Burberry

Our “Planet” rating evaluates brands based on the environmental policies in their supply chains, from carbon emissions and wastewater to business models and product circularity. Here we rate Burberry “Good”. These are a few issues influencing its score:

• It uses some lower-impact materials including organic cotton.
• It produces long lasting products.
• To minimise waste, it reuses some of its textile offcuts.
• It’s set a science based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in both its direct operations and supply chain, and it claims it’s on track.
• It’s set a target to eliminate hazardous chemicals by 2025 but claims it’s not on track.

Workers’ rights are central to our “People” rating, which assess brands’ policies and practices on everything from child labour to living wages and gender equality. Here we rate Burberry “It’s a Start”. These are a few issues influencing its score:

• None of its supply chain is certified by crucial labour standards that help ensure worker health and safety, living wages, and other rights.
• It received a score of 31-40% in the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index.
• There’s no evidence it supports diversity and inclusion in its supply chain.
• It claims to have a program to improve wages but there’s no evidence it ensures its workers are paid living wages in most of its supply chain.
• During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it disclosed adequate policies to protect workers in its supply chain from the virus.

Brands’ animal welfare policies and, where applicable, how well they trace their animal-derived products are the focus of our “Animals” rating. Here we rate Burberry “Not Good Enough”. These are a few issues influencing its score:

• It has a formal policy aligned with the Five Domains of animal welfare.
• It appears to use leather, wool, shearling, exotic animal hair, and silk.
• Responsible Down Standard certifies the down it uses.
• It doesn’t appear to use fur, angora, or exotic animal skin.
• It traces some animal-derived materials to the first production stage.

Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate Burberry “It’s a Start” overall.