Australian online platform The Iconic has shared its ESG progress in its 2023 People Planet Positive Progress Year In Review report.
This includes its plans to become B Corp certified after commencing the journey in 2023.
Launched in 2021, The Iconic’s People Planet Positive strategy has led to new environmental social governance milestones. Last year, the online marketplace was one of six Australian retailers to sign on as foundation and board members of Seamless, Australia’s National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme.
One-quarter (26 per cent) of all cotton sourced for The Iconic’s own brands in 2023 was either organic, recycled or Australian cotton, with reviews underway to shift its ‘Considered Edit’ category to categorise products with a lower social, environmental or animal impact.
The Iconic also reduced its total product intake weight delivered via air from 14.4 per cent in 2019 to 2.9 per cent in 2023, with plans to keep this at 2 per cent from 2024 onwards.
According to The Iconic commercial and sustainability officer Gayle Burchell, sustainability isn’t optional.
“We have a responsibility to do better,” Burchell said. “And having recently launched our refreshed company purpose to ‘Create A Better Way for People to Shop’, how we deliver on this from a sustainability standpoint has never been more pertinent.”
The Iconic has also grown its active worker dialogue and grievance mechanisms in 77 per cent of its exclusive brands’ factories through ongoing engagement and visits.
“While we’re incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made on our sustainability journey, we’re cognisant that we cannot act alone in our efforts,” Burchell continued.
“Having joined forces with six other leading retailers in 2023 as a founding member of Australia’s first National Clothing Product Stewardship Scheme, as well as co-designing THE ICONIC X FNFD Incubator program in partnership with First Nations Fashion Design, we’re excited to unlock the potential of combined skills, knowledge and agendas on our path to be people and planet positive by 2030.”