustration of how global cooperation driving multistakeholder partnerships were a pathway to a more inclusive and resilient future. From energy islands in Denmark to Korea’s leadership in electric batteries for an e-mobility transition and Indonesia’s ambitious plan to scale renewable energy development and build an electric vehicle value chain, there exists an opportunity for countries to scale and replicate transformative systems of change through the P4G ecosystem of countries and diverse stakeholders like the private sector, investors and civil society.

P4G was well represented by Global Director Ian de Cruz and Asia Regional Manager, Randy Rakhmadi, both of whom emphasized the distinguishing role of P4G as a global delivery mechanism for impact that delivers solutions on the ground by leveraging the best of partnerships and portfolios, and scaling and replicating them in developing countries.

On May 30 – 31 this year at the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit, P4G’s action-oriented alliance will gather to accelerate partnerships and portfolios that can deliver the tangible impact needed on the ground to realize global ambitions. As the Summit host, representatives from the Republic of Korea shared their commitment to bring global solidarity and strengthen cooperation. As Yeonchul Yoo, Ambassador for Climate Change, Republic of Korea and P4G Board Member succinctly framed it, “Multilateral efforts are essential and the only way out.”   

Almost 1000 participants attended the event which featured a range of distinguished speakers including

Jeoung Ae Han (Minister of Environment, Republic of Korea), Cherie Nursalim (P4G Board member and Vice Chairman Giti Group), Durreen Shahnaz (CEO Impact Investment Exchange), Kasper Søgaard (Head of Research, Global Maritime Forum), Ardi Stoios-Braken (Deputy Ambassador, Kingdom of Netherlands to Indonesia), Byung-ki Cheong (President, Green Technology Center), Sylvi Gani (Director of Financing and Investment, SMI), Tri Mumpuni (P4G National Platform Co-chair and Director IBEKA), Dr. Arifin Rudiyanto (Deputy Minister for Maritime and Natural Resources Affairs), Lars Bo Larsen (Ambassador of Denmark to Indonesia), Tae-sung Park (Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia).

Lea Wermelin, Minister of Environment, Denmark, captured the spirit of hope and determination expressed by all the speakers through her remarks, “The Corona pandemic has changed the world, but it hasn’t changed our ambitions, it hasn’t made us question our motivation or stopped our green momentum.”

The Pre-Summit event was hosted by Bappenas, the Embassies of the Republic of Korea and Denmark in Indonesia, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and P4G. The 2021 P4G Seoul Summit will be held May 30-31, 2021.

Watch the full discussion here: http://ow.ly/EFnQ50DHtsU

About

Over 30 renowned fashion brands, manufacturers and recyclers are collaborating in a new initiative to capture and reuse textile waste in Bangladesh

February 10, 2021 - Global Fashion Agenda today announced the participants of the Circular Fashion Partnership, including the global brands Bershka, Bestseller, C&A, Gina Tricot, Grey State, H&M Group, Kmart Australia, Marks & Spencer, OVS, Pull & Bear, Peak Performance and Target Australia. The Circular Fashion Partnership is a cross-sectorial project led by Global Fashion Agenda, with partners Reverse Resources, The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and P4G, that aims to achieve a long-term, scalable transition to a circular fashion system.

The partnership facilitates circular commercial collaborations between major fashion brands, textile and garment manufacturers, and recyclers to develop and implement new systems to capture and direct post-production fashion waste back into the production of new fashion products. In addition, the partnership seeks to find solutions for the COVID-19 related pile-up of deadstock and to engage regulators and investors around the current barriers and economic opportunities in the country.

Participating brands, garment manufacturers and recyclers include:

• Brands: Bershka, Bestseller, C&A, Gina Tricot, Grey State, H&M Group, Kmart Australia, Marks & Spencer, OVS, Pull & Bear, Peak Performance and Target Australia
• Manufacturers: Amantex, Asrotex Group, Auko-tex Group, Aurum Sweaters, Beximco, Bitopi Group (Tarasima), Composite Knitting Industry Ltd., Crystal International Group Limited, Echotex, , Fakir Knitwear, GSM, J.M. Fabrics, Knit Asia, MAS Intimates, Ratul Group (Knitwear & Fabric), Salek Textiles, S. B Knite Composite (Sankura Dyeing and Garments) and the Northern Group
• Recyclers: Birla Cellulose, BlockTexx, Cyclo, Infinited Fiber Company, Malek Spinning Mills, Marchi & Fildi Spa, Lenzing AG, Recovertex, Renewcell, Saraz Fibre Tech, Usha Yarns Limited and Worn Again Technologies

The partnership is still welcoming new applicants; companies can get in touch here.

