Iconic Australian brand Country Road has launched the Country Road Climate Fund, investing $1.5 million in grant funding to projects driving climate solutions in the Australian fashion industry over the next three years.
The fund aims to help accelerate and incubate projects, programs, initiatives or products across the Australian fashion industry that need funding to execute their solutions. The annual grants program will allocate up to $500,000 in the first year.
Country Road’s primary mandate is to invest in projects with a positive climate impact, directly and indirectly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These include projects that improve energy efficiency in the production of textiles or projects that provide consumers with accurate data on the emissions intensity of different fashion items, encouraging more sustainable fashion choices.
The fund is also targeting projects that align with one or more sub-themes of: the circular economy to reimage the textile lifecycle; biodiversity conservation to protect and restore natural habitats, unique and disruptive technologies shifting the face of fashion and projects or partnerships led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
Elle Roseby, Managing Director of Country Road, said the fashion industry has a key role to play in addressing climate change, and shaping a positive future.
“Country Road is on its own journey to be a world-leading responsible lifestyle retailer. We have a science-based climate target, with a goal to reach net zero by 2040, and by 2030 we aim to have all our Australian and New Zealand stores, as well as our head office and distribution centre, supporting renewable energy.”
“The Climate Fund was created as part of our responsible business journey which strives to drive positive change across climate, nature, and community within its own operations, and also through building positive outcomes in our value chain and beyond.”
Renowned sustainability leader Dr. Helen Crowley and Managing Director at Pollination is a project advisor on the Climate Fund and part of the assessment committee. The committee believes this fund will help propel the Australian fashion industry further into its sustainability journey.
Application deadline is Thursday 1 December with grant recipients announced in April 2023. There may be the option for successful grant recipients to renew their funding in subsequent years for multi-year projects.
The Climate Fund is part of Country Road’s existing responsible business journey which includes partnerships with Red Cross to help divert waste from landfill while raising funds for local communities, Landcare Australia to restore Australian cotton farmlands, Oritain to scientifically verify fibre origin,and the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation to support emerging First Nations artists and creatives.
For more information, visit: countryroad.com.au/climatefund
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