H&M and BKB launch Biodiversity restoration and regenerative land management currently underway to support South African Farmers

South Africa is the biggest supplier of RWS (Responsible Wool and Mohair) globally and BKB is the single largest RWS broker in the world.

H&M Group and BKB supported by Rhodes Restoration Research Group & Textile Exchange are developing scalable models to promote on-farm regenerative management that includes intensive conservation and restoration actions, establish botanical reserves, farmer training and awareness and develop a biodiversity index for monitoring and establishing a baseline.

In this project, direct support is used to establish a trusted relationship between farmers and brands.

Due to Albany’s indigenous nature and high conservation value, the project is being implemented in the Eastern Cape (South Africa), a region considered a biodiversity conservation priority.

“This project aligns with H&M’s commitment to move beyond compliance and towards continuously improving environmental and social performance.

“The company follows a holistic approach, working towards its goals to achieve net-zero emissions and to contribute to the global goals of reaching a positive impact on nature.

“Currently, most of the wool used within H&M’s supply chain is responsibly sourced from South Africa,” says Caroline Nelson, H&M South Africa’s country manager.

The project officially commenced in November 2022, as it stands, 50 farmers have been selected and onboarded on the project.

“We have completed 36 EOVs (Ecological Outcome Verification). It entails the farmer sending us farm boundaries and us overlaying vegetation types with GIS software and mapping our monitoring points.

“The farmer then spends a day with an EOV monitor at each of the monitoring points where an assessment is done.

“This is called their baseline from which progress measurement will take place one year later, and every year thereafter,” says Lindsay Humphreys, BKB LTD’s sustainability manager.