Many environmental and social challenges in our industry require collaboration across companies, suppliers, workers’ representatives, policymakers, civil society and other stakeholders. Through memberships, partnerships and industry collaborations, we share knowledge, contribute to joint initiatives and take part in sector-wide work on topics such as wages, climate, materials, nature and human rights. Collaboration can support progress, but it does not guarantee implementation or outcomes — even when there is genuine intention. Below are some of our global partnerships, memberships and collaborations, listed in alphabetical order.
Memberships and collaborations
We are one of the founding members of ACT, a joint initiative between IndustriALL Global Union, international brands and retailers. ACT focuses on wages and working conditions in the garment industry, including purchasing practices, collective bargaining, industrial relations across supply chains and freedom of association. Through ACT, we take part in brand, trade union and supplier discussions on these topics.
The Apparel and Footwear International RSL Management (AFIRM) Group is a member-driven industry collaboration focused on chemical management in apparel and footwear supply chains. It provides information, tools and guidance on restricted substances and related regulatory requirements and offers a forum for members to discuss challenges and approaches to Restricted Substances List management. H&M Group uses AFIRM’s Restricted Substances List as part of our chemical restrictions work.
Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) is a non-profit organisation focused on decarbonisation in the apparel and footwear industry. H&M Group is a lead partner of Aii’s Fashion Climate Fund, which supports supplier decarbonisation through collaborative financing and access to technical support. This work complements our direct supplier financing through our Green Fashion Initiative and helps address factory-level barriers such as energy efficiency and renewable energy investments.
Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a non-profit organisation that helps cotton growers convert to farming practices that offer long-lasting economic, environmental and social benefits, both on their farms and in their local communities. H&M Group was a founding member of BCI, and today we work with them through sourcing, due diligence and projects linked to farmer livelihoods, decent work conditions, soil health and biodiversity. By sourcing through Better Cotton, we are funding a global initiative that enables the organisation’s training to reach more farmers and have a more profound impact.
The Better Than Cash Alliance is a partnership of governments, companies and international organisations focuses on the adoption of digital payments. The Alliance brings together members to share knowledge, promote digital payment ecosystems and support financial inclusion initiatives. We joined the Alliance in 2017 and through it, we encourage suppliers to pay their workers through digital channels, such as bank accounts, cards or mobile money.
The United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, established the Better Work programme to bring together governments, employers, workers and brands on working conditions in the garment industry. We collaborate on Better Work country programmes in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam. These programmes include assessments, training, advisory services and research.
Business for Nature is a global coalition focused on engaging businesses on nature-related issues. H&M Group is represented in its Business Advisory Group, which provides input on the coalition’s work and focus areas.
We are a participating member of the Business Network on Civic Freedoms and Human Rights Defenders (Business Network) is an informal network of companies, convened by three civil society organisations working on business accountability and human rights: 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.
Canopy is a non-profit organisation that works with global brands, the man-made cellulosic fibre (MMCF) industry and the packaging industry on sourcing approaches and fibre solutions intended to avoid sourcing from ancient and endangered forests. We are a founding brand partner of their CanopyStyle initiative and are a signee to their Pack4Good initiative.
Cascale is a global non-profit alliance for the consumer goods sector. It brings together brands, manufacturers, suppliers, academic institutions and non-profit organisations to develop shared tools and programmes for assessing environmental and social performance in value chains. H&M Group is a member of Cascale and uses selected Cascale tools, including the Higg Facility Tools, in our supplier programme.
These standardised tools are designed to provide insights into environmental performance and social and labour conditions at manufacturing facilities.
The Centre for Child Rights and Business is a global social enterprise and non-profit organisation that helps companies embed child rights and human rights due diligence into their core business operations and global supply chains. We are a member of its working group and use its expertise as part of our work on child labour risks in our value chain.
Clean Cargo is a global partnership led by the Smart Freight Centre, an international non-profit organisation working to reduce the impact of global freight transportation, that brings together ocean carriers, freight forwarders and cargo owners, including H&M Group. It provides methods and operational emissions data to help members measure and benchmark greenhouse gas emissions from container shipping.
H&M Group is part of the ChemSec Business Group, a company network focused on hazardous chemicals. It provides a forum for discussion and policy development related to the use and regulation of hazardous chemicals.
