SMI Roundtables Wrap at Hampton Court, Advancing Global Sustainable Markets

Hundreds of global CEOs, policymakers, innovators and investors converged on Hampton Court Palace on 11 and 12 March 2026 for the Sustainable Markets Initiative's annual Roundtables and Exhibition, a private-sector summit founded on the conviction that systemic change requires the kind of room where a luxury fashion house and a clean energy executive share the same agenda.

The event concluded with member updates and partnership and commitment announcements aimed at accelerating private-sector delivery on sustainable transitions, spanning clean energy, artificial intelligence, capital investment, sustainable materials and advanced manufacturing. Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, CEO of the SMI, framed the summit's purpose plainly: "The SMI's annual Roundtables and Exhibition brings together global leaders not just to discuss ambition, but to drive real-world action, forging partnerships, mobilizing investment and scaling the solutions needed to deliver sustainable growth."

Fashion held a prominent position in the proceedings. Stella McCartney, named an official SMI Ambassador after King Charles III presented her with a sustainably sourced Mongolian cashmere scarf embroidered with the Terra Carta seal at London Fashion Week, brought her material innovation installation to Hampton Court. The exhibition gathered pioneering alternatives under one roof: plant-based substitutes for feathers, mycelium-based leather, and biobased, plastic-free sequins, each representing commercially viable options rather than speculative concepts. McCartney has been a member of the SMI's Fashion Taskforce since its founding in 2020, and her appointment formalises a relationship that has run the length of the organisation's existence. "For me, the most important thing about the SMI is that its focus goes beyond discussion to driving action," she said.

The Fashion Taskforce is chaired by Federico Marchetti, founder of Yoox, who described the coalition's core priorities as scaling regenerative agriculture, making digital product passports universal, and persuading consumers that transparency has tangible value. "The biggest challenges are scale, alignment, and storytelling," Marchetti said. "Scale is difficult because regenerative agriculture and traceability require transforming entire supply chains. Alignment is complex because fashion is fragmented. And storytelling matters because consumers must understand why regeneration and transparency are valuable. If customers reward responsible products, transformation accelerates." The taskforce works alongside the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance to promote regenerative practices and supply chain transparency through digital passports. Fashion house members include Giorgio Armani, Brunello Cucinelli and Prada.

The SMI, founded by King Charles III in 2020 when he was Prince of Wales, describes its approach as "private sector diplomacy," bringing together decision-makers to address cross-industry challenges that no single organisation can resolve alone. Jordan-Saifi has extended the initiative's ambassador programme beyond fashion: the SMI has appointed seven astronauts as ambassadors and has additional sports stars whose involvement has not yet been announced publicly, a strategy designed to translate complex sustainability topics into broader public engagement.

Marchetti's closing note was characteristically forward-facing: "I am optimistic because fashion has always been an industry of creativity and reinvention. With collaboration and innovation, we can turn sustainability into the next great chapter of luxury." The specific partnership announcements and financial commitments made at Hampton Court have not yet been detailed publicly, but the organisational machinery now in place, from digital passports to regenerative supply chains to a growing ambassador network, suggests the SMI is constructing the infrastructure for delivery rather than simply convening another conversation about intent.