Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren is owned by Ralph Lauren Corporation.

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 Ralph Lauren “Good”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

• It uses few lower-impact materials.
• 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.
• While it offers clothing recycling to consumers, it doesn’t report on its results.
• It’s set a target to eliminate hazardous chemicals by 2025 but there’s no evidence it is 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 Ralph Lauren “It’s a Start”. These are a few factors 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 41-50% in the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index.
• It has a basic policy to support diversity and inclusion in its direct operations and 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 some 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 Ralph Lauren “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

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

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