The Circular Design Consortium is a collaboration between apparel brands and retailers that work on approaches to product design. It provides a forum for companies to discuss shared challenges related to durability, repairability and recyclability. H&M Group participates in exchanging insights and aligning approaches with industry peers.
circular.fashion develops frameworks, standards and product-level tools for the fashion industry, with a focus on topics related to durability, repair, reuse and recycling. H&M Group works with circular.fashion to better understand how these considerations can be reflected in product-level criteria and guidance.
Corporate Leaders Group Europe (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 engage in climate- and nature-related policy discussions at EU and global levels.
We support Corporate Water Leaders (CWL), an initiative facilitated by Global Water Intelligence that brings together fashion industry stakeholders through the Textiles & Leather Taskforce. As part of this work, participating companies are developing an industry-aligned Common Water Framework focused on water-related operations and impacts across the sector.
We are part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundations’ Fashion and Textiles Mission, which focuses on a fashion industry where products are used more, made to be remade, and made from safe and recycled or renewable inputs. We also participate in The Fashion ReModel, the Foundation’s demonstration project on scaling repair, rental and resale.
The European Clean Trucking Alliance (ECTA) is a coalition of European businesses, civil society organisations and logistics-sector stakeholders focused on policy and infrastructure conditions for lower-emission road freight in Europe. Through ECTA, we engage in discussions on topics such as trucks with no exhaust emissions and charging or refuelling infrastructure for 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 co-founded by Stripe, Alphabet, Shopify and McKinsey in 2022. Frontier facilitates purchases from CDR companies on behalf of members, with the intention of providing demand for emerging technologies and supporting their development. H&M Group joined the initiative in 2023.
Future Supplier Initiative (FSI) brings together brands, including H&M Group, to collectively finance decarbonisation projects for shared suppliers. The initiative includes financing mechanisms and technical support for participating factories.
We are a strategic partner of Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), a non-profit organisation working with the fashion industry on initiatives, knowledge-sharing and policy engagement. GFA brings together stakeholders across the fashion value chain through activities and resources such as the Global Fashion Summit, GFA Monitor and Fashion CEO Agenda — as well as impact programmes like the Circular Fashion Partnership.
We have signed a Global Framework Agreement with IndustriALL Global Union and Swedish trade union IF Metall. The agreement provides a framework for cooperation between H&M Group, trade unions and suppliers across our supply chain, including freedom of association, worker-employer dialogue and labour issues. This work includes National Monitoring Committees, country-level committees where H&M Group, supplier and trade union representatives can discuss and follow up on workplace-related issues.
The International Accord for Health and Safety in the Garment and Textile Industry (International Accord) is a legally binding agreement, signed by H&M Group, 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), which are safety programmes adapted to specific production countries and currently operate in Bangladesh and Pakistan. It also allows for potential future programmes in other garment-producing countries.
We collaborate with the International Labour Organization (ILO) on labour-related topics connected to our supply chain at global and national levels. The collaboration covers topics including labour inspection systems, dispute resolution mechanisms, workplace dialogue, wages and social dialogue.
International Organisation of Employers (IOE) is the sole representative of business in social and employment policy debates taking place in the ILO, across the UN, G20 and other forums. Through this network, we engage in broader social and employment policy discussions relevant to our business and value chain. We have had a partnership agreement with IOE since 2023.
International Organization for Migration (IOM) is an inter-governmental organisation working on migration. In 2019, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the IOM to promote cooperation and mutual assistance in relation to migrant workers in global supply chains, including recruitment practices and worker protection.
We are part of the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF Coalition), a public-private sector initiative that aims to mobilise finance for tropical forest protection and supporting approaches that are considerate to local livelihoods and biodiversity.
We are a member of the Leather Working Group (LWG). Leather Working Group sets the LWG Standards of environmental criteria against which leather manufacturers are independently audited and certified. Through membership of LWG, H&M Group is committed to supporting its work of setting globally recognised environmental standards for leather manufacturing.
The EU-funded Multi-stakeholder Alliance for Decent Employment in the Myanmar apparel industry (MADE in Myanmar) was established in December 2022. The project brings together stakeholders (such as H&M Group) in the textile, clothing and footwear sector to work on employment-related practices and conditions in the Myanmar apparel industry.
The Mekong Club works with the private sector on tools and resources intended to help companies identify and manage modern slavery risks. As a member, H&M Group can access anti-slavery tools, resources, and consultations.
H&M Group is a member of the Network for Transport Measures (NTM), a non-profit organisation that develops methods and tools to help organisations estimate transport-related environmental performance across transport modes, including the transport of goods and people. NTM supports the transport industry through its calculation tools (NTMCalc), knowledge-sharing forums, and collaboration projects with members and stakeholders.
