Change begins within a company, starting with C-suite executives and the value system they create.

The pandemic exposed the weakness of the global manufacturing and distribution networks adopted by most big fashion brands. Executives need to change how they think and talk about supply chains to replace a culture of cost.

Though poorly understood by many fashion executives and investors, upstream supply chains are a powerful lever for value creation, writes John Thorbeck in the first instalment of a new column: First Mile.

To fund a more sustainable future, the fashion system must become more productive, embracing a supply chain strategy rooted in shared risk, not lowest cost, argues John S. Thorbeck.