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Fashion Makes Change
Description/achievement of initiative

Fashion Makes Change, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is an industry-wide initiative to deliver women’s empowerment and climate action in tandem. FMC works in partnership across the apparel industry to build resilient communities by accelerating a global educational agenda of women’s empowerment and gender equity in supply chain communities, and supports the supply's chains conversion to renewable energy.

Implementation methodologies

Fashion and retail brands across the globe are coming together and joining forces with Fashion Makes Change to support the empowerment and education of women in the apparel supply chain. \r\n\r\nFMC's consumer-facing program, ‘Your Change Can Change Everything’, invites customers to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar or make a donation when shopping at participating brands and retailers. Many brands are matching funds and/or offer a donation on behalf of their customers. The proceeds raised will support the Empower@Work Collaborative, a joint effort of United Nations’ ILO-IFC Better Work, BSR’s HERproject, CARE International, and Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E program, that works to leverage knowledge, skills, and networks to drive collective action for the benefit of women workers and gender equity in global supply chains. Empower@Work has created a robust set of training curriculum materials addressing topics including leadership, financial literacy, problem-solving and decision making, and financial planning. \r\n\r\n\r\nFashion Makes Change recognizes our global challenges are interconnected, requiring independent solutions. Therefore, the second pillar of FMC, is a program to further support the decarbonization of our global supply chain by accelerating the transition to renewable energy. This work will operate independently from the consumer-facing round-up campaign.

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

Fashion Makes Change is uniting the fashion industry to support women's empowerment and decarbonization throughout the value chain. Our round-up campaign makes it easy for customers to join in and amplify gender equality, women’s education, and empowerment in communities around the globe. Engaging at point of sale, FMC invites people to round up their purchases to support & scale these initiatives. The work will be additive to existing efforts. Proceeds raised will support the Empower@Work Collaborative to drive collective action for the benefit of women workers and gender equality in global supply chains. We are also working with global energy providers and stakeholders to convert key manufacturing sites and mills to renewable energy. \r\n\r\n\r\nOur mission is to build a community of stakeholders. The idea of FMC being- how do we all engage - as global citizens - and be part of this positive shift. To see consumers, brands, nonprofits, philanthropy, and even media come together and use the power we all have to drive change is a remarkable thing and our hope is that this is the next generation of change-making.

Coordination mechanisms/governance structure

Fashion Makes Change, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a 501(c)(3), provides actionable solutions that catalyze collective action, build resilient communities and reverse the climate crises. Recognizing we all have a role to play, Fashion Makes Change aligns industry, non-profits, investors, and customers in the transition to a sustainable world. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is a nonprofit that partners with individuals, families, and institutions to help make philanthropy more thoughtful and effective. Since 2002, RPA has facilitated more than $3 billion in grantmaking worldwide. RPA provides Fashion Makes Change fiscal sponsorship tailored advisory, management, and fiscal sponsorship services, translating the motivations of innovative leaders into action.

Partner(s)

Shopify, PR Consulting, Avery Dennison, Pledge, Michael Kors, Versace, Jimmy Choo, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Gabriela Hearst, Chloé, Nordstrom, Theory, The Conservatory, Larroudé, Markarian, Rosie Assoulin, Hill House Home, Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, The Coach Foundation, Stuart Weitzman, Kate Spade New York, Everlane, Madewell, YES AND, AARMY, Morgan Lane, Sarah Flint, PatBO, Chufy, 1 Atelier, KENNETH COLE PRODUCTIONS, INC, Eileen Fisher, Abercrombie & Fitch, ASTOURI, Millianna, Adore Me, Joyja, Belabumbum, Gentrue, Walkpop, ReApparel, NueSkin, Earth Republic, Naia, Coolibrium, Prestige, TAARACH, and ElyseRyan Jewelry, Hudson Jeans, Rabbit Running, and more are more brands joining daily!
Progress reports
Goal 3
3.7 - By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes
Goal 4
4.1 - By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.3 - By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.4 - By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.5 - By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
4.7 - By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
Goal 5
5.1 - End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
5.2 - Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
5.3 - Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
5.5 - Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
5.6 - Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences
5.a - Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws
5.b - Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
5.c - Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels
Goal 7
7.2 - By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.3 - By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
7.a - By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
7.b - By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support
Goal 8
8.1 - Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries
8.3 - Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.5 - By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.8 - Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
Goal 13
13.3 - Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.b - Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities

* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the primary international,
intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.
Dec/2021
Conversion of key manufacturing sites and mills to renewable energy via direct conversation and VPPAs.
June/2021
Impact grants to the Empower@Work Collaborative, a joint effort of United Nations’ ILO-IFC Better Work, BSR’s HERproject, CARE International, and Gap Inc.’s P.A.C.E program, to fund women's empowerment programming within supply chain communities.
Ongoing
A consumer facing program that invites customers at the point of sale to round-up their purchase to the nearest dollar or to make a donation to support women's empowerment programming.
Staff / Technical expertise
We have a wide ecosystem of partners that have vast PR, Media, Communications, Legal, Philanthropy, Energy, and policy expertise.
Staff / Technical expertise
We have dedicated staff working on this initiative.
Other, please specify
We have founding sponsorship from a number of partners.

Basic information
Time-frame: March 2021 - Ongoing
Website
Partners
Shopify, PR Consulting, Avery Dennison, Pledge, Michael Kors, Versace, Jimmy Choo, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Gabriela Hearst, Chloé, Nordstrom, Theory, The Conservatory, Larroudé, Markarian, Rosie Assoulin, Hill House Home, Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, The Coach Foundation, Stuart Weitzman, Kate Spade New York, Everlane, Madewell, YES AND, AARMY, Morgan Lane, Sarah Flint, PatBO, Chufy, 1 Atelier, KENNETH COLE PRODUCTIONS, INC, Eileen Fisher, Abercrombie & Fitch, ASTOURI, Millianna, Adore Me, Joyja, Belabumbum, Gentrue, Walkpop, ReApparel, NueSkin, Earth Republic, Naia, Coolibrium, Prestige, TAARACH, and ElyseRyan Jewelry, Hudson Jeans, Rabbit Running, and more are more brands joining daily!
Countries
Contact information
Cara Smyth, Founder and Chair of the Board, Cara.Smyth@fashionmakeschange.org
United Nations