Foreign experience of implementing ecological responsibility by fashion brands

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National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

Foreign experience of implementing ecological responsibility by fashion brands

Baliun O. O.

Fisenko T. V.

Solomka P. I.

Балюн О. О., Фісенко Т. В., Соломка П. І. ЗАРУБІЖНИЙ ДОСВІД УПРОВАДЖЕННЯ ЕКОЛОГІЧНОЇ ВІДПОВІДАЛЬНОСТІ FASHION-БРЕНДІВ

Розглянуто на прикладі компаній Inditex, Stella McCartney, Levi Strauss & Co, Burberry зарубіжні практики впровадження екологічної відповідальності fashion-брендів. Результати їх аналізу дають підстави стверджувати, що загадані компанії мають високий рівень залученості до екоініціатив та вмотивованість їх використання, що зумовлено глобальною актуалізацією питання збереження довкілля та позитивним сприйняттям екодіяльності різними стейкхолдерами. Сформовано цілісне бачення щодо поняття корпоративної соціальної відповідальності, зокрема його екологічного складника в контексті ставлення fashion-брендів до проблем довкілля та безпосереднього впливу екоініціатив на репутацію. Систематизовано технології та інструменти екологічних практик, що застосовуються у програмах КСВ, за такими категоріями: ековиробництво, екотовари, екозаходи, екопроцеси, екоспівпраця, екостратегії, екокомунікації. З'ясовано, що зарубіжні бренди тісно співпрацюють з міжнародними та громадськими організаціями, дотримуються правил стандартизації, оприлюднюють щорічні нефінансові звіти та впроваджують екологічні стратегії в роботі як із внутрішніми, так і з зовнішніми стейкхолдерами. У масштабному співвідношенні питання свідомого споживання та екологічності піднімають дизайнерські бренди, які, окрім екологічної стійкості, акцентують увагу й на соціальних ініціативах, зокрема на турботі про співробітників та їх заохоченні у впровадженні екологічних практики на робочому місці. Основним каналом інформування громадськості про екологічну діяльність залишаються власні вебресурси, соціальні мережі. Просування екологічних ініціатив здебільшого відбувається за допомогою таких інструментів як реклама, ПР, івенти.

Ключові слова: екологічна відповідальність, корпоративна соціальна відповідальність, репутація, fashion-бренд, просування.

The foreign practices of implementing ecological responsibility by fashion brands are examined using the examples of companies like Inditex, Stella McCartney, Levi Strauss & Co, and Burberry. The results of their analysis provide grounds to assert that the mentioned companies exhibit a high level of engagement with eco-initiatives and motivation for their use, driven by the global urgency of environmental conservation and positive reception of eco-activities by various stakeholders. A comprehensive understanding of the concept of corporate social responsibility, particularly its ecological component in the context of fashion brands' approach to environmental issues and the direct impact of eco-initiatives on reputation, has been formed. ecological responsibility fashion brand

Technologies and tools for ecological practices applied in CSR programs have been systematized into categories such as eco-production, eco-products, eco-measures, eco-processes, ecocollaboration, eco-strategies, and eco-communications. It is clarified that foreign brands closely collaborate with international and public organizations, adhere to standardization rules, publish annual non-financial reports, and implement ecological strategies in their interactions with both internal and external stakeholders.

Designer brands are prominently raising awareness about conscious consumption and ecofriendliness, focusing not only on ecological sustainability but also on social initiatives, particularly concerning employee well-being and their encouragement to adopt ecological practices in the workplace. The primary channels for informing the public about ecological activities remain their own websites and social media platforms. The promotion of ecological initiatives mostly occurs through advertising, PR, and events.

Key words: ecological responsibility, corporate social responsibility, fashion-brand, promotion, reputation.

Problem statement. With each passing year, the issue of ecological responsibility becomes increasingly relevant, and most brands are striving to implement various ecological initiatives by any means possible. Firstly, consumers are becoming more conscious about consumption and often choose brands that align with their internal beliefs, while abstaining from meeting consumer needs can lead to customer loss. Secondly, ecological responsibility is a component of robust reputational resilience that forms over the long term. If fashion brands do not leverage this advantage now, their prospects may be bleak from all stakeholder groups. Globalization has contributed to maximizing the speed of clothing production, which, in turn, has led to increased exploitation of natural materials and resources. Therefore, environmentalists consider the fashion industry as one of the most polluted industrial sectors. “Sustainable fashion” is gaining popularity, which involves careful resource management to reduce waste and climate impact, animal welfare protection, as well as ensuring fair treatment of workers throughout the supply chain. In this regard, it is interesting to study the experience of Western fashion brands to standardize it for the potential implementation of certain aspects in Ukrainian practice.

