Guess: Four steps to sustainability

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Victor Herrero: Natural resources are limited.
Fashion retailers can make the difference by trying to consume less,
and trying to preserve our natural resources.
At Guess we have four steps in sustainability that we defined when I arrived three years ago.
The first step is to commit, second is to act, third is communicate, and fourth is educate and engage.
First step is to commit.
What does it mean to commit?
We started in 2017 the first sustainability plan in the company.
And we published a report on sustainability, and all the actions that we are taking on sustainability.
Jaclyn Allen: We have six commitments that span social and environmental.
Our environmental commitments are to promote circular fashion, to reduce our carbon emissions
and energy use, and to be good water stewards.
Victor Herrero: Another important thing on this step is industry collaboration.
So, we don't treat companies as our competitors.
It's very important to share best practice on sustainability, so we are part of important
groups like SAC, BCI, and science-based targets.
Jaclyn Allen: Step two is to act.
Of course you have to take action to achieve your goals.
Victor Herrero: When we say act, it is very important to act now.
At Guess we want to protect natural resources for the future.
Jaclyn Allen: For our commitment to circular fashion, for example, we launched this year
our in-store recycling programme called Resourced, where our customers can come in with clothes
that they are no longer using.
If they have five or more items they will get a 15 percent discount; but we will also
make sure that those clothes find their next best life.
Victor Herrero: Then we are doing also water stewardship.
So, what we are doing is the Guess Eco Collection.
This is a new collection of denim, where we are using 50 percent less water than normally we do.
Gustavo Garibay: So, at Guess right now we're working on an eco collection launching for
spring, and this eco collection is based on – obviously – sustainability.
The fabrics that we're using are from Candiani, which is the world's greenest mill.
It has a pre-reduced indigo dye, which is less chemicals when you're washing it.
And we're implementing new technology:
ozone is essentially a machine that would wash the denim, and the water that's left
over is recycled to be used again;
and nanotechnology creates, kind of like, a cloud mist, which essentially uses 50 percent
less water to wash the denim.
But it still gives you the same effect that traditional laundries would do.
Overall becoming a very sustainable capsule that we're very proud to develop.
Victor Herrero: Then, carbon emissions and energy reduction.
In 60 stores we are changing our LED retrofits in order to save energy and try to more conscious
with natural resources.
Jaclyn Allen: Step three is to communicate; to be transparent about what we're doing and
hold ourselves accountable.
Victor Herrero: So we are part of the Global Reporting Initiative GRI, CDP Climate Data
for Investors, and then external verification: third party audits, where what we are trying
to achieve is balance plus accuracy.
Jaclyn Allen: Which assures that everyone we're reporting for knows that we're being honest.
We're not cherry-picking our information.
We will be telling the truth year after year.
Victor Herrero: Step four is educating and engaging our employees, our customers, and
the community.
Jaclyn Allen: One way in which we educate and engage our community as well as our employees
is through our partnership with FIDM, the local fashion institute.
Where we have now for three years supported a class in sustainability.
Victor Herrero: The second initiative that we've been doing is the World Water Day.
We help on building up a clean water tower in Puerto Rico, and gave water to 1,000 people
per day after the devastation of the Maria hurricane in Puerto Rico.
Jaclyn Allen: I mean, to me, one of the most important things that we can do as a company,
and me personally, is to make a positive impact on this world.
And not only do we create clothes that make people feel confident and beautiful, but we
are doing everything we can to make a positive impact, to protect the planet, and to protect
the people making our products: all the way from raw materials to the store level.
Victor Herrero: At the end of the day, what is important is that all of us, we are aware
of the importance of sustainability in terms of
trying to reduce and trying to preserve our natural resources.
Thanks for watching.
You can find out more at sustainability.guess.com.
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Guess: Four steps to sustainability | European CEO

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