Memberships and collaborations

We are one of the founding members of ACT, a joint initiative between IndustriALL Global Union and 19 international brands and retailers. It aims to enable long-term improvements in wages and working conditions in the global garment industry by promoting responsible purchasing practices, supporting effective collective bargaining, improving industrial relations across supply chains, and strengthening freedom of association.

The AFIRM Group works to reduce the use and impact of harmful substances in the apparel and footwear supply chain. It provides a forum to advance global management of restricted substances in apparel and footwear, communicate information about the restricted substance list to the supply chain, discuss concerns, and exchange ideas for improving RSL management.

Aii, the Apparel Impact Institute, is a US-based nonprofit organisation that accelerates decarbonisation efforts in the global apparel and footwear industry by identifying, funding and scaling proven climate solutions. It mobilises brands, manufacturers, NGOs and technical partners to drive large-scale impact programmes, aligning the industry on measurement, reporting and implementation. Through initiatives such as the Fashion Climate Fund, in which H&M Group is a lead partner, and the Climate Solutions Portfolio, Aii functions as both an industry “marketplace” for effective decarbonisation solutions and a channel for grants and blended-finance support that enable direct, real-economy emission reductions. For H&M Group, partnering with Aii means benefiting from industry-wide alignment, shared project pipelines and scalable climate-impact programmes rather than acting in isolation.

Better Cotton Initiative is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on increasing sustainable practices in cotton farming. It brings together diverse stakeholders, from civil society to fashion brands, to improve environmental and social impacts of cotton production.

The Business Network on Civic Freedoms and Human Rights Defenders is an informal network of companies, convened and facilitated by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, The B Team and the International Service for Human Rights. The network calls for the protection of human rights defenders and civic freedoms.

The Better Than Cash Alliance is a partnership of governments, companies and international organisations that accelerates the transition from cash to responsible digital payments to boost efficiency, transparency, women’s economic participation and financial inclusion, helping to drive inclusive growth. Based at the UN, the Alliance has over 80 members and collaborates closely with other global organisations. We joined the Alliance in 2017.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) started the Better Work programme with the aim of bringing employees and employers together to find solutions to workers’ issues and ensure a sustainable labour market. We collaborate on in-country programmes in Bangladesh, Cambodia (Better Factories Cambodia), Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam. These programmes include assessments, training, advocacy and research to change policies, attitudes and behaviour.

Clean Cargo is a global partnership led by the Smart Freight Centre that brings together ocean carriers, freight forwarders and cargo owners like H&M Group. It provides methods and high quality primary emissions data, enabling participants to measure, benchmark, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from container shipping. The initiative has become the leading buyer–supplier forum for sustainable shipping, representing about 85 percent of global container cargo capacity and continuously improving data granularity to support credible decarbonisation decisions.

Canopy is an environmental NGO that collaborates with global brands and the MMCF and packaging industries to eliminate the use of ancient and endangered forests while scaling the use of next-generation alternative fibres.

We are a founding brand partner of their Canopy Style initiative and are a signee to their Pack4Good initiative.

Cascale is a global nonprofit alliance that brings together over 300 brands and retailers, manufacturers and suppliers, governments, academic institutions, and nonprofit members across the consumer goods industry to Combat Climate Change and Support Decent Work for All.

We are part of the ChemSec Business Group — a collaboration between companies to inspire progress and push for more progressive legislation on the use of toxic chemicals.

The Circular Design Consortium is a collective of apparel brands and retailers working to integrate circular design into our businesses, address shared barriers, and create the frameworks and guidance needed to drive lasting industry change.

circular.fashion supports us in circular product design, while we also collaborate on knowledge-sharing related to the standardisation of digital product passports for circularity.

CLG Europe brings together business leaders, with the support and advice of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, to advocate for robust business and policy solutions on climate and nature to policymakers within the European Union and globally. Through this membership, we aim to advocate for ambitious climate- and nature-related policies at EU and global level.

We support Corporate Water Leaders, an initiative facilitated by Global Water Intelligence that convenes fashion industry stakeholders through the Textiles & Leather Taskforce. Together, we are developing an industry-aligned Common Water Framework to help brands and their supply chain partners build operational resilience and mitigate water impacts.

We are a partner in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation‘s (EMF) network, which brings together businesses, policymakers and financial institutions to build and scale a circular economy. More specifically, we are part of the Foundation’s Fashion and Textiles Mission, which aims to build a fashion industry where products are used more, made to be made again, and made from safe and recycled or renewable inputs. Circular business models play a crucial role in this, which is why we are participating in the Foundation’s flagship demonstration project, The Fashion ReModel. The project aims to decouple revenue from production and implement circular business models at scale.

