Hennes & Mauritz (H&M): Should Fast Fashion Slow Down?

Author
Djogo, N.; Morrison, M.; O’Rourke, J. S. (editor)
Region
Africa
Asia - Pacific
Europe
Latin & South America
North America
Topic
Ethics & Social Justice
Marketing & Sales
Length
11 pages
Keywords
fast fashion
consumer demand
corporate social responsibility (CSR)
sustainability
environment
Copyright Holder
Notre Dame
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students

Fast Fashion companies, including H&M, have grown considerably since the 1990s by satisfying consumers’ insatiable appetite for the latest fashionable trends at low prices. H&M’s newest CEO, however, must rethink the company’s business model and sustainability initiatives following recent global awareness and protest of fast fashion’s unfavorable environmental and social impact.

Learning Outcomes
  1. To highlight the conflict between consumers’ demand for cheap, fashionable clothing and said demand’s environmental and social costs;
  2. To demonstrate the influence of climate activism and social responsibility on a global corporation and industry;
  3. To encourage discussion on the level of responsibility fast fashion companies have to assume in order to help sustain the environment;
  4. To shed light on a chief executive officer’s open criticism against the growing consumershaming movement and promote discussion on communication strategy;
  5. To provide an example of how a company is challenged to balance sustainability initiatives while maintaining growth and profitability in a competitive market.