2022 Benchmarking Survey Results: Sustainability
United States Fashion Industry Association
Fashion Made Possible by Global Trade
Sustainability is one of the core values for the fashion industry and the 2022 USFIA Benchmarking Survey highlights that brands and retailers are not just talking about sustainability, they are committing resources.
Not only do respondents expect to allocate more resources for sustainability and compliance efforts, but one of the top positions for new hires over the next five years is “Environmental sustainability-related specialists” with 74% of respondents intending to increase hiring for this position. In fact, according to the Benchmarking Study:
“Despite the growing market uncertainties and many business challenges this year, U.S. fashion companies remain highly committed to making apparel sourcing more sustainable, ethical, and socially responsible.”
Over the past three years, we’ve seen the number of respondents planning to allocate more resources for sustainability and compliance rise by over 30% - from 63% in 2019 to 97% this year. ?That’s right, even in the face of economic uncertainty, almost every company is planning to allocate more resources for sustainability and compliance.?In just one year, there is a big jump in the number of companies planning to allocate more operational budget for sustainability and compliance, from 23% in 2021 to 77% over the next two years, as you can see below. The number of employees dedicated to sustainability and social compliance issues in sourcing is also expected to rise.
In addition to budget and staffing, the vast majority of brands and retailers are shifting to more sustainable textile raw materials and developing products that use recycled materials.?
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Most surveyed companies also plan to continue sustainability and compliance-related trainings for their internal employees and suppliers, in addition to working with third-party certification programs.
As we close out this in-depth look at our 2022 Benchmarking Study results, we’re looking forward to seeing these plans in action throughout the year and checking in on progress next year!
Missed our earlier articles about the 2022 Benchmarking Study? Here are the other stories:
This data, and more, can be found in our 2022 Benchmarking Study. Is your company investing in sustainability initiatives this year? Tell us about it!
Interested in participating in the next study? Contact us to find out more.