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How to Communicate Sustainability: From the Corporate Web to E-Commerce. The Case of the Fashion Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Patricia SanMiguel

    (Department of Marketing, ISEM Fashion Business School, University of Navarre, 28027 Madrid, Spain)

  • Silvia Pérez-Bou

    (Department of Theory, Projects and Urbanism, School of Architecture, University of Navarre, 31009 Pamplona, Spain
    Part of the research was carried out during a stay as a Visiting Scholar at the Department of Textile Engineering of the School of Engineering, University of Minho, Guimaraes, Portugal.)

  • Teresa Sádaba

    (Department of Marketing, ISEM Fashion Business School, University of Navarre, 28027 Madrid, Spain)

  • Pedro Mir-Bernal

    (Department of Marketing, ISEM Fashion Business School, University of Navarre, 28027 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

Sustainability strategy at companies has become a key business and management aspect for the development and success of an enterprise. The communication of strategies and actions relating to sustainability has become increasingly important for both companies and brands. This research studies the communication process that forms part of the sustainable strategy of fashion companies, ranging from the corporate website to e-commerce, and it proposes improvements for sustainability communication. Two new models are presented: the Operational Model for Evaluating Fashion Corporate Websites (OMEFCW) and the Operational Model for Evaluating Fashion E-Commerce (OMEFeC), based on the core dimensions of online sustainability communication (orientation, structure, ergonomics and content—OSEC), as established by Siano. In order to obtain an optimal view of the fashion industry, four corporate groups—two luxury fashion groups (Kering Group and Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH)) and two fast fashion groups (H&M Group and Intidex)—are compared. In addition, all of the e-commerce operations of the groups’ fashion brands are analyzed, a total of 32 brands. The results show that it is necessary to continue improving in terms of the communication of sustainability within the fashion industry, whilst demonstrating the great deficiency that exists regarding the communication of sustainability in the case of the brands’ e-commerce operations, which are precisely the web pages most visited by consumers.

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia SanMiguel & Silvia Pérez-Bou & Teresa Sádaba & Pedro Mir-Bernal, 2021. "How to Communicate Sustainability: From the Corporate Web to E-Commerce. The Case of the Fashion Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-27, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11363-:d:656421
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    1. Carolyn A. Lin & Xihui Wang & Yukyung Yang, 2023. "Sustainable Apparel Consumption: Personal Norms, CSR Expectations, and Hedonic vs. Utilitarian Shopping Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Micol Barletta & Idiano D'Adamo & Jose Arturo Garza‐Reyes & Massimo Gastaldi, 2024. "Business strategy and innovative models in the fashion industry: Clothing leasing as a driver of sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4730-4743, July.
    3. Hadro Dominika & Patora-Wysocka Zofia & Fijałkowska Justyna & Mróz-Gorgoń Barbara, 2023. "Sustainability and Fast Fashion from the Executive Perspective – the Case of LPP S.A," Journal of Intercultural Management, Sciendo, vol. 15(3), pages 148-178, September.
    4. Kurniawati, 2023. "Sustainable Textile Practices by Integrated Viscose Rayon and Yarn Producers: An Empirical Study," GATR Journals jfbr210, Global Academy of Training and Research (GATR) Enterprise.

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