According to the "Fashion on Climate" study published in 2020, the fashion industry is responsible for 2.1 billion tons of CO2 emissions every year. This corresponds to 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute significantly to global warming. Even if it is not realistically possible to produce clothing without consuming resources and producing emissions, it is our responsibility to limit them. We are currently working on a new strategy to reduce our negative impact on the climate as much as possible and to reduce our carbon footprint along the supply chain.

Since 2020, we have been calculating our emissions in accordance with the GHG Protocol - an international standard for accounting greenhouse gas emissions in companies - and deriving our targets in collaboration with the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). Our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions are to be reduced by 70% by 2030. For Scope 3, the majority of our emissions, corresponding targets are also to be derived and implemented through valid data sets and even greater transparency along the supply chain.

In many parts of the world, water scarcity is a fundamental problem that is being exacerbated by climate change. According to the European Parliament, around 4% of global water is consumed annually in the textile and clothing industry processes. Polluted and insufficiently treated wastewater, as well as the introduction of microplastics, further exacerbate the situation. For Marc O'Polo, too, the issue of water as a central aspect of the value chain has high priority. In addition to a comprehensive water strategy, we are also continuing to expand our reduction measures.

In recent years, we have focused on assessing the water consumption of our supply chain partners, optimizing water-intensive manufacturing processes, reducing water consumption at our headquarters and introducing a wastewater management program in our supply chain. The last point offers the greatest potential for reduction. In order to gain insights into the quantity and origin of the water used, we have been using the Facility Environmental Module (FEM) of the Higg Index to record the consumption of our supply chain partners since 2021.

To minimize the risks of chemicals, we have established a comprehensive environmental and chemical management program in our supply chain. A significant part of our EMP is based on the Roadmap to Zero program of the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Foundation (ZDHC*). The aim is to eliminate and replace chemicals from the Marc O'Polo supply chain that are hazardous to health and the environment, to implement effective chemical management and to dispose of waste water appropriately.

The preservation and protection of well-functioning and healthy ecosystems is not only essential for our future, but also an important issue for Marc O'Polo. Whether natural materials such as cotton or animal fibers such as wool - nature and its resources are the basis of our products and the foundation of our business activities. At the same time, our greenhouse gas emissions and the overuse of natural resources, for example, have an impact on the existence of species and the integrity of biotopes. As part of our new sustainability strategy, we are therefore focusing on the topic of biodiversity. We are currently undergoing a biodiversity check with Global Nature Fund (GNF) to obtain an initial overview of our impact on biodiversity and potential risks and opportunities.

Waste is a key issue at almost every stage of our value chain. From offcuts and residual materials from our suppliers, to packaging waste from us and our customers, to used textiles at the end of the product life cycle. The conventional linear economic model follows the principle of "produce - use - throw away" and requires an enormous use of natural resources. The industry and we too are looking for an alternative - "circularity" is therefore becoming increasingly important in the textile and fashion industry.

In future, we will take further measures to gradually reduce the environmental impact of our waste streams. Specific targets will be developed as part of the new strategy. Waste management forms the basis for resource-efficient management and is based on the waste hierarchy. It represents a hierarchy of methods for treating waste and consists of five stages. 1. prevention 2. reuse 3. recycling 4. other recovery 5. disposal. The waste hierarchy promotes the prevention and minimization of waste at source and favors methods that have the least impact on the environment. Our overarching goal is to firmly anchor the next stage - the "circular economy" - in our new strategy.