Global Fashion Agenda unveils 15-year strategy for net positive fashion by 2050

Marking the 15th anniversary of the pioneering Global Fashion Summit, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) has unveiled a special edition of its Fashion CEO Agenda, a strategic guide designed to help fashion organizations achieve a net positive impact by 2050. Aligned with the 2024 Global Fashion Summit theme, ‘Unlocking the Next Level,’ this year’s agenda outlines five key opportunities for fashion executives to drive transformative change for both people and the planet.

Since the Global Fashion Summit’s inception in 2009, sustainability has transitioned from a niche issue to a central concern in the fashion industry, spurring significant advancements. However, the urgent challenges of global warming and rising clothing production demand immediate, unified action from industry leaders. The 2024 Fashion CEO Agenda seeks to facilitate this by identifying five crucial areas for impact: Operationalising Sustainability, Redefining Growth, Activating Consumers, Prioritising People, and Mobilising Based on Materiality.

Scaling efforts to foster transformation

This edition, distinct from its predecessors, emphasizes challenging established norms and scaling efforts to foster substantial industry transformation. It draws from five key priorities: creating respectful and secure work environments, implementing better wage systems, practicing resource stewardship, making smart material choices, and developing circular systems. The agenda serves as an inflection point for brands, retailers, and producers, urging them to uphold workers’ rights, promote diversity, redefine success metrics, and reshape growth paradigms for profound societal and environmental impact.

Federica Marchionni, CEO of GFA, articulates the agenda’s vision: “The Fashion CEO Agenda 2024 is designed to help leaders shift their mindset, offering clear strategies to embrace future challenges and secure their operations. I urge leaders to collaborate with cross-functional teams, employing empathy and a values-based approach that prioritizes both the planet and people’s well-being. This approach not only ensures business longevity but also yields positive global impacts.”

GFA’s events, impact programs, and thought leadership publications continue to gather industry innovators, share practical case studies, and disseminate best practices. Stakeholders are encouraged to leverage these resources, advancing towards sophisticated, holistic, and human-centric solutions to unlock the next level of transformation across the fashion value chain.