Sustainability must include ethics: consideration of what we cannot morally sustain.
Emma Hakansson wears many hats: she is the founding director of charity Collective Fashion Justice, a charity dedicated to creating a total ethics fashion system where people, animals and the planet are considered ahead of profit. In this work, Emma has secured policy change with, spoken and consulted for the likes of the British Fashion Council, Copenhagen Fashion Week, UNEP, major luxury fashion brands, retailers like ASOS and The Iconic, Victoria's Parliament, the European Commission and New York's City Council.
Emma is the award-winning author of three books, How Veganism Can Save Us, Total Ethics Fashion and Sub-Human, which explore ethics, sustainability, and how we can progress towards a collectively just society.
Emma has lectured, spoken and run workshops around the world, in schools including London College of Fashion, Institut Français de la Mode, Swinburne University, Accademia Costume e Moda, GCNYC, and many more. She has reviewed and helped to transform the entire fashion course at LCI College, aligning with total ethics fashion values.
She is also the multi-award-winning director of short film Willow & Claude, and line producer and researcher for SLAY, a feature length documentary, both of which explore fashion's impact on our fellow animals, the planet and us humans.
Emma’s work with the Australian Childhood Foundation is rooted in the belief that those with lived experience of child sexual abuse are most knowledgeable on how we can protect children from abuse today. She is Chair of the Foundation's Lived Experience Advisory Committee, leading what was formerly named Emma's Project, now collectively renamed as Our Collective Experience Project. This work saw a first of its kind survey of 360 survivors build a foundation for research and campaigning to prevent further child sexual abuse.
Talking Points
Total ethics fashion
An exploration of how the fashion industry impacts people, our fellow animals and the planet, how we must address these impacts holistically rather than in silos, and how we can produce a just transition towards a more just fashion future.Total ethics fashion
Key Takeaways: An improved understanding of fashion’s impacts as well as insights and motivation to transform these into tangible policy and operations change towards improved ethical and sustainable sourcing within fashion.
Protecting children from sexual abuse with survivor wisdom
Insights into how my sexual abuse as a child has shaped my understanding of how prevention efforts are failing, and what must be done to protect children today and tomorrow.Protecting children from sexual abuse with survivor wisdom
Key Takeaways: Clear recommendations to improve our engagement with children and the topic of child sexual abuse, towards effective prevention. Motivation to act and produce change built on personal insights from a survivor.
Thank you, (a thousand times), for your time, presentation, and openness for the Practice Day. It was huge for you to come over for us. Your presentation was perfect in terms of the timing f ... keep reading Anglicare WA
Brilliant. I know the students have been inspired. Thanks again for all you do for us, Emma.
I cannot thank you enough for yesterday's presentation. The feedback from the students and lecturers has been incredible. I would love to continue this relationship with you and your organisation Emma. You really made great impact yesterday.
Emma presented at the Animal Justice Party National Conference in November 2023. As a keynote speaker, Emma has an engaging style backed up by extensive knowledge and experience of the subject matter to which she speaks. She is an extraordinary young person, highly accomplished and deeply engaging when she shares her stories and imparts her significant knowledge.
I'm so happy your M/FW23 presentation was so successful. It was a fantastic presentation and very well received. I look forward to working with you again.
