CO extends partnership with the Sustainable Fashion Academy
We are pleased to announce our continued partnership with the Sustainable Fashion Academy. CO members can benefit from a 110 euros discount on their Sustainability Fundamentals course, which is starting again in September. More information here.
The Fundamentals course is a comprehensive online training tool that provides in-depth foundational knowledge about the core issues and challenges of sustainable apparel.
Continue reading for a testimonial from Carolina Restrepo, former participant and Innovation, Development & Sustainability Director at MAAJI.
Why did you choose to educate and train yourself/your colleagues? How does this fit into your sustainability strategy?
For several years the theme of sustainability has become an essential in any project or company. As an individual, I have always believed in the duty of the planet’s consciousness and its environmental, economic and social balance. As MAAJI’s Director of Innovation and Sustainability, I have wanted to permeate the corporate culture in which I work with that study and inclusion of knowledge, joining of forces to achieve a coherent system between the company and sustainable development.
What have the benefits of the training been?
Being able to access the information easily means that the knowledge can be processed in an agile and efficient way. In addition to having examples and people with specific knowledge, all the information of the course and the way it is explained is very clear. This has given us a 360 vision of sustainability in fashion and the different elements that make it up. It is a very good start to understand the social and environmental problems of fashion today. With this vision, the sustainability policies or projects within the company become more specific and concrete.
How do you see your training as valuable in light of Covid-19?
I think that COVID has accelerated the process of raising awareness in a certain way, but it has also made many companies and projects see the need to rethink many things in addition to taking measures to survive. I believe we are at the epicenter of a world revolution of the orders known so far and we do not yet know with certainty what this whole movement will bring. What is clear is that structures must change and there is an urgent call to bring more balanced and conscious companies. For me and the company in which I work, COVID has meant a great challenge throughout the structure and all the forces have gone towards maintaining the jobs and stability of the company with very extreme changes in dynamics. In any case, we are positive and aware that all these changes are necessary to build that new path from balance in many ways. In any case, I think it is a great opportunity to reinvent and tell a new story despite the difficulties.
How important is leadership when integrating sustainability into your business, and for transforming the industry? What does leadership mean to you?
It is very important, it is essential. Sustainability has not been the priority throughout history, but today that path must change and it is necessary to build short, medium and long-term strategies that are in tune with this new vision and based on the conviction of leaders. We cannot be oblivious to how we are changing. We must have an active position in terms of committing ourselves to change and contributing to the internal and external system of companies, a new way of doing things. It is essential that the leaders have more knowledge, there is more community and we can build together a new stage of collaboration by joining forces to reverse everything we have done to the planet and the beings that comprise it.
What advice do you have for other companies planning to engage, educate or train their staff on sustainability topics?
I would say that it is very good to find courses and information like the one presented here. I think it is a good source, serious and reliable. You need to be able to count on that in order to forge a solid starting point for reliable knowledge. A commitment to keep moving forward and looking for a specialized community is necessary to exchange opinions and build together from varied and complementary points of view.
What advice do you have for other companies now planning to get the most of the SFA sustainability fundamentals course and SFA’s services overall?
I would invite them to be part of this, without a doubt. It is highly recommended and beneficial. I think it is necessary that someone with prior knowledge of fashion can be witness to what is exposed in the course.
Is there anything else that stands out about your SFA training experience that was helpful and you would like to share?
The experience was very good, very concrete. The information is very clear in both the modules and the accompanying videos. I am grateful that I was able to take part in this course and I think it gave me a global vision of sustainability in fashion.
Learn from experts, alongside your peers.
Sustainability Fundamentals course is created by experts who have been at the forefront of change in the fashion industry and it has already been successfully delivered to tens of thousands of fashion professionals from leading brands and retailers.