Deforestation
We are committed to avoiding deforestation and forest degradation associated with packaging by only using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC TM) certified materials within our branded bags and boxes. Using an innovative manufacturing technique, at least 40% of the retail bags and boxes are made from recycled materials, including upcycled coffee cups and FSC Mix certified paper. Since the launch of the new packaging, we have recycled 66 million coffee cups into Burberry packaging. All retail bags and gift boxes which have a beautiful, luxurious feel, are plastic-free, fully recyclable and reusable.
Leather
Leather is an important raw material used across our accessories, apparel and shoes. Currently 92% of our leather is sourced from tanneries with environmental, traceability and social compliance certifications, working towards a target of 100% by 2025. This is aligned to our policy of not sourcing leather from cattle raised in the Amazon Biome.
Cotton
Conventional cotton farming can have significant environmental and social impacts due to the amount of water, fertilisers and pesticides used in cultivation. 100% of our cotton is procured more sustainably using a portfolio approach and last year, we formalised our ambition around organic cotton, with a target to source 100% certified organic cotton by 2025. We are also exploring regenerative cotton sources. Certified organic cotton is traced through the supply chain and has many environmental and social benefits, promoting soil health, supporting biodiversity and safeguarding farmers.
Cashmere
Climate change and increased global demand for cashmere pose challenges for the fragile ecosystems the cashmere industry relies on. We take a portfolio approach to cashmere and are striving to reduce the impact of this material on the environment and on the associated climate and nature impacts.
Viscose
Burberry also aims to maximise long-lasting solutions for forests through the responsible sourcing of man-made cellulosic fibres such as viscose (which accounts for less than 1% of our raw material use). We have partnered with Canopy, an NGO that works to protect the world’s forests, species and climate by collaborating with business leaders, scientists and decision-makers, utilising Canopy’s hot button report and working directly with suppliers and producers to ensure we only source viscose from responsible sources.
The Burberry Regeneration Fund
Through the creation of our Regeneration Fund we support a portfolio of carbon compensation and removal projects, including insetting projects linked to our supply chain, that tackle the environmental impact of our business and help to build climate resilience through promoting biodiversity, restoring ecosystems and supporting the livelihoods of local producers. Burberry also became the first luxury brand to sign up to the LEAF coalition with an investment in what is expected to become the world’s largest public-private initiative providing results-based finance to countries committed to making ambitious reductions in tropical deforestation.
Working together
We recognise the power of working in collaboration to drive real change in the industry. Through our support of the G7 Fashion Pact, we are working alongside fellow signatories to tackle climate change and the urgent environmental challenges impacting biodiversity and our oceans. Biodiversity is a key pillar within the Fashion Pact, supported by a $US2million grant by the Global Environment Facility, co-executed by the Fashion Pact team and Conservation International. Signatories have a common goal to develop and implement biodiversity strategies and Science Based Targets for Nature, of which we became signatories in December 2020, as well support deforestation and sustainable forest management by 2025.
Additionally, in 2021, we became a signatory of the ‘Get Nature Positive’ commitment as a public declaration of our support to protect and restore nature and are working with the Taskforce for Nature related Financial Disclosures to support the development of a robust framework to monitor and drive progress.