CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022
The CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022, in collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative and Ellen MacArthur Foundation, took place on the 25th September 2022. 12 Awards recognised the industry’s progress on ESG, from climate action to human rights, measured using EFI’s ESG Due Diligence Framework.
Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, in collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) of the International Trade Center, an agency of the UN and WTO, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, of the The ICE Agency and the Municipality of Milan organized the ceremony of the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2022 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. The event recognised examples of Italian and international fashion making strides in Sustainability, awarding companies and individuals for their vision, innovation, commitment to craftsmanship, recognition of differences, circular economy, human rights and environmental justice.
Opening the awards alongside CNMI’s Chairman Carlo Capasa and the chair of the Jury, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Simone Cipriani, Founder UN EFI & Chairman UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion delivered a speech on the urgent need for the industry to invest in sustainability
“It is time to stop this run towards an environmental catastrophe and to repair the damage of global inequality. I am a UN officer, and I see the impact of this on some of the most vulnerable societies of the planet (…) The investment needs to reduce our impact is enormous and we cannot come out of this unless the private sector engages fully in sustainability. The fashion industry is one of the most promising sectors to lead this movement. Fashion has created effective and efficient business models; you are all formidable entrepreneurs and managers. As we see this evening, you are already engaged and doing lots of good things. Let us step up this engagement, let us do more. Thanks to CNMI for having taken the engagement to work together towards these objectives. The new sustainability revolution can start from here.”
The Awards
The Human Rights Award
This Award recognises those who have placed the defence of human rights at the centre of their individual or corporate equality strategy. In fashion supply chains, these efforts lead to the protection of workers’ rights and the maintenance of adequate standards in terms of working hours, fair remuneration of work, health and safety – both at individual workers’ and communities’ levels. A special recognition is attributed to those who continuously challenge the status quo, drive actions that improve human rights, and support open discussions.
Shortlisted: Dr. Rubana Huq, Cooperativa Alice, Made for a Woman (M4W)
Winner : Dr. Rubana Hug
The Climate Action Award
The Climate Action Award is dedicated to fashion brands, suppliers, organisations and stakeholders that work to address greenhouse gas emissions, find innovative solutions for the sector and drive solutions-focused climate change strategies. Special consideration was given to those projects addressing the most urgent issues impacting climate change: intensive farming, deforestation, and industrial production.
Shortlisted: La Soledad x Gucci, Radici Group, Sea Forest
Winner: La Soledad x Gucci
The Circular Economy Award
This award recognises the outstanding work of those fashion brands, suppliers, platforms and small-medium enterprises that are demonstrating principles of the circular economy. These include – eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and regenerating nature. Special consideration was given to organisations that combine circular economy principles and systems thinking at the core of their business.
Shortlisted: Timberland, Vestiaire Collective & Rifò
Winner: Timberland
The Social Impact Award
This Award recognises significant positive actions directed to change, solve or address social injustice and challenges, as well as those focusing on human development and strengthening of social capital. It highlights the value of those businesses or organisations that, through strategic and operational efforts, are creating direct positive impact to society, in alignment with United Nations’ Social Development Goals.
Shortlisted: Ara Lumiere, Nannacay, Russo di Casandrino
Winner: Ara Lumiere
The Bicester Collection Award for Emerging Designers
The Award celebrates the emerging talents of individuals and small brands who, despite their smaller scale, are striving to create significant positive impact in the global fashion community, delivering a message that combines design, innovation, and responsibility. Special recognition was therefore given to those businesses who decided to embed practices generating a positive impact in their product portfolio from day one, and choosing to address at least one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the fashion industry.
Shortlisted: Nkwo Onwuka, Themoirè & Torlowei
Winner: Nkwo Onwuka
The Biodiversity Conservation Award
This Award celebrates the companies and organisations that not only recognise the paramount importance of biodiversity for the benefit of humankind but are actively taking steps to pursue positive outcomes for nature, leave a better environment to future generations and inspire all stakeholders to become active part in this conversation.