Analysis of recent studies and publications. The issue of researching the impact of foreign fashion brands on the environment is quite relevant in scholarly discourse. Researchers Rangel-Buitrago & Gracia C. draw attention to the negative impact of fast fashion on the environment: “One of the principal products of the apparel industry is Fashion Waste (FW) which encompasses the materials and products discarded throughout the lifecycle of fashion items, from design to post-consumer stages” [1]. According to them, to reduce the impact of fashion waste, it is necessary to implement effective management strategies. In this regard, scientists are concerned about the phenomenon of greenwashing in the fashion industry. In particular, researchers Alizadeh, Lis- cio & Sospiro after analyzing scientific works on this topic defined a five-element conceptual framework, intending to encompass the key facets that enable the identification of greenwashing practices within a company [2]. In this context, scientists raise questions about who is responsible for the environmental issues associated with clothing production. Terminological discussions among researchers involve the term 'sustainable fashion,' which is the opposite of the concept of fast fashion [3].

Scientists also discuss the problem of forming a culture of sustainable fashion. In particular, they pay attention to a value-action gap concerning clothing where environmental consciousness does not cohere with behaviors. In the research, the cultural thematic schemata (from cultural theory) are used as a heuristic device to tailor solutions that could reduce the valueaction gap concerning sustainable clothing based on in-depth qualitative research [4]. On the other hand, scientists pay attention to the paradox, when fashion consumers say they care about the environment, they do not want to pay more for products coming out of a cleaner production chain [5].

Researchers Rekdal Remme A.M., Stange S.M., & Fagerstrom A. propose developing the “blockchain trademarked” technology for shaping and promoting a culture of conscious fashion consumption [6]. On the other hand, Johnstone L. and Lindh C. propose that online strategies such as social media influencers should be used to (un)consciously market sustainable garments [7]. In this regard, we would be interested in exploring the means and tools through which foreign brands promote environmental responsibility in the fashion industry.

The purpose of the article is to identify and summarize the characteristics of global experience in integrating the environmental component of corporate social responsibility into the activities of fashion brands.

The results and discussion. Considering modern consumption trends, we will analyze the environmental responsibility of foreign brands according to the following gradation: mass-market, mid-market, and luxury segment brands of the fashion industry. The analysis will be based on the non-financial reports of recent years and information on the official websites regarding the sustainable development of such companies: Inditex [8], Levi Strauss & Co [9], Stella McCartney [10], and Burberry [11].

The Spanish mass-market company Inditex has an extensive network of stores and is a global leader in the retail trade of clothing, footwear, and accessories. It includes well-known brands such as Zara, Stradivarius, Massimo Dutti, Oysho, Pull&Bear, Bershka, Uterque, and Zara Home. The company's website provides publicly available information on standards, codes, norms, and rules that the company adheres to in various areas. Regarding environmental initiatives in its CSR policy, the company emphasizes the importance of preserving the environment and animal welfare, focusing on the rules that brands must follow. The company consistently implements the “Principles of Environmental Sustainability Policy” in its practical activities [8].

Let's consider how each stage of the environmental model of Inditex is practically implemented. At the design stage, the company obliges employees in departments to undergo training on the principles of the circular economy so that employees, immersed in creativity, consider the raw materials to be used in the production process: their safety, recyclability, etc. Thus, the company introduced a technical online course, which by the end of 2020 all enterprise designers are expected to complete. In addition, in 2019, over 10,000 employees underwent training on environmental sustainability issues, which the company developed for employees in all markets where stores are present. Such educational initiatives of the company contributed to the release of a series of collections with environmental accents. For example, the brand Bershka, in collaboration with National Geographic in 2019, launched a collection created using materials such as recycled polyester and organically grown cotton. The products themselves focused on highlighting the uniqueness of the environment and the beauty of animals [12].

Another step in building an environmentally conscious brand Zara is the Care for Water collection, which initiated partnerships with organizations such as Water.org and the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA). The initiative aims to have a positive impact on water resource management in communities producing organic cotton. All clothing was made with special attention to water usage, and materials and technologies were chosen to reduce consumption and preserve freshwater resources.

