The Lenzing Group, producer of fibres from botanic origin, says it is expanding its environmental leadership commitment. The company says it supports first-time initiatives of the private sector addressing the UNFCCC climate conference in Katowice, Poland, (COP24), where government leaders will meet to review progress towards delivering on the goals set in Paris in 2015.

As a member of the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, Lenzing Group’s CEO Stefan Doboczky signed the WEF’s open letter to world government leaders urging greater collaboration to accelerate outcomes in the race against climate change. This letter was signed by the leaders of 50 major global businesses representing more than USD 1.5 trillion in total revenue.

“Business has an increasingly vital role to play in accelerating the shift to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy. This requires partnerships with other companies, governments at all levels and civil society. The Lenzing Group, as a leader in sustainability in the textile and nonwovens industries, is passionate about addressing the challenges the industries are facing and help meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement”, says Lenzing’s Chief Executive Officer Stefan Doboczky.

“Together with our partners we are ready to facilitate fast- track solutions. One of these is the change from coal-fired to natural gas-fired boilers at our production facility in Nanjing, China. We have just started the transition.”

The second initiative the Lenzing Group supports is the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action leading fashion brands, suppliers and other partners signed to recognize the crucial role that fashion plays on both sides of the climate equation – as a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and as a sector with multiple opportunities to reduce emissions by the targeted 30% while contributing to sustainable development. The charter was published in Katowice today under the auspices of UN Climate Change, supported by 43 heads of the fashion industry.

“To underpin the Fashion Industry Climate Charter the signatories will work together on topics like decarbonization of the production phase, selection of climate friendly and sustainable materials, low-carbon transport improved customer dialogue and awareness of all stakeholders as well as exploring circular business models”, Robert van de Kerkhof, Chief Operating Officer of the Lenzing Group says.

“The Lenzing Group is committed to taking leadership concerning the challenges our industry is facing and will reduce its CO2 emissions by 30 percent by 2030. One of the outstanding examples the Lenzing Group is already supporting is the REFIBRATM technology, a circular business model which uses cotton scraps as a raw material for the production of a new virgin fibre.”

These initiatives underpin the Lenzing Group’s ambition to help greening up the textile and the nonwovens industries by extending collaboration with the partners in the industry.

www.lenzing.com