River Island set out its ‘The Kind Society’ sustainability strategy

UK fashion retailer, River Island, has set out its new sustainability strategy, ‘The Kind Society,’ which comprises 12 commitments focusing on the “four Ps” – people, planet, principles and partners and aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To ensure that “everything River Island, from handbags to HQ, is kinder to the earth and people around us,” “The Kind Society” represents River Island’s overarching sustainable goal. It shares internal progress and commitments on its quest to become more sustainable.

River Island chief executive, Will Kernan, said that The Kind Society, by River Island, is their new project to share and explain the sustainability journey that they are on as a company. River Island’s core business has always been and always will be fashion, but they acknowledge that the sector needs serious reform. Their efforts to promote sustainability are guided by their conviction that the fashion industry can and should be a positive influence.

Kernan added that action is urgently needed, and we want to make it simple for their consumers to make decisions that are more environmentally friendly. As a high street shop, it is their duty to make the necessary adjustments so that sustainability may permeate their consumers’ daily lives.

The sustainability manifesto includes important pledges including guaranteeing that at least 50% of their clothing has sustainable features by 2023 and that they minimize water consumption in the manufacturing process by 50% by 2030. By 2023, River Island also hopes to install a Manufacturers Restricted Substance List (MRSL) and get complete visibility up to Tier 4 in the supply chain for all of its goods.

Additionally, the store aims to have zero waste going to landfill from all UK activities by 2023, from the production of its products by 2025, and from the introduction of end-of-life options for consumers by the end of 2022.

In addition, River Island states that by 2022, it will stop using any single-use plastic in its UK activities, and by the end of 2040, it will have zero carbon emissions.

In addition to the environment, River Island stated that its focus is on its customers and that one of its primary commitments is to keep aggressively supporting the hiring of individuals from a variety of social backgrounds.

Kernan said that they have created a thorough sustainability plan in collaboration with recognized organizations and knowledgeable partners. River Island is still a family-owned company, and the way they do business is based on ideals of caring and community. This attitude indicates that they care deeply about sustainability both as a corporation and as individuals. They have already changed their company significantly as a result of this effort in order to ensure that they can continually increase their influence. On this, their teams work tremendously hard every day, and he is pleased with the path they have already taken.

River Island claimed that despite the fact that its sustainable strategy is ongoing, it has already seen some key successes, including the elimination of single-use plastic from its packaging, ensuring that all the cotton used in its jeans is sourced ethically, and achieving auditing and traceability of its tier 1 supply chain at a rate of 100% and 40%, respectively.

In addition, the company launched its take-back program in conjunction with Reskinned in 2022 and sent more than 850,000 old or recycled clothing through its “Newlife” partnership in 2021. It also switched to entirely green energy in all of its stores, headquarters, and distribution center. Additionally, it said that one-fourth of its goods had sustainable features and that in 2021, it would have saved 1,223 tonnes of cardboard and 20 tonnes of plastic.

Kernan added that in the upcoming year, they will concentrate on enhancing supply chain transparency and implementing effective water and chemical programs, working with their partners to achieve their objectives. There is still more work to be done, not only for River Island but for the whole fashion industry, given the size of the issue. It will be complicated and difficult for all of them, but they’re dedicated to making the necessary adjustments and sharing their successes and setbacks as they strive for a more compassionate business.