The Sustainability Requirements Framework
Introducing the Sustainability Requirements Framework
In 2020 Copenhagen Fashion Week introduced the Sustainability Requirements framework with the ambition to drive long-term positive change within our brand network and within the wider fashion industry through our international network of Sustainability Requirements partnerships.
The Sustainability Requirements framework was established in recognition of existing guidelines, tools, codes of conduct, standards, certifications and/or agendas. Many of these have informed its development, ensuring alignment and a shared focus across the industry.
The Sustainability Requirements framework includes a set of Minimum Standards for brands, covering environmental and social considerations across the value chain. Since January 2023, applicants must document compliance with these Minimum Standards to be considered for the official show & presentation schedule at Copenhagen Fashion Week.
Please note that the Sustainability Requirements framework is used in the application process of Copenhagen Fashion Week and does not constitute a certification scheme or an audit.
As part of the application process, brands are screened against their submitted responses and documentation for the Minimum Standards by an external screening committee led by Rambøll. This process is designed to validate, not audit, the information provided.
The framework spans six focus areas covering the entire value chain. In addition to the 19 Minimum Standards that must be disclosed, brands can choose to answer an additional set of 87 questions for self-assessment purposes to map and inspire to additional actions that can be taken.
The framework consists of:
1. 19 Minimum Standards that brands have to comply with to be part of the official show & presentation schedule;
2. 87 Additional Actions brands can and are encouraged to take based on their business model. These are not admission criteria for the official show & presentation schedule, but are used for further company guidance, inspiration and self-evaluation purposes.
See the full Sustainability Requirements framework here.
Brands new to the Sustainability Requirements framework, will be onboarded to the framework and are required to comply the Minimum Standards within one full calendar year (two seasons). Likewise, upon launching revisions to the Sustainability Requirements framework, all brands part of the pilot phase are onboarded to the new framework and are required to comply with the Minimum Standards within one full calendar year (two seasons).
During the onboarding phase, the brand will be invited to a 1:1 meeting with CPHFW’s Sustainability team to receive feedback on their Sustainability Requirements survey responses and outline the next steps required to achieve compliance to the Minimum Standards, if not already met. Alongside, the brand is introduced to Copenhagen Fashion Week’s resource package and can choose (on their own expense) to work with a consultancy of their choice among Copenhagen Fashion Week’s Accelerator Programme Partners if they wish to receive further support.
Effectively this means that some of the new brands part of CPHFW’s official show & presentation schedule may not yet be fully compliant with the Minimum Standards, as they are in the onboarding phase with the support of CPHFW. The onboarding phase provides opportunity for CPHFW to push for positive change among those brands who’ve yet established their responsibility practices and policies which are required by CPHFW’s Minimum Standards.
Information about brands compliance to the Minimum Standards is shared in their respective brand page.
The terminology “Sustainability Requirements” reflects sustainability as a concept within business operations today and refers to the actions and agendas of businesses working to reduce negative impact on people and the environment and to promote positive impact.
By implementing this framework, Copenhagen Fashion Week does not claim that we, our partners or the brands on our show and presentation schedule to be inherently sustainable or to execute sustainability efforts perfectly. Rather the framework creates a basis and common language between Copenhagen Fashion Week and our brand network, outlining the expectations that must be met to take part in our fashion week.
Brands are responsible to ensure compliance with the Danish Marketing Practices Act, following the Danish Consumer Ombudsman’s recommendations when communicating about their sustainability practices across their platforms, same goes for any communication related to their participation in Copenhagen Fashion Week and their Sustainability Requirements screening.
Sustainability Requirements Partners
A main goal for Copenhagen Fashion Week has been to pursue national and international partnerships around the Sustainability Requirements framework. These partnerships celebrate collaboration with like-minded organisations, providing partners and their brand networks with a common language working within sustainability while enabling greater opportunity to accelerate positive change across the international markets.
Currently Copenhagen Fashion Week is partnering with Oslo Runway, the Norwegian Fashion Hub, Berlin Fashion Week executed by the Fashion Council Germany, the British Fashion Council and Amsterdam Fashion Week.
What are the Minimum Standards?
In line with the latest revisions, CPHFW together with their Knowledge Partners DM&T and In futurum launched indicators for each Minimum Standard to further guide brand answers and to ease the screening process. They are shared with the public for increased transparency of the application and screening process.