Inditex has implemented its biodiversity strategy based on UN principles, committing the company at all levels of activity and daily management to environmentally and ethically responsible business decisions. Therefore, the company uses the Join Life labeling for its items, confirming that the clothing is made from the most environmentally friendly materials and that the production process minimally harms the environment. For example, only fibers meeting the requirements and commitments of the CanopyStyle initiative, which protects forest conservation, are allowed in the viscose category. Some brands have managed to increase demand for eco-friendly clothing by offering their products from the Join Life collection: Oysho (37%), Bershka (25%), and Zara (21%). The overall growth rate of demand for eco-clothing across all brands in 2019 was 19%, and by the end of 2020, it is planned to increase to 25%.

Regarding raw material selection, Inditex increased the use of recycled materials by 250% in 2019, with environmentally friendly cotton accounting for 150%. Moreover, the corporation collaborates with the most relevant international initiatives contributing to the stability of the cotton sector. Inditex is a member of Textile Exchange, the Better Cotton Initiative, and one of the founders of the aforementioned Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) initiative. Since 2017, the company has supported a public-private partnership with the International Labour Organization to improve working conditions for cotton supply chain workers. As a result of such a conscious selection of eco-friendly materials, the Material Change Insights Report by the independent organization Textile Exchange positions Inditex as the third- largest company in the world in terms of organic cotton consumption and the fifth-largest in terms of recycled cotton consumption for 2019.

Inditex continually seeks to find new innovative environmental technologies and collaborates with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to promote textile recycling processes and innovative technologies that help achieve the strategic goals of the circular economy. In its global sustainability initiatives, Inditex announced its intention by 2025 to sell only eco-friendly clothing in its stores, manufactured according to sustainability principles [13].

Animal welfare policy is also part of Inditex's environmental initiatives. The company has introduced ethical standards for the use of animal products in line with the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare for ethical and responsible animal treatment. The policy was developed in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States. Since 2012, Inditex has not used natural fur in its clothing designs, and since 2015, the company has discontinued the sale of products made from angora wool.

At the sourcing stage, Inditex adheres to three constants: 1) transparency and accountability; 2) social management; 3) environmental management. For environmentally friendly sourcing, the company follows rules based on two programs: The List and Ready to Manufacture, which help understand the substances and chemicals used in production. In the implementation stage of decarbonization and the circular economy, Inditex focuses on reducing energy consumption, water reuse, and material recycling, as well as reducing carbon emissions, essential tools for environmental stewardship. In 2019, the company became one of the founders of the Fashion Industry Pact, aimed at stopping climate change by achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; restoring biodiversity; and protecting oceans, which includes eliminating single-use plastic by 2030. In 2019, emissions were reduced by 35% per square meter, and the use of energy from clean sources increased by 63%. By 2025, Inditex aims to achieve 80% consumption of renewable energy across all its facilities. Inditex makes significant investments in the eco-efficiency of its sales points, factories, and other premises. Since 2009, Inditex has certified its facilities according to sustainable building standards: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM. Since 2018, all the company's brands have supported the ISO 50001 and ISO 14001 standards. In 2019, the company equipped over 5,000 stores with energy-efficient resources, accounting for 92.7% of the Inditex group's stores.

The company pays special attention to packaging standards. The Green to Pack program allows the use of packaging made from recycled materials, extending their lifespan and making them recyclable. Zara Home has eliminated all plastic from its online orders, while regular Zara has achieved a 100% elimination of all polyethylene bags from its stores [8]. However, the communication strategy regarding Inditex's environmental efforts is limited to occasional news materials in online publications, informing about the goals of individual brands.

Despite Inditex's significant contribution to the development of environmental sustainability within its brands and the fashion industry as a whole, some brands of the company, including Zara, are often accused of “greenwashing” [14]. Furthermore, the organization Good On You, as of2020, assesses Zara's environmental performance as “not good enough”, noting that the brand does not provide evidence of its environmental activities in financial reports, thus raising certain suspicions about the credibility of its proclaimed environmental initiatives [15]. The same situation applies to other brands of the Inditex company.

The brand's reputation component can be tracked in the annual report of the most valuable and powerful brands of 2023 - Apparel 50. For example, the Spanish retail network Zara dropped from 2nd place in 2019 to 9th in 2023. A similar situation occurred with the brand Bershka, a part of the Inditex company [16]. The Fashion Transparency Index focuses on studying the transparency of brands' activities in the fashion industry. The report highlights brands such as Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, and Pull&Bear, which are rated at 44%, while Zara has an overall transparency score of 43% [17]. Next, let's consider a company from the mid-market segment - Levi Strauss & Co., which produces Sustainable Development Reviews every year. We'll analyze its strongest ecoinitiatives in areas such as “Water”, “Climate”, “Raw Materials”, “Chemicals”, “People”, and “Recycling”.

