14 DAY TRIAL // Throughout the course of the year 2012, H&M and the World Wildlife Fund worked close together so as to evaluate the retail-clothing company's uses and abuses of water.
Now that this evaluation period has come to an end, H&M in getting ready to implement new water conservation strategies.
More precisely, the company wishes to make sure that both the buildings and the facilities under its direct control, and its supply chain are as efficient as possible in terms of optimizing their water consumption and cutting down on waste.
As explained on the official website for the World Wildlife Fund, H&M goal is that of improving on its ecological footprint by protecting key river basins and by seeing to it that future generations will not face water scarcity.
“H&M understands that its long-term success depends on access to adequate water supplies. It also understands that its social license to operate depends on being a good neighbour and good steward of shared resources,” commented on the company's new and improved water conservation strategies Jim Leape, presently employed as the director general of WWF International.
Backing up these statement, Karl-Johan Persson, the current CEO of H&M, argued as follows:
“Water is a key resource for H&M, and we are committed to ensuring water is used responsibly throughout our value chain. We do this to minimize risks in our operations, protect the environment and secure availability of water for present and future generations. We are proud of the partnership with WWF, which we hope will inspire others to follow.”
As part of their cutting-edge conservation strategy, as the WWF refers to it, H&M is to train both designers and buyers on how raw material production impacts on water resources.
Apparently, customers will also be introduced to information concerning the need to pay closer attention to how water resources are used.
Furthermore, the company wants to promote a better management of river basins in China and Bangladesh.