Vogue publisher Condé Nast pledges to ‘inspire climate action’ in fashion industry

Condé Nast has become the first media company to sign the UN fashion for Global Climate Action initiative, joining brands like Nike and Stella McCartney in a promise to bring the fashion industry in line with the goals of the Paris agreement.

Through these partnerships, initiatives and “clear targets of accountability”, the company is aiming to drive higher standards and systemic change in addressing what it’s described as the “world’s most critical issue”: climate change.

The Vogue publisher will use the influence of its longstanding editorial brands to reach an audience as big as on billion across 31 markets, as well as assessing its own operational role in climate change by adopting new rules around plastic. For the first time, the company will also disclose its carbon emissions.

Condé Nast will work with industry partners and fashion brands to change readers’ behaviours by promoting the re-use of clothes, sustainable fashion, innovative materials and technologies, which can help to mitigate the environmental impact of fashion.

“Fashion has always reflected the big changes in society and been part of the cultural discourse. It is that timeliness that makes fashion so influential,” said Wolfgang Blau, global chief operating officer and president, International, Condé Nast.

“Today, it is the duty of designers, textile manufacturers, fashion houses and fashion journalists to completely re-imagine, re-design and re-engineer how we make and consume fashion. As the world's number one fashion publisher, we commit to doing our very best in championing these positive efforts. We absolutely must reach the Paris climate goals.”