Trelise Cooper, Bras N Things, Wish "impossible to trust" alleges group

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Baptist World Aid Australia has released its latest fashion study, grading 114 apparel companies on supply chain transparency.

In the 2018 report, 11 companies received an F grade while the median grade for all companies surveyed was a C+.

Companies receiving an F included Ally, Bras N Things, Trelise Cooper Decjuba and Wish.

The survey outlines that F grades are normally awarded because companies chose not to engage with the report's research process and provided limited or no public information found by surveyors.

The report has received backlash in the past over questions about the credibility of the report and its research methods.

The report found that only 5% of companies were able to show that they paid a living wage to all final stage workers.

A further 12% could show they paid this to a portion of their final stage workers.

Other key findings of the report include:

  • Only 7% of companies know where all their raw materials are coming from, the same number as 2017.
  • 22% of companies had a policy and strategy to address gender inequality and discrimination in their supply chain.
  • Worker empowerment remained an area of concern with the median grade for the section coming in as a D-.

In the report, Baptist World Aid Australia stated that its intention behind the report was to improve the transparency of fashion companies and improve consumer awareness.

“Without transparency, it is almost impossible for consumers to trust that these companies have sufficient systems to ensure that the rights of workers are being upheld.

“The F grade is not an assertion that these brands necessarily have poor labour rights management systems, but merely that their labour rights management systems are not sufficiently visible for assessment.”

In an improvement over previous reports, companies publishing supplier lists moved from 54% in 2013 up to 77% in 2018.

New companies recognised for publishing their suppliers included ASOS, Jeanswest and Kathmandu.

Brands which were non-responsive to the report were indicated with an asterisk next to their name in the report.

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