Turkish retail brand DeFacto is reportedly the first brand to join the United Nations General Assembly Private Sector Forum (PSF).
Since 2008, PSF has gathered individuals from the private sector, government officials and representatives of civil society organisations to address issues such as climate change, sustainable development and human rights.
The 2023 PSF invitation-only event was held on 18 September during the UN Secretary General’s SDG Summit.
DeFacto states that its inclusion in this select forum was an acknowledgement of the brand’s sustainability initiatives.
CEO Önder Şenol commented: "We were among the first two Turkish fashion brands to pledge our support to the United Nations Global Compact in 2014. This commitment reflects not only our role in addressing global challenges such as climate change and human rights but also our focused efforts locally and globally to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030."
DeFacto’s goals include targeting 90% of its ready-to-wear collections to meet sustainability standards by 2030 and a 55% reduction in its carbon footprint.
The brand was established in 2005 and has more than 500 stores in 93 countries, operating under DeFacto Technology with a focus on omnichannel retail.
Türkiye is a hotspot for apparel brands and production, driving strong performance for major fashion brands such as Mango.
GlobalData finds that the Turkish apparel market is forecast to reach Tl171.6bn ($6.35bn) by 2024.
Türkiye’s overall economy is anticipated to decelerate due to the catastrophic earthquake in February 2023, soaring inflation rates and a depreciating currency.
