Introducing Manifesting Sustainability, Walpole's new eco-minded insight series

This first instalment of Manifesting Sustainability, created in partnership with FINN Luxe, will provide insight into the refreshed Walpole British Luxury Sustainability Manifesto, outlining its key components and what it means to be a Walpole member. We’ll also explore the role of the British luxury sector in mitigating the climate crisis, and end on a preview of what you can expect from this insight series and how to share your stories. 

> Download the Walpole British Luxury Sustainability Manifesto 2024 here <

As one of the fastest growing and most successful industries in the UK, the luxury sector is globally renowned, representing the highest standards of creativity, innovation and quality. Growing at a rate of 11% annually and employing over 450,000 people across the country, the luxury sector contributes £81bn to the UK economy. British luxury brands therefore have the opportunity and responsibility to use their unique leadership position to address the most urgent environmental and social challenges, raising the bar for the pace of change in order to create a more sustainable future for us all. 

Developed in partnership with McKinsey & Company, the first Walpole British Luxury Sustainability Manifesto was launched in 2020 and a ‘refreshed’ version, updating our aspirations to align with the changing sustainability landscape, was published in 2024. Drawing on extensive feedback from Walpole’s partners and members through a series of interviews, the refreshed Manifesto brings greater clarity to key terms and regulations, raises ambition across the aspirations to reflect our heightened focus since the 2020 edition, and places a renewed emphasis on nature in response to the growing focus on natural capital.

The Manifesto’s four overarching pillars cover both environmental and social impact: 

1. Leading the transition towards a circular economy.

2. Safeguarding the environment and natural resources.

3. Advocating for equal and respectful working conditions.

4. Guiding partners and suppliers towards sustainable practices.

These pillars are divided into a set of aspirations which involve quantifiable targets, serving as ambitious guidelines on where greatest impact can be achieved across the luxury sector. For example, aspirations under the first principle tackle plastic packaging and champion circularity initiatives to extend product life and waste reduction. This includes the goal of ensuring 100% of B2C packaging is reusable or kerbside recyclable, along with minimal non-recyclable B2B packaging across the value chain. Using these pillars and aspirations, the Manifesto creates a framework to facilitate collaborative action across the luxury sector and draws on our 250 members’ collective best practice and experience.

Operating under the Manifesto’s framework, Walpole’s members have successfully prioritised sustainability across their business operations. Indeed, Walpole membership enables brands to exchange best practices, provide peer support, and combine resources to scale innovation. It also fosters collaboration on joint initiatives, optimising the impact of sustainability transitions throughout the sector. 

"The progress made by Walpole’s members in sustainability over the past five years is a testament to the power of collective ambition," shared Walpole’s Charlotte Keesing. "By coming together to share knowledge, resources and innovation, our community has not only raised the bar for what sustainability in luxury looks like — it has proven that collaboration within and across industries accelerates meaningful change. The updated Manifesto reflects the evolving landscape we operate in and reinforces our commitment to shaping a more sustainable future for British luxury and beyond."

By uniting British luxury brands under a shared mission, we have established a unified voice for the luxury sector, empowering brands to highlight crucial challenges to regulators, governments, and key stakeholders. This collective influence serves as a driving force for sustainable transformation, directing investment towards tackling the reduction of carbon emissions, reducing the impact on nature, and creating more inclusive organisations to ensure sustainable business growth. Through Walpole’s comprehensive Manifesto, we aim to support the British luxury sector to become a world leader in sustainability. 

Beyond their contribution to global sustainability targets – aligned with 11 of the 17 UN Sustainability Goals – Walpole’s members also hold a distinct competitive advantage. As sustainability becomes a key priority for younger consumers, who increasingly favour brands that are purpose-led, Walpole’s members are well-positioned to meet the rising demand for sustainable luxury. Indeed, research indicates that there is a significant intersection between sustainability and luxury within younger generations, where this demographic is simultaneously more sustainability-conscious and more inclined toward luxury purchases. Consumer research conducted by XYZ, a 160over90 company, found that while 68% of UK consumers consider buying from luxury brands, this figure rises to 90% among those aged 18 to 34. Given that younger consumers are also more willing to invest in brands that are purpose led, this underscores the growing importance of catering to an eco-conscious luxury market.

Throughout this insight series, we’ll be exploring the Manifesto’s pillars and aspirations, using them as a springboard to discuss pressing issues in the luxury sector. This will include a range of topics, from how luxury brands are using circularity to extend product life, to closing the gender pay gap and ensuring an inclusive work environment, to safeguarding the UK’s natural environments through strategic value chain locations. 

"Sustainability journeys are not only deeply unique to each brand and each sector, they are also extremely dynamic. With evolving regulations, disrupting innovations and changeable market conditions, we know that brand goals and priorities can shift from one quarter to the next,” explains Gregory Cole, Senior Partner at FINN Luxe. "Our objective with this series of articles is to complement Walpole’s British Luxury Sustainability Manifesto with up-to-date, actionable insights across the broad spectrum of its sustainability aspirations."

To maximise the value of our features for readers, we’ll align our discussions with wider news agenda and key industry milestones as the regulatory landscape of the luxury sector evolves. For instance, with the amendments to the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (EPR)  planned for November 2025, we will explore packaging innovations and highlight how our members are proactively taking responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products. We’ll also be shaping our features around global awareness events, celebrating our members’ achievements alongside the wider world. From National Inclusion Week to World Sustainability Day, we will be joining in on global celebrations and sharing our members' stories and progress. 

As the climate crisis intensifies, prompting the introduction and revision of regulations and bills that businesses must comply with to meet national and global sustainability targets alike, the luxury sector will continue to transform. The series will serve as a vital roadmap for readers navigating sustainability in the luxury sector. Through expert insights from brand leaders and sustainability champions, we will spotlight best practices and actionable strategies to help businesses achieve their sustainability goals and contribute to global efforts in mitigating the effects of the climate crisis. 

As we embark on this journey, we invite you to follow us to discover how you can play a role in building a more sustainable future for us all.