Fashion Retailer Farfetch Unveils 10-Year Sustainability Goals

Farfetch, a luxury fashion retailer, recently announced its new set of sustainability goals.

Dubbed the “Positively Farfetch” strategy, the list has been divided up into four key areas: Positively Cleaner, Positively Conscious, Positively Circular, and Positively Inclusive. 

According to the brand’s website, Positively Cleaner refers to their quest to be climate positive. Farfetch has dedicated itself to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030, based on three critical actions: offsetting unavoidable emissions, supporting their value chain to reduce carbon emissions across the board, and by reducing their own footprint in line with science-based targets, the latter of which they plan to do by achieving 100% renewable energy. As of April of this year, the brand already began offsetting all emissions generated by delivery and returns on their platform, which they claim to be one of the main contributors to the company’s overall carbon emissions.

Second, Positively Conscious involves the goal of selling 100% “conscious” products. This goal, also set for 2030, will see Farfetch earning revenue entirely from products that are independently certified as being ethical and environmentally friendly (meaning better for the people, the planet, and animals). Such certifications include organic, fair-trade, pre-owned, recycled, or upcycled. 

Positively Circular refers to the retailer’s journey to be more circular than they are linear. Their plan to reach this target is to sell more circular, low-waste products, as well as circular services like repair shops and recycling initiatives, to replace products made in traditional, wasteful ways. According to Farfetch’s Positively Farfetch outline, the brand will feel they have met their circular goals only when more than 50%  of the total number of items they sell or service meet the following criteria: they are pre-owned, made from recycled or upcycled materials, and have been re-sold, donated, repaired, or Farfetch has found another use for them.

The final component of Positively Farfetch is Positively Inclusive, which aims to make Farfetch a leader in “conscious inclusion.” To them, this means championing diversity and inclusion. However, they see this as their mission not only internally, in their company, but also externally, in the global fashion community.

Specific goals within Positively Inclusive include implementing a zero-tolerance culture against discrimination in all its forms, setting targets to achieve diverse representation at every level of their organization, rewarding all Farfetch employees fairly, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or ability, and investing in their career development and recruitment strategies to ensure all Farfetch employees can thrive, by addressing barriers and biases in the workplace.

The full Positively Farfetch strategy can be read here.