We are a founding member of Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) and participate in its work related to organic cotton supply, demand and traceability. OCA works with farmers, brands and other stakeholders on transparency, traceability and farmer-related support in organic cotton production.
RE100 is a global initiative bringing together businesses, such as H&M Group, committed to 100 percent renewable electricity. Led by the Climate Group in partnership with CDP, the initiative is focused on renewable electricity procurement and related policy engagement.
The Responsible Trucking Platform is a collaborative initiative facilitated by CSR Europe, a European business network focused on corporate social aspects. The platform brings together transport buyers and suppliers to work on social topics for truck drivers across Europe, including working conditions, resting times, access to appropriate facilities, risks of exploitation and alignment with the EU Mobility Package, a set of EU rules for road transport.
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 related to working conditions and labour-related topics in European road transport.
Smart Freight Centre (SFC) is a global non-profit organisation that works with companies and other stakeholders on freight transport and logistics emissions. It develops tools, frameworks and collaborative initiatives related to emissions measurement and reporting across different transport modes. We collaborate with SFC through initiatives focused on fashion and beauty logistics emissions, the use of the GLEC (Global Logistics Emissions Council) Framework for logistics emissions accounting and fleet electrification.
Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) is a science-led initiative that develops methods and guidance for companies and cities on nature-related impacts across biodiversity, land, freshwater and ocean. Its work is intended to complement climate-related target setting and supports the development of science-based targets for these areas.
The Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative that provides a common social assessment framework for global supply chains. The framework helps participating stakeholders collect and share social and labour data in a consistent way and can reduce reliance on duplicative assessments. This can support targeted follow-up, including verification and action plans where needed.
Textile Exchange is a global non-profit organisation working on materials in the fashion, textile and apparel industry. It provides tools, resources, and initiatives for brands, manufacturers, and farmers. We have been a member of Textile Exchange since 2004 and participate in 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.
The Fashion Pact was launched as an initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2019, as a call to action to fashion CEOs focused on the fashion industry’s environmental impacts. Today, The Fashion Pact brings together companies and external experts to work across four action areas: biodiversity, materials, production and renewable energy. H&M Group is a signatory and Steering Committee member.
The Global Deal is a multi-stakeholder partnership led by the ILO and OECD that promotes social dialogue, meaning cooperation and discussion between governments, employers and workers’ representatives, as well as industrial relations. It brings together governments, employers, trade unions and civil society to share practices and voluntary commitments related to labour rights and workplace cooperation.
We are signatories of the Microfibre Consortium’s 2030 Commitment, which aims to align the textile industry around actions to better understand and address fibre fragmentation from textiles into the natural environment. The Microfibre Consortium is a non-profit and science-led organisation whose work is designed to close the knowledge gaps, identify the root causes of fibre fragmentation and contribute to the development of practical solutions for product design and manufacturing.
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 long-term development. In 2014, we signed a memorandum of understanding with Sida to cooperate on programmes and policy-level work related to decent jobs and development opportunities with respect for human rights.
The UN Global Compact (UNGC) is a United Nations policy initiative for businesses based on ten principles covering human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. H&M Group has been a participant since 2001 and aligns its operations with the ten principles.
The UNFCCC (The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Fashion Charter brings together brands, retailers, suppliers and other stakeholders from the broader fashion and textile industry. The Charter brings signatories together around climate action in the fashion and textile industry. Each signatory is responsible for defining, implementing and reporting on its own transition pathway. H&M Group is part of the UNFCCC Fashion Charter Steering Group.
We have signed a Global Framework Agreement with the international federation of trade unions, UNI Global Union. A Global Framework Agreement is a voluntary agreement between a multinational company and a global union federation. Our agreement focuses on workers’ rights and representation on issues affecting employment and workplace conditions.
WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is an international, non-governmental conservation organisation dedicated to protecting nature and reducing human impacts on the environment. We have collaborated with WWF since 2011. Our current partnership focuses on topics including water, biodiversity and climate across H&M Group’s value chain.
We are a member of the ZDHC Foundation. Its Roadmap to Zero programme provides industry guidelines, tools and platforms intended to support chemical management practices in parts of the textile and footwear value chain. These include the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (ZDHC MRSL), which lists substances restricted from intentional use in manufacturing chemicals; the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines, which provide a framework for wastewater testing and evaluation; and the ZDHC Gateway, an industry platform used to share chemical and wastewater-related information.
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