Shortlisted: Ermenegildo Zegna Group & Bally
Winner: Ermenegildo Zegna Group
The Oceans Award
The Oceans Award recognizes the importance of the health of the oceans and marine ecosystems. It seeks to highlight the industry’s efforts and accountability in protecting and improving marine ecosystems and resources, reducing their exploitation and raising awareness of their paramount relevance so that future generations can thrive. Special recognition was given to projects tackling plastics pollution, one of the most pressing threats to ocean health.
Shortlisted: Prada, Sea2See, Panerai
Winner: Prada
The Craft & Italian Artisanship Award
The Craft & Italian Artisanship Award honours attention to fabrics and techniques from the past, as well as valuing the resilience of such business models when approaching the future. It intends to recognise dedicated efforts in Italy which encourage research and development around local design, materials, and production processes, often certified by traceability or innovation patents. Special consideration has been given to Made in Italy best practices and heritage, not only limited to the Fashion industry but to the Italian way of life and traditions.
Shortlisted: Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Sergio Rossi
Winner: Bottega Veneta
The Philanthropy & Society Award
This Award is designed to reward those individuals who have carried out social or charity projects, as well as companies that have created their own foundation for philanthropic purposes as an effort to improve human welfare. The Award highlights the importance of clear and transparent communication: effectively disseminating its purpose, enabling positive replication, and creating advocacy for the philanthropic causes it seeks to promote.
Shortlisted: The OTB Foundation, The Apparel Made-ups & Home furnishing Sector Skill Council (AMH SSC), Gucci X Chime for Change
Winner: The OTB Foundation
The Woolmark Company Award for Innovation
The Woolmark Award is dedicated to brands, suppliers and organisations actively working to make the wool textile sector more responsible and resilient to current sustainability challenges. The Woolmark Company has always been devoted to the sector’s sustainable development, working to produce high quality material, while making sure both animal welfare and land health are preserved.
Shortlisted: Sease, Reda, The Schneider Group
Winner: Sease
The Groundbreaker Award
The Groundbreaker Award intends to recognise the work of start-ups, fashion brands and suppliers on the creation of innovative solutions that address critical pain points within the fashion industry, such as intensive farming practices, the use of toxic chemicals across the supply chain and the reliance on fossil-based as well as natural material that contribute to land degradation. Special focus has been given to innovations focusing on natural or bio-based solutions to replace conventional technologies that degrade land and deplete natural resources.
Shortlisted: Bananatex, Demetra and Gucci Off The Grid by Gucci, Grounded Indigio by Albini_Next and Stony Creek Colours
Winner: Grounded Indigio by Albini_Next and Stony Creek Colours
The Visionary Award
This Award appreciates those who approached the broader spectrum of sustainability, recognising how all of the dimensions are interconnected, bypassing any compartmentalisation and enhancing positive side effects. The Award intends to highlight the value of a holistic approach, intended to be delivered to that protagonist of the global fashion industry who has displayed, over the years, full understanding of its many nuances, from environmental commitment to social dedication, from economical responsibility to ethical stance.
Winner: Armani
The Equity and Inclusivity Award
The Equity and Inclusivity Award seeks to award positive actions taken by key players of the fashion industry to remove prejudices and stereotypes and shorten cultural gaps, providing equal access and opportunity for all.
The Award, therefore, intends to highlight the value of a Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy as a component of a business’ broader sustainability path, via dedicated strategies, programs and practices. Many aspects of anti-discrimination were considered, such as the presence of a team accountable for strategy development and a dedicated budget, to ensure the equitable advancement of each person, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, community, or preferences.
Taking this into account, it was decided by the Jury not to award this Prize in the 2022 ceremony, a call to action for the industry to formalise actions, policies, and commitment to a more equitable and inclusive industry.
“Sustainability is a lifetime journey of continuous engagement. It is not a blueprint or a simple recipe. Rather, it is about setting objectives and steering the organization’s activities towards those goals. It is also a managerial endeavour requiring risk assessment and performance monitoring tools. The investments required to make our planet and our societies sustainable are huge and no government alone can support them: we need the private sector to engage in this endeavour with all its investment capacity. With these awards, CNMI and EFI are offering a glimpse into how this is starting to happen: the industry of fashion in motion.”
Simone Cipriani’s message on the awards