In garment and footwear production, the brand introduced the Waterless environmental technology in 2011, which helps save over 3.5 billion liters of water during product finishing. The brand strives to manufacture clothing using technologies that reduce material impact and seeks more sustainable sources of raw materials, currently using 91% of such fabrics. Additionally, the company places significant emphasis on cotton - to ensure it belongs to sustainable material, the company collaborates with the Better Cotton Initiative (a farm of organic or recycled cotton), which finds more efficient water supply methods and implements more environmentally friendly cotton cultivation methods.

Regarding climate stability, the Levi Strauss & Co. brand has committed to reducing carbon emissions at its facilities by 90% and by 40% across its global supply chain by transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2025. In the fight against harmful chemicals in production, Levi Strauss & Co, together with brands like Nike, H&M, and C&A, launched the Screened Chemistry program, which helps identify the potential impact of chemicals on health and the environment, allowing companies to prevent hazardous chemicals from entering garment supply chains.

It is worth noting the application of organizational eco-processes within the company, namely the implementation of Accounting for Sustainability, proposed by the company's financial director together with Prince Charles of Wales (UK), to actively involve financial leaders in activities and programs aimed at stimulating efficiency and environmental sustainability of corporate actions regarding climate change [9].

The analysis of Levi Strauss & Co's environmental sustainability shows that its eco-initiatives and implementation are based on real actions rather than a simple communication strategy attempting to build the reputation of an environmentally responsible brand. Moreover, the organization Good On You rated the brand's sustainability efforts in 2020 as “excellent”, acknowledging its continuous progress and innovation in implementing environmentally sustainable solutions during the production of goods [18]. Regarding the reputation component, according to RepTrack data for 2023, Levi Strauss & Co entered the top 30 companies distinguished by reputation in the global market, ranking 26th. The Reputation Institute noted a strong emotional connection between consumers and the brand [19]. However, the Fashion Transparency Index evaluates the overall transparency and openness of the brand at 50%.

Now, for comparison, let's assess luxury segment brands using the example of the Stella McCartney brand. The company's website has a separate category called “Sustainability”, allowing for an analysis of the brand's environmental aspects. Stella McCartney actively uses eco-friendly materials: knitwear is made from reconstructed cashmere that does not impact the environment through animal husbandry; viscose comes from environmentally sustainable forests; the design of items excludes the use of fur and natural leather (for example, sneakers are made from vegan leather); only organic cotton is used; nylon and polyester are recycled; an innovative material called “synthetic spider silk” (silk of the future) has been created - a method of non-violent cultivation and collection of silk; only recycled metals are used; wool is sourced from farms that support animal welfare and the environment.

The brand's environmental impact is measured at every stage through the innovative Environmental Profit and Loss (EP&L) tool. The EP&L eco-process is a form of natural capital accounting that measures greenhouse gas emissions, water use and pollution, land use, air pollution, and waste accumulation in the global supply chain. Quantitative data is converted into monetary value, allowing the understanding of hidden costs and benefits derived from the brand's environmental activities. Based on EP&L measurement results, the Stella McCartney brand has stopped using natural cashmere since 2017 because even if 0.1% of this material was used during production, it caused 42% damage to the environment at the raw material production stage. Stella McCartney does not use natural leather or fur in its products. Since 2017, the Stella McCartney brand's supply chain consists of environmentally sustainable forest management in Sweden and their certification. Cellulose goes from Sweden to Germany, where it is transformed into high-quality viscose yarn. This viscose is then further processed into fabrics for garment production in Italy.

Together with H&M and Ginete in 2017, the Stella McCartney brand introduced the Clevercare clothing labeling ecosystem, which focuses on reminding customers of the environmental damage they can cause during washing and caring for their items. The company provided consumers with ecological care rules through a series of communication campaigns.

Stella McCartney's eco-friendly stores and offices use environmentally friendly wood and packaging paper; energy-efficient lighting; green energy; hardware and furniture purchased at auctions or locally sourced. Stella McCartney also actively organizes eco-events. In particular, in 2017, on World Oceans Day, the “Ocean Legends” project was launched in collaboration with organizations Parley for the Oceans and Sea Shepherd, which supported ocean protection efforts. As part of the collaboration between Stella McCartney and Parley for the Oceans, a limited collection of Falabella Go backpacks made from recycled marine plastic yarn was released. The proceeds from sales went entirely to support the Sea Shepherd mission, which aims to protect all marine wildlife and stop ocean destruction [10].

