Puma plans to discuss solutions to some of the fashion industry’s most pressing sustainability issues, including waste, materials and climate change, at an event in London on Sept. 6 that will be digitally streamed around the world. The “Conference of the People” will feature industry peers, activists, NGOs, experts, Puma ambassadors and consumers who will discuss reducing waste, using more sustainable materials, mitigating climate change, protecting forests and finding ways for the industry to work together to achieve results faster. “We will focus on Gen Z during this event, as we want to give this generation a voice when it comes to the decisions that have to be made today to shape a more sustainable future,” said Bjørn Gulden, CEO of Puma. “At the United Nations, they call it Conference of the Parties; we call it Conference of the People.”
In the run-up to the event, Puma has launched the pumacop.com platform, where users can learn more about the event and express their interest in participating. The event will also be streamed live on this platform. Actress, model and activist Cara Delevingne will host the event alongside Gulden and Puma CSO Anne-Laure Descours.
Becoming more sustainable as a company is a key pillar of Puma’s strategy. Earlier this year, the company announced that it had reduced its carbon emissions between 2017 and 2021, both in its own operations (-88%) and its supply chain (-12%), despite strong sales growth over the same period. By 2025, Puma aims to make nine out of ten products from more sustainable materials.
The Conference of the People kicks off at 1 p.m. CET on Sept. 6 at Protein Studios in Shoreditch, London, for 225 invited guests. The live stream of the event is available to all free of charge.
