Burberry lays out new biodiversity strategy at COP26 in Glasgow

Luxury fashion brand Burberry has launched a new biodiversity plan at COP26 in Glasgow, as part of the company’s commitment to becoming climate positive by 2040.

The British heritage brand said in a statement that it will take steps to “protect, restore, and regenerate nature” and expand the scope of its current initiatives by using a nature-based approach in its own value chain and in areas of greatest need outside of its operations to help slow further global warming as part of the transition to the 1.5°C pathway set out in the Paris Agreement.

The biodiversity strategy will be focused on three areas: protecting and restoring nature within and beyond Burberry’s own value chain through projects supported by the Burberry Regeneration Fund, expanding support for farming communities by intensifying existing efforts around farm-level certifications and training where Burberry sources raw materials, and developing regenerative supply chains, using regenerative and holistic land management practices to grazing or farming systems.

By 2022, the company plans to lessen its environmental effect by procuring more sustainable, recycled, or certified fabrics. Burberry teamed up with The Biodiversity Consultancy this year to identify its most environmentally damaging materials – leather, cashmere, and wool – and account for the company’s carbon footprint.

Besides establishing the Regeneration Fund in 2020, Burberry has also become the first luxury brand to join the LEAF Coalition, which will become the world’s largest public-private initiative delivering results-based finance to countries committed to making aggressive reductions in tropical deforestation, with an investment.

Dr. Gerry Murphy, Chair of Burberry, said that climate change is not only a future environmental issue, but it’s also a socio-economic crisis that is affecting millions throughout the world today. Protecting, repairing, and regenerating nature is critical to ensuring the planet’s survival for future generations, therefore they must be bold in their goals and proactive in their approach. Burberry’s biodiversity policy will not only address impacts in their expanded operations but will also assist in the development of innovative solutions to decrease biodiversity loss in the world’s most vulnerable locations, thereby contributing to global conservation efforts.