The Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry (ASBCI) has unveiled more speakers for its upcoming conference on sustainability and ethics in the fashion supply chain – including Paul Smith, head of product quality and supply base at Missguided; Carly Bilsbrough, global responsible sourcing manager at Shop Direct; and Andrew Morgan, head of sustainability at Coats.
The event, ‘Time for change – facing up to fashion’s sustainability and ethical challenges,’ aims to find “practical solutions to difficult problems” and will look to answer whose responsibility it is for cleaning up the industry.
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The conference takes place against the backdrop of the UK Government’s enquiry into fast fashion and will examine how brands can continue to meet spiralling consumer demand while operating in a sustainable and ethical manner. Industry experts will look at how brands and retailers can make sustainability pay so that doing the right thing benefits their bottom line as well as people and the planet.
In a departure from the traditional presentation format, the keynote slot at the event will see two of the industry’s leading experts sit down for an unscripted on-stage discussion about the challenges facing fashion amid increasing pressure for environmental and social responsibility. The session will see journalist and author Colin McDowell, who is best known for his role as chief fashion writer for The Sunday Times, questioned by environmental, social and governance expert Michael Spenley about how the fashion industry can and must commit to advancing the sustainability agenda.
Building on this theme, Missguided’s Smith will focus on how to empower young women to look and feel confident in a way that is sustainable for the generations that follow. Smith will discuss why the UK’s consumption of fashion is the highest in Europe and what this means. His presentation will also address the difficult question of who is responsible for delivering sustainability in fashion: the industry or the consumers it serves?
Meanwhile, Coats’ Andrew Morgan – who recently led the company’s launch of its first sustainability report and new sustainability strategy – will talk about pioneering a sustainable future for the industry.
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By GlobalDataAnd Shop Direct’s Bilsbrough will tell delegates how the retailer is addressing the issue of poor employment practices and working conditions in textile mills in southern India. She will outline how Shop Direct is working to enhance recruitment practices in Tamil Nadu through partnerships and community engagement, and how it plans to build on these foundations.
The conference will take place at the Renaissance Manchester City Centre Hotel on Wednesday 8 May. More details are available on the ASBCI website.
