CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Factory decarbonization expert Peter Ford is surprisingly optimistic about 2030.

We wanted a broader perspective on the state of decarbonization in apparel supply chains from a practitioner who is working actively in this field. So we turned to Peter Ford. Peter spent the past six years at the H&M Group, starting out managing factory-level environmental sustainability in Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar, before overseeing global decarbonisation implementation and the Green Fashion Initiative. Now, at EnergyLab Asia, he is using this knowledge to support the climate transition for the broader industry. Michael asked Peter to weigh in on a variety of current topics, including whether he is optimistic that the industry can hit its 2030 emissions reduction targets, the impact tariffs could have on climate actions and whether waterless dyeing technology will soon change the game. They also talked about which companies he thinks are serious about climate action and which are not, and whether a few serious actors can pull the industry with them. If that was not enough, Peter also reflects on how he perceives the demands from NGO watchdogs organizations, the pros and cons of the SBTi framework and whether industry initiatives are working. There is lots to learn from here.

“If just one ambitious brand sources from a factory, it can accelerate the whole factory’s decarbonisation journey.”

“The waterless dyeing revolution could reduce energy demand by 70 to 80%. That’s a game changer."

For more information about this podcast and our guest expert, or to listen to other Climate Action Week 2025 podcast conversations, please visit https://sustainablefashionacademy.org/stica/climate-action-week-2025/