COS

COS is owned by Hennes & Mauritz.

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 COS “It's a Start”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It uses some lower-impact materials including reycled materials, however it does not publish an aggregate breakdown of materials used.
• It’s published a biodiversity protection policy that applies to its entire supply chain
• 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 offers clothing recycling to consumers to help address end-of-life textile waste.

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 COS “It's a Start”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• Some of its final stage is located in low risk countries or certified facilities, however it does not publish an aggregate breakdown of suppliers.
• Its recruitment procedures aim to identify and support workers at risk of modern slavery.
• 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 COS “It's a Start”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It appears to use leather, wool, cashmere, alpaca, mohair, down, and other animal hair.
• A high proportion of its animal-derived materials consist of recycled or certified alternatives to conventional cashmere, wool, mohair, alpaca, and down.
• It doesn’t appear to use shearling.
• It has a formal policy aligned with the Five Domains of Animal Welfare.

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