New Green Pact Outlines A Renewed Environmental Commitment For The Portuguese Footwear Industry

Known for its long heritage of craft, especially of leather goods and footwear, Portugal is now placing a renewed focus on a more sustainable future for the industry. Earlier this year, manufacturers came together to sign the Green Pact, an environmental commitment with specific targets in place brought together by the Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association (APICCAPS) and the CTCP Research Center. With the environmental impact of the fashion and lifestyle worlds under scrutiny, and rightly so, it is encouraging to see a commitment to change taking place across a regional industry sector in this way.

The Green Pact, which has been made possible thanks to an investment of €140 million into the sector by the Footwear and Fashion Cluster led by the two organisations, sets out a series of actions to ensure the industry can halve its carbon emissions by 2030 with a view to reaching net zero carbon goals by 2050. Aligning their mission with the 2016 Paris Agreement set out by the UN, the Pact is structured into a series of steps starting with engagement, leading on to the identification of challenges, and then working on solutions which can be implemented year on year.

The first phase of this commitment has seen 138 companies participate with an initial diagnosis being completed in April, allowing each of them to commence the journey towards a circular future. The focus of the Diagnosis has prioritised the quantification of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions of each company (or corporate carbon footprint) as well as identifying and analysing the factors with the greatest impact. Following these results, individual objectives are being laid out to form an action plan which addresses factors such as the transportation of materials from suppliers, business travel, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources. Added to this, research will also look at material selection methodologies, waste reduction, packaging and the implementation of circular business principles.

When addressing sustainability, it can be difficult and daunting for individual companies to begin their journey, so a collective, structured plan, with a central support system such as this, is a constructive and collaborative way to empower change. However, it has been a huge undertaking to bring the plan to fruition and to gather the support of the industry as a whole. “The challenges we face even in implementing this pact are considerable,” states Paulo Gonçalves, Director of Communication at APICCAPS, as he discusses how they have decided to act at process level while involving all the players within the Cluster to ensure there is a coherent approach to tackling the issue. “We continue to inhabit a world of uncertainty. While there has been an excessive focus on the development of new, sustainable products, we feel it goes beyond this. Consumers must understand that we cannot continue with this wave of unbridled consumption, and they must start making rational choices such as buying less but investing into longer-lasting products.”

Influencing consumer action might seem an impossible ask when looking at a global audience, but it is something brands can take an active role in, and one which initiatives such as The Green Pact will facilitate and encourage. Through transparency, honest communication, and a desire to educate its audience, a brand actively working with a pure and genuine mission to do better, both environmentally and socially, can help contribute to the consumer shift we urgently need. However, one of the biggest hurdles which is stalling the pace of this much-needed habitual change is affordability for consumers. “While costs might be cheaper, it is not sustainable to have 88% of footwear produced in Asia,” continues Gonçalves. “We support local production, from the sourcing of raw materials to the end product, especially as durability is a key factor too.” While acknowledging that costs for consumers are higher compared to mass-produced alternatives, the organisation is keen to offer an insight into why rather than driving down costs which could risk the quality and environmental standards of each product. Despite also being able to export all over the world, the future focus of the sector lies primarily on the European market to ensure the logistical impact is minimised as much as possible.

Looking ahead to 2030, now only 6.5 years away, the pace of change has to increase in order to hit the global targets that have been laid out. As government legislation is taking much longer to implement than desired, the Pact is a positive example of how coming together as an industry can help ensure action continues in the meantime. “Without public support we wouldn’t have been able to do this,” concludes Gonçalves. “It is a great demonstration of confidence in the future and a commitment of the sector to wider society.”

With structure, direction, and leadership all great facilitators for faster change, this model is one which other sectors and regions can take note of in encouraging accountability. And, while pooling resource, sharing knowledge, and acting collectively are routes to progress, it also allows us to feel empowered individually knowing that we are part of a wider community all working towards the same goal and a brighter future ahead.

APICCAPS will be hosting a panel discussion on the evolution of the leather goods industry and how manufacturing and market forces are transforming opportunities in this space, in partnership with The Business of Fashion, in London on July 12th which can be registered for here: [email protected]