Recently, with the assistance of Carbon Newture, Jiangsu Guotai Huasheng Industrial Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "GTHS") successfully created a carbon neutrality space, completed the organizational carbon inventory for its integrated Conference & Event Hall, and further achieved organizational carbon neutrality based on the latest international carbon neutrality standards ISO 14068. The certificate was issued by the authoritative third-party certification body TÜV SÜD.
This move is not only an important step for GTHS in carbon reduction management, but also conveys the company’s low-carbon sustainable development philosophy to upstream suppliers and downstream brand clients. It helps enhance the company’s influence and promotes the overall low-carbon transformation of the value chain.
Founded in 1988, GTHS is a core subsidiary of the state-owned Jiangsu Guotai International Group Co., Ltd. As a key member of the group, GTHS actively promotes the construction of a high-quality industrial and global low-carbon supply chain system, providing high-level integrated services to global customers in the textile and apparel, yarn, fabric, home textiles, accessories, and daily necessities sectors. Its downstream clients include well-known brands such as CK, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Mango, and Primark.
GTHS's global business distribution map, source: GTHS Official website
GTHS’s carbon neutrality integrated Conference & Event Hall includes a conference hall, café, sample showroom, and office areas for staff. It serves as an important venue for company meetings, client receptions, and product display. It also acts as a key window for showcasing the company’s image, strength, green low-carbon development philosophy, and product advantages.
The carbon inventory and carbon neutrality of this space are vital initiatives in the company’s carbon reduction management. Through this carbon neutrality space, GTHS can better communicate its green low-carbon development philosophy to both upstream suppliers and downstream brand clients.
In recent years, as consumer awareness of environmental protection has increased, the textile and apparel industry has faced a growing demand for low-carbon sustainable products. More and more consumers have become participants in low-carbon consumption, with over 87% of consumers seeing themselves as pioneers of low-carbon consumption. The demand side has activated a new green consumption market. To meet the growing demand for green low-carbon consumption, from the perspective of resilient industry development, the supply side needs to form an ecological synergy for the construction of a low-carbon industrial chain and a green low-carbon textile and apparel industry chain.
GTHS is positioned in the midstream of the textile supply chain. Upstream suppliers include raw materials such as cotton, linen, wool, and chemical fibers, while downstream clients include well-known clothing brands such as CK and Tommy Hilfiger. GTHS hopes to work together with its upstream and downstream partners to co-create a low-carbon textile and apparel industry chain. The carbon neutrality integrated Conference & Event Hall provides an excellent space for sharing low-carbon sustainability concepts and practices.
Xi Dongjing, Head of the Sustainable Development Department of GTHS, stated: "Many of Guotai Huasheng's top brand clients are expected to achieve carbon neutrality around 2040. As an upstream enterprise in their supply chain, we must take proactive actions in low-carbon sustainable development, leverage our low-carbon advantages, and maintain and increase our market share."
On the one hand, many of GTHS’s downstream well-known brand clients have set carbon neutrality targets and require GTHS to provide carbon footprint data and other information. These clients encourage GTHS to implement carbon reduction management in production. GTHS has previously conducted carbon footprint accounting and certification for some products, and disclosed this information on international textile and apparel carbon disclosure platforms to ensure secure transmission and traceability of carbon data.
On the other hand, GTHS actively urges its upstream suppliers to achieve good carbon emission reduction performance annually in terms of processes and workflows. The carbon footprint of a garment is passed along the "raw materials such as cotton and wool—yarn—fabric—garment" industrial chain, or in other words, along the supply chain. For example, the carbon footprint of yarn directly impacts the carbon footprint of garments. Therefore, GTHS places great importance on the carbon management of upstream suppliers.
Creating a multifunctional carbon-neutral space is an important initiative and demonstration for GTHS to engage brand clients and promote value chain climate neutrality. In the future, GTHS will continue to pursue high-quality development, providing more green, low-carbon, and sustainable service solutions to its downstream clients.
Reference: 2024 China Sustainable Consumption Report
