ESG Outlook Green-ish’s Liz Hershfield Sustainability is Good Business (original) (raw)

In the fashion industry, it’s common to see a conflict between business and sustainability, however, when approached correctly, sustainability strategies can enhance business resilience, benefit both people and the planet, and meet regulatory requirements. Here, Liz Hershfield, founder and CEO of consulting company Green-ish, talks about bridging the gap between business and sustainability, drawing on decades of supply chain experience, business management and successful implementation of sustainability initiatives.

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Name: Liz Hershfield
Title: Founder & CEO
Company: Green-ish

What do you consider your company’s best ESG-related achievement?

We thoroughly analyze each business to understand its impact and risks, ensuring compliance with legislation and developing sustainability strategies and programs that are effective for each distinct organization. Our mission is to ensure that sustainability is an asset to your business, vs something that is perceived as a too complicated, too expensive or without a distinct ROI.

Green-ish’s best ESG related achievement is offering a robust and proven traceability and transparency approach that results in not only compliance but protecting businesses from unnecessary disruptions in their supply chain.

Supply chains are long and complicated. How can companies work to boost ESG along the chain for a more sustainable end result?

This statement could not be truer! You really need to take on the supply chain with a multipronged approach, focusing on compliance, technology and transparency. Including your suppliers in on this journey is critical; without the support and alignment of the humans in your supply chain, you won’t be successful in boosting ESG along the chain. This can be overwhelming, so you need a clear roadmap with areas of focus, based on prioritization and risk to the business.

What is the biggest misconception people in the industry have about achieving ESG goals in fashion/accessories and how do you help them?

The biggest misconception is that sustainability needs to be a giant line item on a P&L or that there is no clear return on investment. If done right, this work should allow your business to flourish and avoid unnecessary risk which in turn can be detrimental to a company’s revenue and bottom line. Consumers do not purchase products because they are sustainable, they purchase products either out of necessity or because they love the product. So, the product needs to come first. But if you layer on a strong strategy around people and planet and offer product that the consumer knows is made ethically, is high quality with low impact, this in turn creates brand loyalty. This benefit of sustainability cannot be ignored. Sustainability really is a win-win situation if you have the right approach.

What was your company’s biggest takeaway from the Covid crisis that is still relevant today?

The biggest takeaway was that in the face of a global crisis you cannot lose sight of your goals. While the impact across the board from Covid was enormous and we are still feeling some of those impacts today, some companies backed away from sustainability while others doubled down. Those that doubled down and did not lose sight of the importance, are far ahead in their work and progress vs those that hit pause, which will ultimately result in a negative impact to their business.

As consumers become more aware of worker conditions and how clothing is produced, how can the industry best spread the word on progress?

As a brand, you garner trust when you communicate with authenticity. I believe highlighting the good work and progress going on, even if small, is incredibly important. Small ideas and pilots lead to innovation and industry change. We can inspire others to join forces, we can highlight opportunities for scale which in turn make the largest impact. We as an industry and as consumers need to continue to push for progress but we also should not let perfection be the enemy of progress. Continuing to celebrate progress, no matter how small, is incredibly important.

What do you consider to be the apparel industry’s biggest missed opportunity related to securing meaningful change?

The industry has gotten so caught up in the eye-catching headline of green shaming, that they have overlooked all the good work going on that not only should be celebrated but that we can all learn from and build upon. Sometimes small steps in progress can collectively turn into large steps, but if we continue to turn our noses up to the small stuff we will never see where the opportunity is. The result now is this wave of green hushing in the industry, brands being afraid to talk about their progress and challenges or set new ones which ultimately only negatively impacts progress.

What is your personal philosophy on shopping and caring for your clothes?

I used to be such a huge consumer of clothing. Every event I attended; I wanted something new. Now I really try not to buy something new unless I really and truly need it. When I have a special event, I try to lean on rental and my own closet. I have so many great pieces of clothing and pulling them out after not wearing them for a while is a treat! In the rare cases I do buy something new, I look for high-quality, long-lasting and timeless pieces that I will wear repeatedly. Ultimately, someone else can wear them over and over again because they are built to last.

How much do you look into a brand’s social or environmental practices before shopping?

With a 30-year career in the fashion industry, I have always looked at labels—where the product was made and from what. I am now even more focused on the fiber content. I lean towards naturally biodegradable fibers, like cotton. I really try to stay away from synthetics and find cotton far more comfortable, particularly now that the temperatures have risen so high. In addition, supporting cotton farmers is something I am very passionate about, particularly U.S. Cotton. Fair Trade is also something I like to see when shopping brands. It’s a super easy way to know that the product has been made ethically.

Anything new you are doing to boost sustainability beyond the fashion industry?

I’ve been very focused on removing single use plastic out of my life. This has been a transition over the past several years, I carry a refillable water bottle with me everywhere, I get water delivery in glass containers at home, I don’t use plastic bags for produce at the supermarket or farmers markets. There are some great compostable plastic alternatives now for single use food storage, but I generally only use glass containers to store leftovers, or any make ahead food. I’ve also been going to local farmers market regularly and supporting local businesses and brands. Focusing on pesticide- and herbicide-free produce, regenerative and organic as well as free-range organic poultry and grass-fed meat helps create demand for this type of sustainable farming practices that are positive for soil health, climate change and our health and wellbeing.