WWF, carrying out works for protection of natural sources, signed a special agreement with H&M. This cooperation, covering the next 3 year, aims the protection of natural sources and proper use of water. WWF International President Jim Leape, issuing assessments about the situation, specified that they are aware of the fact that long term success depends on water resources. Leapfe, mentioning that H&M carries out its water strategy in accordance with the business plan, stressed that other brands need to make decisions on this issue.
As a result of the joint work of WWF and H&M through 2012, the basis of water strategy is formed by evaluating all water-related initiatives of H&M Company. This work, in which H&M is the only fashion brand, will form the basis of company’s steps in terms of production in the forthcoming period. H&M will increase the water efficiency within itself, will decrease the effects of its suppliers on water, will train all of its employees about water and will introduce its activities on conscious water use. Besides H&M will support WWF’s water protection project in Yangtze river basin in China. WWF and H&M will work in cooperation with opinion leaders, nongovernmental organizations, water boards and other companies in order to support a better management of especially river basins in China and Bangladesh.
According to WWF’s 2012 Alive Planet Report, 2.7 billions of people are now living around river basins that have water shortage at least for one month in a year. H&M’s 3 factories that produce globally are placed on areas that have extreme water shortage. H&M, working about 10 years to decrease its value chain’s negative effects on water in various areas, aims to enlighten its producers and consumers with its new water strategy developed with WWF.
H&M will Provide Supplier Participation
This strategy will convey the new water strategy to all H&M shops in 48 international markets, 750 direct supplier and lots of fabric producers. H&M will put this water treatment system into practice by working hard with 190 suppliers that produce most of its products. Shareholder participation in river basis will focus at Yangtze in China and Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh. About 1000 H&M employee of purchase, production and sales offices will directly participate in this strategy and 94.000 H&M employee will learn about the strategy on this water problem. WWF’s innovative strategy on water management will cover all approaches about a working place’ water use and its entire work. It is stated that this work is the best planned work ever and both of the companies are expected to be pioneer in the sector on this issue.
WWF – World Wildlife Fund
WWF is described as the largest and the most reliable autonomous protection organization in the world with its over 5 million followers and its active global network in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is explained as to prevent the impairment of natural environment, to provide a sustainable use of renewable resources for the human being, to decrease lavishly consumption and pollution, to encourage the protection of world’s biological diversity and to provide a future in which the human live harmoniously with the nature.
