Ferragamo continues its sustainability efforts. Image credit: Ferragamo
Italian fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo is being recognized for its commitment to social responsibility with a new certification as the label continues to highlight sustainability.
Ferragamo’s Italian operations, including its headquarters and stores in the country, have received SA8000 social accountability certification for successfully having standards that respect workers’ rights. The fashion label has increasingly placed corporate responsibility at the center of its growth strategy.
“In line with our Code of Ethics and Sustainability Policy, SA8000 certification confirms our commitment to upholding the highest standards of ethics and sustainable business development,” said Ferruccio Ferragamo, president of Salvatore Ferragamo, in a statement. “This an important milestone and one that demonstrates our commitment to ethics after having developed corporate social responsibility practices.
“Compliance with the SA8000 standard means considering the social impact of our business, in addition to the conditions in which our employees, partners and suppliers operate,” he said.
Responsible achievements
In addition to earning a SA8000 certification, Ferragamo also announced the expansion of its ISO 14064 certification to all its Italian operations. This standard requires the label to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of its business to certify its carbon footprint.
Even outside of Italy, Ferragamo has given its boutiques environmentally-friendly updates. The brand’s updated China World Mall global flagship store in Beijing is LEED certified and incorporates green features such as LED lights (see story).
Exterior of Ferragamo's Beijing boutique at China World. Image courtesy of Ferragamo
Ferragamo created its first Sustainability Plan in 2017. Based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the company's own internal objectives, the plan is a formal representation of the group’s values.
The six key objectives of the plan revolve around supporting the health of women and children, investing in education for future fashion talents, backing local culture and providing professional development for its employees (see story).
More recently, Salvatore Ferragamo joined other luxury labels including Kering, Capri Holdings and Chanel to tackle environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity restoration and ocean protection, seeking to scale up their individual efforts with common objectives.
Launched during the G7, members of the Fashion Pact will focus on their raw material sourcing, a factor that companies often overlook in terms of environmental impact. Pact participants are also pledging to switch to entirely renewable energy by 2030, including across their supply chains and manufacturing (see story).