The GFA Monitor 2024 urges the fashion industry to align business strategies with holistic sustainability targets for a resilient future
7 November 2024: Today, on the occasion of Global Fashion Summit: Shanghai Gala 2024, Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) announced the 2024 edition of The GFA Monitor — a resource designed to guide industry leaders towards creating a net positive fashion industry. Launched ahead of COP29, this year’s publication serves as a streamlined update, highlighting both significant advancements and ongoing challenges in the industry.
The GFA Monitor 2024 is produced by Global Fashion Agenda in partnership with its Impact Partners — Apparel Impact Institute, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Fair Labor Association, Social & Labor Convergence Program, and Textile Exchange. The guide consolidates diverse stakeholder perspectives and data inputs into a comprehensive resource that reinforces the urgency of aligning environmental and social goals with business imperatives.
The publication showcases progress across key areas, including:
- In 2023, nearly 30% of all cotton produced was done so under sustainability programs.
- A 14% increase in survey respondents claim to have set targets for fair compensation and living wages through collective bargaining by 2035.
- An overall rise in awareness and target setting in line with the five priorities of the Fashion CEO Agenda.
However, the report also acknowledges persistent challenges, including:
- Companies remain uncertain about prioritising their efforts amidst pressure to meet economic and reporting demands.
- Wage increases remain minimal, with a reported 1% increase in the gap between minimum and living wages since 2023.
- Survey results suggest that target setting across all five resource stewardship indicators has increased, with the greatest rise (59%) focused on water stewardship by 2040. However, fewer respondents are actively working on these targets or measuring progress.
The report draws on new insights from the Fashion Industry Target Consultation, a collaborative project by GFA and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). This initiative annually evaluates industry sentiment on key milestones needed to achieve a net positive fashion industry. This year, 100 stakeholders from across six continents contributed to the consultation, focusing on 27 critical action areas.