The European Clean Trucking Alliance (ECTA) is a coalition of more than 40 European businesses, civil society organisations and logistics actors working together to accelerate the transition to zero-emission road freight across Europe.

Its purpose is to advocate for strong EU policies, binding targets, and the deployment of zero-emission trucks and charging/refuelling infrastructure to rapidly decarbonise urban logistics and long-haul freight.

Frontier is an advanced market commitment to buy permanent carbon dioxide removal (CDR) between 2022 and 2030. It was founded by Stripe, Alphabet, Shopify and McKinsey in 2022. H&M Group became a member in the second wave, in 2023. Frontier facilitates purchases from high-potential CDR companies on behalf of members, accelerating the development of CDR technology and catalysing new net supply.

FSI brings together brands to collectively finance decarbonisation projects for shared suppliers. It limits the cost of borrowing for factories and enables access to technical support, as well as offering the potential to build long-term, resilient business relationships with brands.

We are a strategic partner of Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), which is a non-profit organisation accelerating sustainability in the fashion industry by inspiring, educating, influencing and mobilising stakeholders across the value chain. Through initiatives such as the Global Fashion Summit, thought leadership — including the GFA Monitor and Fashion CEO Agenda — and impact programmes like the Circular Fashion Partnership, GFA drives the transition towards a net-positive, circular and equitable fashion industry.

Smart Freight Centre (SFC) is a global non-profit organisation dedicated to creating an efficient, zero-emission freight sector and driving widespread, transparent and consistent calculation and reduction of logistics emissions across all transport modes.

We collaborate with SFC through several working groups and initiatives:

• Fashion and Beauty Community — a cross-industry platform within SFC that brings brands and logistics partners together to accelerate decarbonisation practices specific to fashion and beauty supply chains.
• Global Logistics Emissions Council — SFC’s multi-stakeholder programme that harmonises how companies calculate and report logistics greenhouse gas emissions through the globally recognised GLEC Framework.
• Fleet Electrification Coalition — an SFC-led collaboration focused on advancing low-emission freight by scaling electric road transport and supporting companies in transitioning towards zero-emission fleet operations.

We are one of the few companies in our industry to have signed a Global Framework Agreement with IndustriALL Global Union and Swedish trade union IF Metall. The agreement reflects a shared commitment to strengthening social dialogue and cooperation between brands, trade unions and suppliers across our supply chain. Through this partnership, the parties collaborate to support freedom of association, facilitate dialogue between workers and employers, and address labour issues through joint mechanisms such as National Monitoring Committees.

The International Accord for Health and Safety in the Garment and Textile Industry (International Accord) is a legally binding agreement between garment brands and trade unions to ensure worker health and safety in the textile and garment industry.

Serving as a framework, the agreement facilitates the implementation of the Accord’s Country-Specific Safety Programmes (CSSPs), currently in Bangladesh and Pakistan, and lays the groundwork for potential future programmes in other garment-producing countries.

We collaborate with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support improved labour relations at global and national levels. Through this collaboration, we contribute to strengthening labour inspection systems, dispute resolution mechanisms and workplace dialogue, and support policy development and capacity-building initiatives aimed at fair wages and effective social dialogue.

IOE is the sole representative of business in social and employment policy debates taking place in the ILO, across the UN, G20 and other emerging forums. Through this network, we engage in broader social and employment policy discussions relevant to both our own operations and our production. We have had a partnership agreement with IOE since 2023.

The IOM is the leading inter-governmental organisation in the field of migration and combats all forms of exploitation and abuse of migrant workers. In 2019, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the IOM to promote cooperation and mutual assistance in relation to ethical recruitment and the protection of migrant workers in global supply chains.

We are part of the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition, a public-private initiative that aims to mobilise large-scale financing to countries committed to making ambitious reductions in tropical deforestation, while also supporting livelihoods and protecting biodiversity.

The EU-funded project, the Multi-stakeholder Alliance for Decent Employment in the Myanmar apparel industry (MADE in Myanmar), was established in December 2022. Its objective is to strengthen and protect responsible business practices in the textile, clothing and footwear sector.

The Mekong Club works with the private sector to bring about sustainable practices against modern slavery. Members enjoy a range of benefits, anti-slavery tools, resources and consultations. Their mission is to inspire and engage the private sector to work together to end modern slavery in global supply chains.

NTM is a non-profit organisation that aims to establish a common base of values to calculate environmental performance for all modes of traffic, including the transport of goods and people. NTM supports industry through its calculation tools (NTMCalc), a knowledge-sharing forum, and collaboration projects with members and stakeholders, helping drive transparency and comparable environmental reporting across transport chains.

