H&M’s latest sustainability report reveals continuation of eco-efforts

Swedish fashion retailer H&M has issued its annual Sustainability Report for 2023 where it provided a yearly overview of the progress it has made towards related goals, for which its outlook has continued to remain positive.

In a release linked to the report, H&M Group’s head of sustainability, Leyla Ertur, said: “As the world faces significant social, environmental and economic challenges, continuing to deliver on our business idea of offering fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way and staying committed to our journey towards a more sustainable and circular fashion industry is more important than ever.

“Ambitious and concrete actions to reduce emissions and resource use must go hand in hand with contributing to a just transition for the millions who rely on the fashion industry for their livelihood. These are prerequisites for sustainable growth opportunities and for a continuously resilient business.”

Among the achievements outlined by the retail group, it was noted that it had seen a 22 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain and a 24 percent drop in its own operations from 2019. The company is currently aiming to reduce its absolute emissions by 56 percent across scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 2030.

In addition to this, it said that it has also integrated 85 percent recycled or sustainably sourced materials, bringing it closer to its goal for 100 percent of materials to be sourced in such a way by 2030.

In terms of plastic packaging, H&M reported a 55 percent reduction in its use from 2018, meaning that 79 percent of its packaging utilises recycled or sustainably sourced materials.