WHAT IS THE PULSE REPORT?
Introduction
In 2017, Global Fashion Agenda and BCG embarked on a partnership, along with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (“SAC”), to deliver the Pulse Report, a qualitative and quantitative report of the sustainability performance of the global fashion Industry.
The publication provided a comprehensive data-based report in the form of an annual assessment of the industry’s environmental and social performance. Drawing on the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index, the annual report revealed the industry’s Pulse Score, a performance measure of the sector by type of company, size, region and sustainability impacts.
The organisations are proud to have co-created such a valuable and agenda-setting publication that has brought about much needed action to increase the sustainability performance of the fashion industry. The time is right to seek out new constellations and initiatives that fit the new reality our industry faces, as we can continue to push the sustainability agenda forward.
Pulse of the fashion industry 2019
Published by Global Fashion Agenda
In partnership with BCG and SAC
Taking the Final Pulse of the Fashion Industry
The Pulse Report was co-developed with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a global management consulting firm and one of the world’s leading advisor on business strategy, and Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), the coalition that has developed the Higg Index, a suite of tools that standardises value chain sustainability measurement for all industry participants.
SUMMARY
The 2019 Pulse Score, the final pulse taken, shows that the fashion industry has improved its social and environmental performance since 2018 —and at a slower rate than the previous year. Despite this improvement, the fashion industry remains far from sustainable.
Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that fashion companies are not implementing sustainable solutions fast enough to counterbalance increasing negative environmental and social impacts of the rapidly growing fashion industry. If the Pulse Score stays on its current trajectory, the gap between industry output and the Pulse Score will only widen.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Pulse Score: 42
Pulse of the fashion industry 2018
Published by Global Fashion Agenda
In partnership with BCG and SAC
Taking the pulse of the fashion industry
According to the Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2018 report, the industry’s performance remains weak. The Pulse Score is 38 out of 100. In the past year, it improved by six points.
The Pulse Survey, which covers the perspectives of decision-makers from all industry segments, confirms that the sustainability agenda became increasingly prominent in shaping the corporate agenda.
Of the executives polled, 52% reported that sustainability targets provided guidance for almost every strategic decision they made—an increase of 18 percentage points from last year. While encouraging, these results also indicate the need for still more movement toward increasingly responsible practices.
Pulse Score: 38
Pulse of the fashion industry 2017
Published by Global Fashion Agenda
In partnership with BCG and SAC
SUMMARY
As of today, the sustainability ‘pulse’ of the industry remains weak at 32 out of 100. The industry still lags behind in where it could and should be. When it comes to sustainability, the best performers consist of mainly large players and several mid-sized, family owned companies.
Over half of the market, mainly small to medium-sized players has shown little initiative towards making the sustainability transition. The rest of the industry is situated somewhere in the middle.
This data is confirmed by the Pulse Survey, which found that two-thirds of polled fashion executives have not made environmental and social factors guiding principles for their companies’ strategy.
Global Fashion Agenda’s statement regarding material comparisons (February 2021):
“The Pulse of the Fashion Industry 2017 Report explores alternative business models for how clothes could be made, distributed and consumed based on a proposed ‘landscape for change’ including 40 possible ways to increase industry sustainability performance. We looked at materials including cotton and polyester and chose to highlight the intrinsic dilemmas that need to be considered for every material choice. The report aims to inform its readers about both the opportunities and the ramifications of substituting conventional cotton. As stated in the report “the proposed landscape is a first attempt to sketch out the spectrum of options available. It is meant to invite further input and rich discussions during the coming year.” Similar to this, the Pulse report also quantified a number of initiatives to help demonstrate the possible value to be captured if the industry would start to act immediately on selected topics. The examples used under each change lever served an illustrative purpose and were not straightforward recommendations as such.”
Pulse score: 32
