Teddy's sustainability: a transparent and integrated approach

What were the first steps in Teddy's commitment to a vision of sustainability?

Since the creation of the Sustainability Office, thanks to the very strong commitment of the owners and the CEO, we have embarked on a path that we have pioneered, based on an assessment of the future growth of the business, with an awareness of the social and environmental impact generated by our sector. We started by defining the strategic approach, adopting protocols, necessary policies and defining priorities, such as meeting international social compliance standards on which our industry has a strong impact. We then prioritised the introduction of more sustainable materials in our collections to reduce environmental impact, such as using less chemicals in the production process.

Ours is a strategic approach to sustainability, which I would define as "integrated", because it acts both internally and externally, especially where emission-generating production processes are used; this requires analysis and efficiency with a view to mitigating and, where possible, eliminating impact. Indeed, it is important to stress that one company alone - no matter how much it believes in this and how determined and far-sighted its actions are - cannot change things. What we need is a collective effort throughout the production chain, starting with our suppliers, but also in terms of raising public awareness. At Teddy, we use the phrase 'everyone can' to mean that everyone can play their part and that each individual piece is an important contribution to the mosaic.

What role did culture play? 

I would say it was the most important aspect: we built a strong internal commitment based on training all the people working at Teddy over the years to make them aware of the strategic importance of sustainability.

We started before the regulations came and now everyone in the company talks about sustainability, each department has its own specific KPIs on the subject. Now we are all sailing together in the waters of sustainability, we have built a solid boat, but there is still a long way to go to get to the other side of the ocean. When we talk about sustainability, we mean not only environmental and social sustainability, but also economic sustainability: the ability to build a business that will endure the test of time by creating lasting and shared value. And this is also achieved by working to mitigate the impacts of our industry. It should also be said that this approach has been grafted onto a reality that is already very firmly rooted in social commitment and economic sustainability. Vittorio's dream is a manifesto that actually anticipated social sustainability as we understand it today, and includes values related to economic sustainability, such as job creation or the ambition to last. The cultural background was already mature for an ambitious and long-term vision. And that helped a lot.

How to avoid greenwashing? 

Eliminating any claims that are unprovable or vague was a key part of the training to avoid the risk of greenwashing. In my opinion, we are credible because we do everything possible to be factual and to prove what we say, with the support of our staff and suppliers. This is a cornerstone: we have to be honest and transparent. We have built a path based on concrete, measurable and achievable goals.

How can sustainability become an added value for a company? 

The sustainable approach should not be seen as a regulatory obligation, but rather as an opportunity to create great added value: not only cultural (and at Teddy we feel this very strongly), but also concrete. Indeed, the market is increasingly aware of this issue and will reward the most virtuous brands. On the other hand, those who are unable to manage their supply chains from a sustainable perspective will be penalised. Sustainability is not a cost, it is an investment. The differentiating factor is a long-term strategic vision that enables you to achieve concrete and tangible goals. This is what gives you credibility in the marketplace. And that requires investment.