Stella McCartney actively promotes circular economy initiatives based on the principles of “eliminating waste and pollution; reusing materials and regenerating the company's natural systems”, and seeks to encourage other fashion industry brands to engage in similar activities. The brand is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. In July 2019, Stella McCartney and luxury fashion conglomerate LVMH announced a partnership to develop the Stella McCartney brand further. This partnership aims to support Stella McCartney's strong commitment to sustainable development and ethical luxury fashion [20].

Using Stella McCartney as an example, significant contributions of the brand to communication strategies for spreading information about the company's environmental impact can be observed. Information about the brand regularly appears in online publications such as The Guardian, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, etc., yet the brand consistently adheres to sustainability and ecological ideas and fulfills commitments. The organization Good On You rates the brand's performance as “very good” [21]. The Stella McCartney brand has entered the top best ethical luxury brands and ranked first in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's rating (a charitable organization aimed at inspiring generations to rethink clothing consumption) [22].

The next brand in our study is Burberry, which also provides information about eco-initiatives on its official website. The global goal by 2022 regarding sustainable development is to create products and organize events that will make a positive contribution to the planet and people. The company focuses on three eco-friendly directions. The first direction is the product itself. The company focuses on research to develop fabrics of the future, stimulate demand for eco-mate- rials, and improve supply chain performance. Burberry's progress in eco-product manufacturing from 2019 to 2020 includes 75% of cotton being sourced more sustainably, and 64% of leather having ecological, socially responsible, and transparent certification. The company also develops products from innovative materials, for example, The ECONYL collection made from environmentally friendly nylon yarn made from regenerated fishing nets, defective fabric, and industrial plastic [23]. For Burberry's packaging, it chooses signature oak-colored paper, consisting of at least 40% recycled paper cups. The brand's clothing is transported on recycled hangers and in cases made entirely from recycled polyester.

The second direction is the company's environmental activity, based on new approaches to waste, 100% renewable energy use, and increased eco-efficiency. Burberry's achievements include an 86% reduction in market emissions; 90% of global stores, factories, and offices use renewable energy sources; there is no destruction of unsaleable products, and zero waste at landfills for key facilities in Italy and the UK [24].

The third direction focuses on the importance of communities and their associations in overcoming inequality in education, accelerating the expansion of economic rights and opportunities for work in remote communities, and developing cohesion, and environmental sustainability in communities that support the fashion industry. For example, The Burberry Foundation, founded in 2008, is an independent charitable organization that seeks to use the power of creativity to stimulate positive changes in global communities and build a more environmentally sustainable future through innovation. In Afghanistan, the company conducts training to improve the livelihoods of communities of cashmere goat herders, teaching herders to manage livestock sustainably and collaborate with communities to improve access to markets.As oftoday, 7,000 people benefit from this program, which teaches herders sustainable livestock management and cooperation with communities to improve market access.

The British brand's eco-efforts in the fashion industry include its “carbon contribution”, aimed at investing in projects aimed at reducing harmful emissions within its supply chain network. Moreover, the brand conducted a carbon-neutral show and established a “restoration fund” to support initiatives aimed at reducing the brand's negative impact on the environment. The first project involved working with Australian wool producers [25]. The brand's communication activity regarding environmental sustainability can be traced in several relevant fashion publications.

Analyzing the luxury segment brand Burberry, it is evident that the company is in the initial stages of implementing sustainable brand development. This view is also held by the organization Good On You, which emphasizes that the Burberry brand has a good supplier control policy but uses exotic animal- derived products in production, which does not align with ecological sustainability principles. The overall rating of the brand in terms of social responsibility is “beginner”, but in terms of ecological sustainability, it has a rating of “good”, although the company currently uses an insufficient amount of ecological raw materials.

The Fashion Transparency Index assesses Burberry's transparency at 36%. The brand has a strong online reputation, as it made it to the top 15 most popular luxury brands for online activity in 2020, ranking 10th. According to the Best Global Brands ranking, which ranks brands based on three key indicators determining brand value (financial performance of branded goods or services; brand's role in purchase decision-making, and brand strength), the Burberry company ranked 97th out of 100 [27]. Burberry has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2019 (DJSI) for the fifth consecutive year and ranked 3rd in the “Textiles,Apparel, and Luxury Goods” sector.