1. We have a formally approved sustainability strategy in place, covering both environmental and social considerations.
- Please share your sustainability/ESG strategy. This strategy should cover both environmental and social considerations and can include commitments to international pledges or voluntary schemes such as SBTI, UNGC, ILO or UNFCCC.
- Please indicate by whom the strategy is approved by (management, board, c-suite).*
- Describe how the strategy is reviewed and monitored. Reviews and monitoring could be executed through e.g. annual reports, regular updates on social media/website, internal check-ins or project management tools such as asana.
- Share who/which team(s) is responsible to deliver on your sustainability strategy/targets?**
*Brands with no or very limited hierarchical structures due to their size do not have to have the strategy approved by management/board/c-suite but it is expected that the strategy is approved by e.g. founder(s) or relevant team members such as leads in Production or Design.
**It is not expected that brands <10 employees have clear-cut task owners or departments dedicated to their sustainability or compliance efforts in place. Instead brands can share how tasks might be integrated to the everyday decision making of relevant team members.
2. We have guidelines and structures in place to provide equal opportunities and hiring processes for greater diversity and inclusion in our office(s), especially for management positions.
- Please share your DEIB policy in the form of e.g. a company handbook, strategy document, internal guidelines/targets/commitments with us.* Documentation can be linked to e.g. inclusive hiring process such as bias training or office guidelines/structures that enable equal opportunities for employees such as considerations around compensation, access to benefits, training and employee development.
- State which departments or roles in your team have received guidelines or training for inclusive hiring processes.**
- Describe how your hiring process is reflecting DEIB considerations.***
* Brands <10 employees are exempt from this MS.
3. We do not destroy unsold clothes and samples from previous collections and have a process in place for leftovers.
- Please describe your process for handling unsold clothes, samples and leftovers incl. any partners you might work with.
4. We have criteria in place to ensure the quality and longevity of our products and inform our customers about the value of longevity. Please be aware and follow the guidelines from the Danish Consumer Ombudsman when communicating about your sustainability efforts and especially about your products to not share misleading information
- Please inform us which measures or criteria ensure the longevity and durability of products and how they were tested.*
- Describe how product-related customer feedback is considered in this process.
- Share how you communicate the value of longevity to your customers (e.g. care instruction, store staff, labels, information on website...).
*Brands who do not source their own fibres/fabric but are e.g. using deadstock fabric, second hand material from e.g. flea markets or second-hand stores, repurposing other textiles such as bed linen etc. are to explain their selection criteria and how these are related to the longevity and quality of their products
5. We implement circularity into our operations through e.g. collection schemes, resell or reuse options, using deadstock materials, making use of recycled content, considering recyclability of products.
- Share how circularity is implemented in your organisation.
6. We have a preferred materials list in place.*
- Share a link to your preferred materials list.
- Describe your approach and considerations when creating and evaluating/updating your preferred materials list.
*Not enforced SS27, please see information below on the temporary adjustments.
7. At least 60% of our collection is either certified, made of preferred materials or deadstock fabric.*
- Share your list of materials used and their quantities in % of your collection.
- Share documentation/links for certified/preferred materials if any.
*Not enforced SS27, please see information below on the temporary adjustments.
8. We have a list of restricted substances in place, following the EU REACH Directive, and have a test programme in place to ensure compliance from our suppliers. *
- Share your RSL or CoC, indicating where to find information on restricted substances.
- Describe how you engage with your suppliers on this and how testing is conducted.
*Brands that source local secondary materials (in EU) and assemble in our own studio, are exempt from this MS.
9. Our collection is free from virgin fur, wild animal skins and feathers, also referred to as exotics.
- Please confirm that your collection is free from above mentioned animal-derived materials.
- Please state if you are planning to use upcycled and/or fake alternatives for your collection.
10. We have a Code of Conduct in place according to international guidelines and standards and work with our suppliers via e.g. self-assessments, third party audits or training to build their capacity to meet the CoC. *
- Please share your CoC.
- Please describe how you are working with your suppliers to build their capacity to meet the CoC.
*Brands that source local secondary materials (in EU) and assemble in our own studio, are exempt from this MS.
11. We commit to implementing control measures to prevent contributing to harm through our purchasing practices.
- Please describe your commitment(s).
- Describe how you evaluate your purchasing practices (e.g. lead times, payment terms, order changes) and their potential negative impact on suppliers and workers.
