Two-day flagship event draws record 700 participants across five stages to tackle climate, purchasing practices, and supply chain resilience
AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, AND OAKLAND, CA / ACCESS Newswire / September 23, 2025 / The Cascale Annual Meeting 2025 was more than an event - it was a movement in action. Over two days, 700 attendees, 100+ speakers, and 33 sponsors came together under the theme "A Movement for All." From the main stage to hands-on workshops and closed-door roundtables, the global community's energy was unmistakable: frank conversations, bold commitments, and a shared determination to rewire the industry.
"The Cascale Annual Meeting was a powerful reminder that no single actor can solve the challenges we face alone," said Harsh Saini, interim CEO, Cascale. "By bringing manufacturers, brands, policymakers, and innovators together, we are building the partnerships needed to accelerate climate action and improve lives across the value chain."
This year's focus zeroed in on two urgent questions:
How can brand-manufacturer engagement unlock the decarbonization needed to meet science-based targets?
What will it take for responsible purchasing practices to become the baseline, not the exception?
C-suite leaders spoke candidly. "It's important that sustainability should be given equal if not more weightage in the conversation [with brands and buyers]," reflected Dinesh Virwani, Executive Vice Chairman, Epic Group. Others echoed the urgency for rebalancing power in buyer-supplier relationships to enable investment in decarbonization and worker well-being, and made an urgent call for brand CEOs to get back on the factory floor.
On day one, Joseph Phi, CEO of Li & Fung, opened his session on the importance of working together to turn ESG ambition into action, and action into impact. He then closed with an even stronger message: "In the end, sustainability is not about saving the planet from business. It's about saving business on a changing planet." The day ended with a stirring call to action from David Begbie of Crossroads Foundation, who told the audience: "This cannot be a movement for some; it must be a movement for all."
Day two brought further energy with Suren Fernando, CEO of MAS Holdings, underscoring the importance of shared commitments between brands and manufacturers, noting: "What we have found essential is to work with partners who believe, like we do, that sustainability is a driver of resilience - not a tradeoff against it, " and an electrifying panel amplifying supplier voices. The meeting closed with Hon. Sunny Tan, Chairman of the Hong Kong Fashion Council, celebrating Hong Kong's role as a hub for global fashion leadership.
Reflecting on the record-breaking event, Lee Green, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Cascale, added: "This was our biggest and best Annual Meeting yet. What stood out was the presence and candor of manufacturers. Their voices shaped the dialogue and reminded everyone that transformation starts where products are made. The conversations were real, the commitments tangible, and the sense of shared purpose stronger than ever."
The program also saw the launch of Cascale's China Country Report: Macroeconomic and Sustainability Analysis, highlighting opportunities for renewable energy, circularity, and digital innovation in China's apparel sector, and an announcement from Rick Ridgeway, author, former Patagonia executive, and Cascale co-founder, on Cascale's acquisition of key assets of the Sustainable Furnishing Council.
Sponsors included Li & Fung & LFX, Retraced, Epic Group, TAL Apparel, VF Corporation, Nike, and many others.
Looking ahead, Cascale will continue to raise the bar: the Annual Meeting 2026 will take place in Greece, further cementing its reputation as the leading convening space for driving collective sustainability action. Contact Cascale's events team to learn more.
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Editors: For more information, please contact cascaleforster@forster.co.uk.
ABOUT CASCALE
Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people. LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Cascale Annual Meeting 2025
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