New Approaches to Financing Greener Production

Renewable energy solutions don’t come with cheap price tags. A rent rooftop solar installation meeting 21% of electricity needs at a major apparel manufacturer in Vietnam cost US$5.6 million. At the same time, investment in renewables is transitioning from a mostly voluntary action to one that will increasingly become a mandatory requirement whether by legislation or tougher brand prerequisites for doing business.

In this new environment, brands, financial institutions and other stakeholders are now starting to work together on developing financial solutions for producers wanting to adopt renewable energy. One cutting edge project has seen a major retailer and bank team up with a not-for-profit to finance and guide producers setting validated science-based targets for emission reductions. Another possible option involves brands using funds raised through sustainability bonds to finance Scope 3 emissions reductions via renewable energy production in supply chains.

In this session moderated by Hasso Anwer from GIZ FABRIC, you will hear from various parties involved in developing innovative financing solutions.

SPEAKERS

Peter Ford, Green Investment Program Specialist, H&M Group

Peter Ford is the Green Investment Program Specialist at H&M Group. With regional knowledge from working and living for over 10 years across Asia, he now works closely with H&M Group supplying factories globally to remove on-site coal use and cut supply chain GHG emissions to support H&M’s 56% 2030 reduction target.

John Leung, Director, Southeast Asia & Oceania, CDP

John Leung is the Director, Southeast Asia & Oceania at CDP. He brings 25 years of general management and corporate development experience from the UK and Asia. He has expertise in spearheading new territory growth in Asia markets in both enterprise and start-ups having spent nearly 20 years working in the region.

Phuong Tran Thi Minh, Senior Manager, Employee Relations and Sustainability

Phuong is a Senior Manager, Employee Relations and Sustainability at Crystal Martin (Vietnam). She is responsible for enhancing the bonding between employees and the company via rolling out employee care initiatives, promoting transparent communication and timely handling employee grievances and supports projects activities at the factory level to ensure high commitment of sustainable development.

Shafqat Ullah, General Manager, NEC Consultants Pakistan

Shafqat has been working as consultant with different International organizations from the last 23 year on resource efficient and greener production aspect of different industrial and development projects. He is the trainer/resource person for energy and water efficiency, chemical and environmental management, greener production, wastewater treatment, steam boilers, ISO standards and various sustainability standards of textile sector.

Tamara Wulf, Senior Director of Programs, Apparel Impact Institute

Tamara Wulf holds 18 years’ work experience in the sporting goods, fast fashion and consultancy industry, with her whole career dedicated to sustainability. She is the Senior Director of Programs at Apparel Impact Institute and holds expert knowledge in the areas of human rights issues in value chains and environmental impact reduction in the Fashion Industry, with a strong focus on sustainable chemical management and decarbonisation.