Debenhams

Debenhams is owned by Boohoo Group plc.

Debenhams rating applies to the Debenhams house apparel brand only and doesn’t apply to other product categories. Check the individual ratings to learn about the other brands that Debenhams stocks.

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 Debenhams “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It uses few lower-impact materials.
• It follows an unsustainable fast fashion model with quickly changing trends and regular new styles.
• There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals in manufacturing.
• It uses renewable energy in its direct operations (such as stores or offices) but not in its supply chain.
• There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce water use.

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 Debenhams “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It received a score of 21-30% in the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index.
• It partly traces its supply chain including all of the final production stage.
• There’s no evidence it supports diversity and inclusion in its supply chain.
• There’s no evidence it ensures workers are paid living wages in its supply chain.
• During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not disclose adequate policies or safeguards 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 Debenhams “It’s a Start”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It has a formal policy aligned with the Five Freedoms of animal welfare but no clear implementation mechanisms in place.
• It appears to use leather and exotic animal hair.
• It has a policy to source wool from non-mulesed sheep but doesn’t provide any evidence to verify its claims.
• It doesn’t appear to use down, fur, angora, or exotic animal skin.
• There’s no evidence it traces any animal-derived materials to the first production stage.

Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate Debenhams “Not Good Enough” overall.