It is important to note that many fashion brands nowadays use eco-friendliness not just as part of their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) but as the core idea for conducting business to support slow fashion and conscious consumption. An example of this is the brand Story.mfg - https://www.storymfg. com, a British clothing store created based on social activism, namely creating clothing from eco-friendly materials, with natural fabric dyeing, vegan-based, following traditional clothing creation methods, encouraging hand-sewing, combined with fair wages, comfortable working conditions, and using all environmentally sustainable business practices - from manufacturing methods to results. Moreover, the clothing itself advocates for saving natural resources. The brand owners believe that only an increase in the number of small eco-friendly brands can change the environmental component of the fashion industry, as large brands usually talk more about eco-achievements than implement them [28].

Based on the analyzed international fashion brands, let's systematize specific types of ecological practices applied in the CSR programs of companies into the following categories:

Eco-production/technologies/innovations - technologies or methodologies used for producing clothing, footwear, and accessories with minimal environmental impact, using energy-saving resources, alternative energy sources, innovative technologies, etc.

Eco-products - products manufactured by brands from environmentally friendly, organic, innovative, and recycled materials.

Eco-events - events, activities, and training with environmental initiatives that the brand implements on two levels - internal (employees, partners, etc.) and external (consumers, investors, the public, etc.) to popularize environmental protection.

Eco-processes - internal optimization of functional operations aimed at eco-friendliness.

Eco-collaboration - combining efforts of various stakeholder groups (NGOs, local authorities, commercial projects, etc.) with common environmental goals to achieve global results.

Eco-strategies - company goals in a sustainable dimension, which it wants to achieve through a sequence of ecological actions contributing to their implementation.

Eco-communications - confirming own sustainable development through disseminating information about the brand's activities in a sustainable direction.

To determine the ratio of used ecological initiatives across different categories at all levels, we will summarize their total number for the analyzed companies and present the results in the form of a histogram (Figure 1).

Fig. 1. Ratio of eco-categories used by international companies

Source: Authors' computation based on the reporting of companies

Fig. 2. Ratio of eco-categories used by international companies

Source: Authors' computation based on the reporting of companies

It can be argued that most brands focus on implementing ecological production, resulting in ecological products. They are also oriented towards pooling efforts to achieve global results. For a detailed analysis, we will break down the processes for each brand and present them in the form of a line histogram (Figure 2).

From the graphical indicators, it can be concluded that foreign fashion brands in CSR activities aimed at environmental protection use various categories of sustainable brand development. For example, Inditex focuses more on developing ecological production and innovations through collaboration with various NGOs but uses ecological processes and measures less actively for their promotion. Levi Strauss & Co. stands out for the large number of implemented ecological processes. Stella McCartney features a significant number of ecological products and is the brand that most actively implements ecological communication strategies. Burberry has the lowest scores across all categories, indicating an early stage in becoming an environmentally sustainable fashion brand.

Conclusions and suggestions

The results of the analysis of foreign practices in implementing ecological responsibility of fashion brands (Inditex, Stella McCartney, Levi Strauss & Co, Burberry) within CSR provide grounds to assert a high level of involvement in eco-initiatives and the motivation for their use, driven by the global urgency of environmental conservation and positive perception of eco-activity by various stakeholders. The EU's environmental policy is based on the principles of caution, prevention, and rectification of pollution at the source, as well as the principle of "polluter pays," regulated by the Environmental Liability Directive. Therefore, companies that harm the environment through their activities must bear financial responsibility, as there is a cost associated with any goods and services.

Thus, the ecological initiatives of fashion brands abroad have taken a clear position both in communication strategies to enhance reputation and in addressing global issues. However, the main emphasis should be on the fact that brands that do not adapt to the demands of society, consumers, and other stakeholders in terms of sustainable development may face risks such as loss of market share, reflected in financial indicators; loss of customers and demand; decrease in reputation indicators across all stakeholder groups; and depreciation of the brand both emotionally and financially.

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Zara відмовиться від неекологічних матеріалів з 2025 року. Еспресо. URL: https://espreso.tv/news/ 2019/07/18/zara_vidmovytsya_vid_neekolochinykh_materialiv_z_2025_roku (date of reference: 14.02.2024)

3 simple ways to become less anxious and more decisive. Fast Company.com : online edition. URL: Ways to become less anxious and more decisive (fastcompany.com) (date of reference: 14.02.2024).

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