We were a founding member of OCA and we continue to be actively involved in further strengthening the supply, demand and integrity of organic cotton. OCA’s mission is to build a fair, robust organic cotton market that promotes transparency and traceability and makes it easier for farmers to switch to organic production.

RE100 s a global initiative bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100 percent renewable electricity. Led by the Climate Group and in partnership with CDP, their mission is to accelerate change towards renewable power.

The Responsible Trucking Platform is a collaborative initiative facilitated by CSR Europe, bringing together leading transport buyers and suppliers to jointly improve the social conditions of truck drivers across Europe. It focuses on raising social standards in road transport by addressing challenges such as working conditions, resting times, access to appropriate facilities, risks of exploitation, and alignment with the EU Mobility Package.

H&M Group has been a member since the inception of the platform in January 2021.

Today, the platform consists of nine active partners who collaborate on shared social guidelines, due diligence tools, driver surveys, and collective actions aimed at improving driver welfare and strengthening responsible transport practices across European logistics networks.

Science Based Targets Network is a civil-society and science-led initiative that brings together leading global NGOs to help companies and cities take credible, science-based action for nature. SBTN develops methods and guidance that enable organisations to understand and reduce their impacts across biodiversity, land, freshwater and ocean, complementing climate action and ultimately supporting the setting of science-based targets for land, water and ocean.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is a Swedish government agency responsible for implementing Sweden’s development cooperation, with the overall objective of contributing to poverty reduction and sustainable development. In 2014, we signed a memorandum of understanding with Sida to support decent jobs and sustainable development opportunities with respect for human rights, at programme and policy level, depending on the country and region.

SLCP is a multi-stakeholder initiative committed to improving working conditions in global supply chains. It provides a universal social assessment tool that delivers credible and actionable data, enabling stakeholders to shift focus from repetitive assessments and audit fatigue to driving real improvements for workers. This increases transparency in supply chains, reduces the need for social audits and ultimately allows users to redeploy resources into improving working conditions.

Textile Exchange is a global non-profit driving beneficial outcomes for climate and nature across the fashion, textile, and apparel industry. They guide a growing community of brands, manufacturers, and farmers towards more purposeful production from the very start of the supply chain. They provide tools, resources, and initiatives to drive change at scale. We have been a member of Textile Exchange since 2004 and participate in numerous initiatives and projects, including benchmarking, material commitments and the Leather Impact Accelerator – a set of tools that help the industry address the core challenges it faces around leather production, from farm to finished product.

The Fashion Pact (TFP) launched as an initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2019, as a call to action to fashion CEOs to build a courageous collective addressing the industry’s environmental impacts.

Today, TFP combines CEO leadership, shared knowledge and collective resources with the best external expertise to drive accelerated impact across its four action areas: Biodiversity, Lower Impact Materials, Lower Impact Production, and Renewable Energy.

The Global Deal is a multi-stakeholder partnership led by the ILO and OECD that promotes social dialogue and industrial relations to support decent work and inclusive growth. It brings together governments, employers, trade unions, and civil society to collaborate on improving labour-market conditions and reducing inequalities. The initiative encourages partners to make voluntary commitments and share best practices that strengthen labour rights and workplace cooperation.

We founded the Pathways Coalition along with E.ON, Scania and Siemens to accelerate the decarbonisation of heavy transport. Members of the coalition are committed to reaching fossil-free commercial transport by 2050 at the latest.

The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles concerning human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.

Hosted by UN Climate Change, the UNFCCC Fashion Charter brings together brands, retailers, suppliers and other stakeholders from the broader fashion and textile industry. Together**,** they aim to steer the industry towards the vision of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees. We provide expert-level as well as strategic guidance, notably by being part of the UNFCCC Fashion Charter Steering Group

We have signed a Global Framework Agreement with UNI Global Union and maintain an ongoing dialogue to express our shared commitment to upholding freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining for our employees. Through this collaboration, we work to ensure that these rights are respected across our own operations. Together, we act in the best interests of both our employees and our business, recognising that the success of one is inseparable from the success of the other.

WWF is an international, independent, non-governmental conservation organisation dedicated to protecting nature and reducing human impacts on the environment.

We have collaborated with WWF since 2011 and our current partnership addresses key environmental impacts across H&M Group’s value chain and beyond, with a focus on water and biodiversity, while supporting the climate transition, resilient ecosystems and improved livelihoods.

We are an active member of the ZDHC group. This programme takes a holistic approach to tackling the issue of hazardous chemicals in the global textile and footwear value chain.