H&M Adopts SBTN Land Science-Based Targets to Cut Agricultural Footprint

H&M Group announced it has set and validated science-based nature targets for land under the Science Based Targets Network framework, covering ecosystem conversion, land footprint reduction, and landscape engagement. The fashion retailer participated in the initial 17-company SBTN pilot in May 2023 ahead of the formal validation.

H&M's new land targets align with the three core SBTN categories: No Conversion of Natural Ecosystems, Land Footprint Reduction, and Landscape Engagement. Key commitments include achieving 100% sustainably sourced materials by 2030, reducing absolute agricultural land footprint from upstream impacts by 3.85% by 2030 from a 2019 baseline, and increasing the share of recycled materials to 50% by 2030. The company will continue to financially support a partnership with WWF on landscape restoration and strengthened supplier requirements for deforestation-free and conversion-free sourcing.

The SBTN was founded in 2019 by partners including CDP, World Resources Institute, WWF, the UN Global Compact, and Conservation International to help businesses operate within Earth's ecological limits. The initiative builds on the Science Based Targets initiative for climate and extends target-setting to biodiversity, freshwater, land, and ocean. For the fashion industry, which relies on land-intensive raw materials such as cotton, wool, and viscose, land-related impacts constitute a significant portion of total environmental footprint across complex global supply chains.

H&M's adoption of SBTN-validated targets represents a step toward standardized nature accountability for the global apparel sector. The company plans to work with local organizations to restore degraded land, increase regenerative agriculture practices in priority sourcing regions, and embed deforestation-free commitments deeper into supplier requirements. With EU regulations such as the Deforestation Regulation increasing scrutiny of land-use in supply chains, brands with validated nature targets will be better positioned for compliance and investor engagement.

Key figure — 3.85% absolute agricultural land footprint reduction target by 2030 from a 2019 base