“This will necessitate breaking down barriers with respect to acquisition and sharing of information between R & D collaborators …”
Our Approach - Framework for the Future
The Framework
For iFarmaissance the challenge is to create a future for the business that will establish a generational foundation to ensure the viability and evolution of the core business. This is against a background of increasing impacts from climate change as well as the existing climatic and environmental disadvantages that are already present, with a continuing eye to the transition to net zero.
iFarmaissance have adopted The Forum for the Future six steps to systems change[1] as a framework for change.
“Experience the need” is evident against the difficulties iFarmaissance faces in its vulnerability to reliance upon suppliers and manufacturers along an extensive third party supply chain and the evolving issues and pressures we have placed upon ourselves to make climate change and environmental impact priority and fundamental tenet of our brand..
Our own “diagnosis of the system” indicates a commercial need for change; based upon our desire to implement a slow fashion business model emphasising innovation, circularity and sustainability.
Taking this direction invokes the need to “innovate the agricultural systems and complementary technologies in new generation materials” that support the slow fashion model. As a new part of the developing business mix for iFarmaissance, this innovation will require a steep learning curve. This will necessitate breaking down barriers with respect to acquisition and sharing of information between R & D collaborators and within the sector for the greater good of the sector, for example, new biobased leather alternatives taken to new levels of performance and environmental outcomes.
In turn this sustainably supports business profitability over time and builds climate change resilience. “It connects other innovations”
The “tipping point” for iFarmaissance can come from the pervasive impact of a combination of these innovated measures to transform their business model and supply chain partnerships and collaborations.
iFarmaissance can “sustain this innovative transition” through building green community connections and day to day involvement in the change.
This “fundamental innovative restructuring” will underpin opportunities and access to industry knowledge and training, market access and R & D and funding support. This is evidenced by the Collaborative R & D Project on Biobased Leather Alternatives initiated by iFarmaissance Innovation Holdings Limited in conjunction with City University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel and supported by the HKSAR Innovation and Technology Fund.
Measurement
We understand the absolute imperative to measure our carbon missions and to establish a baseline for working towards net zero. From the inception of iFarmaissance until now, around 18 months, we have committed all our energies into creating a brand built on a foundation of sustainability, which for us has meant not only creating products that meet this objective but also a brand essence that encompasses climate change and environmental action.
We have made a conscious decision therefore to delay the calculation of our carbon footprint until January, 2023. We are taking steps now to establish the basis for our measurements.
Carbon Offsets
Carbon offsets can be a controversial topic but we take the view that embryotic companies and those working positively towards solutions to carbon emission issues deserve some lead time to implement transformative change.
There does need to be some accountability however to ensure that there is no abuse of the offset programmes and that their does not stifle innovation.
As we are not yet measuring our carbon footprint our Offsets are currently managed on an “ad hoc” basis and focussed on those areas which we feel represent the highest potential for emissions. This includes transportation, both from suppliers and to consumers, the materials we use and the production processes. This will be formalised in line with our carbon footprint measurement timeline of January, 2023.
