WASHINGTON – A new report from non-profit Green America has scored 14 major US apparel companies based on their sustainability efforts, concluding that whilst the likes of Target, VF Corporation’s The North Face and JanSport brands, Nike and Gap are “above average,” not one can be considered a “true environmental or social leader”.
Ralph Lauren, Ann Taylor, Walmart, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, The Children’s Place, Carter’s, J. Crew, Forever 21 and URBN – the owner of Urban Outfitters – complete the sample. Each was quizzed about its commitment to optimising the sustainability of various aspects of business.
Following underwhelming results, Caroline Chen, Green America’s social justice campaigns manager said: “Many of the promises we hear from conventional companies are token sustainability initiatives that are band-aids to one small part of the problem, or empty platitudes without a plan to achieve real change. Sustainability shouldn’t just be a marketing trend.”