*Brands <10 employees are exempt from this MS.
12. We have guidelines and processes in place to operate a safe, healthy and respectful working environment for employees in our office(s), free from harassment and discrimination and to enhance equal opportunities regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, political/religious/sexual orientation, physical appearance and ability.*
- Share your guidelines and processes such as your policy in the form of e.g. a company handbook, DEIB strategy, internal guidelines/targets/commitments.
- Explain how employees are informed about this policy.
- Which positions/teams in your team are trained to identify and deal with discrimination and harassment at the workplace.
- Describe how you handle complaints regarding above mentioned considerations.
*Brands <10 employees are exempt from this MS.
13. Our in-store and/or online customer service staff is well informed about our sustainability strategy through training programmes and/or educational material.*
- Please describe how you inform and educate your employees.
- Share educational material if any.
- Indicate how management tracks information sharing and education of relevant staff.
*Only applicable for brands who have this type of staff, hence brands who do not have staff in these positions are exempt from this MS.
14. We educate and inform our customers about our sustainability practices in line with the Green Claims Directive on at least two platforms. Brands are responsible to ensure compliance with the Danish Marketing Practices Act, following the Danish Consumer Ombudsman’s recommendations when communicating about their sustainability practices.
- Share links to examples from at least two platforms such as website, social media or in-store sustainability communication.
15. We are constantly working to reduce the environmental footprint of our packaging in-store and for online orders.*
- Please share how you are working to reduce the environmental footprint of packaging.
*Only applicable for brands who have their own stores and/or online shop. For wholesale partners, only applicable if brand-owned packaging is used.
16. Our show and backstage production do not produce/use single-use props for the showcase, prefers rental options and finds a long-term second life for all props that are not rented.*
- Describe your planned show production and share any partners you’re intending to work with.
*CPHFW conducts backstage and front-of-house checks during each edition of fashion week for brands on the official show schedule to ensure show-related MS are upheld. When submitting the survey brands must confirm production teams are informed and how they are planning to uphold the respective MS. A sanction system is in place in case breaches to the MS are found.
17. No single-use plastic packaging will be used to produce our showcase* and waste will be sorted according to Danish waste sorting requirements.**
- Share what alternatives to single-use-plastic you are planning to use, if any.
- Different bins with clear labeling will be available on site to ensure correct waste sorting.
*This includes all types of single-use plastic packaging utilized backstage such as food, beverages, garment protectors, hangers etc.
**CPHFW conducts backstage and front-of-house checks during each edition of fashion week for brands on the official show schedule to ensure show-related MS are upheld. When submitting the survey brands must confirm production teams are informed and how they are planning to uphold the respective MS. A sanction system is in place in case breaches to the MS are found.
18. We support emission reduction/insetting activities through CPHFW’s climate actions.
- Please confirm you agree for CPHFW to invest in climate reduction/insetting activities brand-overarchingly for showcase-generated emissions.
19. We are a signatory of the Danish Fashion Ethical Charter and comply with their rules.*
- Share a link/proof to your signature status.
*If your brand has signed the Danish Fashion Ethical Charter but does not yet appear on their website, please share confirmation/documentation directly via mail.
SS27: Temporary adjustment to the Minimum Standards
For the SS27 screening, Copenhagen Fashion Week has decided not to enforce Minimum Standards 6 and 7. This decision has been reached following thorough consultation and guidance from our Knowledge Partner, Danish Fashion & Textile.
Over the past year, industry guidance and recommendations concerning the social and environmental impacts of materials have been subject to extensive debate, resulting in a lack of shared alignment. Notably, Textile Exchange’s decision to discontinue the term “preferred materials” (referenced in both Minimum Standards 6 and 7) has contributed to the absence of a unified framework to support brands in sourcing materials with reduced environmental impact and enhanced social outcomes. Alongside, Copenhagen Fashion Week has been closely monitoring the development of the European Union’s forthcoming Delegated Act for Textiles under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which has yet to conclude with definitive product material-related requirements.
In response to these developments and the current lack of alignment, Copenhagen Fashion Week has concluded that Minimum Standards 6 and 7 will not be enforced for SS27. We will continue to follow industry developments closely over the coming months, with the aim of launching revised versions of Minimum Standard 6 and 7 for future editions of Copenhagen Fashion Week.