Through collaboration among the participants, the partnership aims to build a successful business model for adopting more circular processes. It plans to facilitate a decrease in textile waste and increase the use of recycled fibres, distributing value throughout the fashion value cycle and generating economic benefits in Bangladesh by accelerating the fiber recycling market.  

The initiative is focusing on Bangladesh as it arguably possesses the most in-demand and recyclable waste of any garment producing country, but the majority of its waste is currently being exported and/or downcycled. Therefore, there is a substantial opportunity to make it a leader in circularity by scaling the recycling capacity in the country and generating more value from these waste streams. Following the hardships in the country generated by COVID-19, this approach also aims build industry resilience for the future.

The business model and project learnings will be presented at the end of 2021 in a ‘Circularity Playbook for Bangladesh’, which will be used as a guide to replicate the partnership in other countries, such as Vietnam and Indonesia.

Morten Lehmann, CSO, Global Fashion Agenda, says; “To establish a circular fashion system we need to reimagine the production process so that it appreciates the value of textile waste. It is encouraging to see so many prestigious companies sign up to the Circular Fashion Partnership and, with their help, I am confident that we can demonstrate a strong business model for circularity that can be mirrored by others in the future.”

Miran Ali, Director, BGMEA, says; “Circular economy is not merely just a concept; it is the future! Fashion industry is historically following the linear model of business “take-make-dispose” but now we stand at such a critical juncture where we cannot afford to continue this linear model. Moreover, demand for circular apparel is increasing and brands are coming with pledges towards it, so as manufacturers we have to embrace it and align ourselves with the global trend. Bangladeshi factories typically produce larger volumes of the same item, meaning that waste is more standardized; therefore, Bangladesh can be a global leader in the area of circular economy. We believe CFP is a good platform to start the journey."

Ann Runnel, CEO, Reverse Resources, says; “Brands are making strong commitments and targets towards circularity however, there are not many scalable options for circulating and handling waste. In this project we turn our attention to practical solutions that many best recycling technologies face when sourcing textile waste and use traceability as a tool to help them lower costs and increase the quality of the waste they source. Post-production waste is currently the low hanging fruit for supporting this emerging recycling industry to start closing the loop at scale, whilst we prepare for the even greater challenge of circulating post-consumer waste.”

Leila Yim Surratt, Director of Strategy and Engagement, P4G, says; “The Circular Fashion Partnership is an excellent example of how P4G’s dynamic network in Bangladesh and action-oriented global ecosystem can work together to deliver transformative impact in an industry that is critical to Bangladesh’s economic recovery. We look forward to unlocking the investment potential of this partnership and providing opportunities to share Bangladesh’s leadership with other P4G country partners like Vietnam and Indonesia.”    

Find out more about the Circular Fashion Partnership.

For media inquiries contact: 

Sangeetha Sarma, Head of Communications, P4G, Sangeetha.sarma@p4gpartnerships.org

Alice Roberta Taylor, Senior Communications & PR Manager, Global Fashion Agenda, alice@globalfashionagenda.com

About Global Fashion Agenda

Global Fashion Agenda is the leading forum for industry collaboration and public-private cooperation on fashion sustainability. Our mission is to make sustainability fashion’s first priority, and to mobilise and guide the fashion industry to take bold and urgent action on sustainability.

In partnership with our Strategic Partners, ASOS, BESTSELLER, H&M Group, Kering, Li & Fung, Nike, PVH Corp., Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and Target, our Strategic Knowledge Partner, McKinsey & Company, and our Strategic Communication Partner, Karla Otto, we spearhead the fashion industry’s journey towards a more sustainable future. A non-profit organisation, Global Fashion Agenda is behind yearly guidelines, reports, the leading business event on sustainability in fashion, Copenhagen Fashion Summit, the digital event CFS+ and the Innovation Forum – a curated platform that showcases solution providers.

About P4G: Pioneering Partnerships, Investing in Impact  

P4G – Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 - is a global platform accelerating market-based partnerships to build sustainable and resilient economies. P4G bridges the gap between development and investment agendas to deliver inclusive, transformative solutions to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. P4G mobilizes a global ecosystem of 12 partner countries and 6 organizational partners to unlock opportunities for 50+ partnerships working in five SDG areas: food and agriculture, water, energy, cities and circular economy.