Sustainability in every strategic decision – Kappahl publishes its 2021 sustainability report today

Kappahl is publishing its 2021 sustainability report today. It sets out a new climate change strategy, a new code of conduct and new collaborations that clearly demonstrate its serious commitment to sustainability.

“During the year, we brought Sandra Roos, Vice President Sustainability, into Kappahl’s Group Management team. With Sandra present, we can now incorporate sustainability considerations into all strategic decisions at an early stage,” says Kappahl’s CEO Elisabeth Peregi. 

“Placing my role in the management team enables us to progress more quickly on our sustainability journey. Sustainability is not something that is added afterwards. During the decision-making process, we can ascertain alignment of decisions with our business concept of offering affordable and responsible fashion,” Sandra Roos says.

Being a fashion chain that acts in a sustainable and responsible manner requires adaptation. Kappahl has therefore produced a climate change strategy with the aim of achieving growth while at the same time cutting its carbon footprint in half by 2030. It covers the entire chain, from the design stage through production to the user phase. It includes switching to renewable energy in production processes, offering circular, sustainable solutions, and choosing markets for which air freight is not required.

“Kappahl will both grow and be aligned with the Paris Agreement climate goals. We will achieve our financial growth targets and our carbon emissions will decrease each year. It is therefore pleasing that we achieved a record sales performance and a reduction in emissions in 2021,” Sandra Roos says.

It is important to focus on the whole life cycle of the garment, from production to end-of-life recycling.

“Looking ahead, successful companies will also have to be sustainable. We need to have a profitable business model, with fewer garments in circulation, and be able to offer longer lasting clothing with circular, sustainable solutions,” says Elisabeth Peregi.

In 2021, Kappahl launched initiatives with both Hyber for Newbie and Hack Your Closet for women’s clothing, aimed at maximising the life of garments that already exist. Their business concept is to increase the life cycle of garments by renting them out.

Kappahl also revised its code of conduct, Sustainability Commitment, in 2021. The responsibilities and obligations of the entire supply chain under the code are to ensure that human rights are respected and that climate change issues are considered at every stage. This applies to Kappahl, its suppliers and their subcontractors.

“Our code is designed to engage our suppliers to feel driven by our commitment to create long-term relationships and act with fairness and integrity towards one another as business partners,” says Sandra Roos.

During the year, Kappahl signed The International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, which requires companies to take responsibility for the conditions of garment workers and only to work with approved factories.

The sustainability report is available on Kappahl's website.