Kate Spade
OVERALL |
|
Owned |
USA |
Rating |
|
Fashion
Founded as Liz Claiborne Inc. in 1976, and was renamed Fifth & Pacific in 2012, until becoming Kate Spade & Company in 2014. Acquired by Coach Inc in 2017 for US$2.4bn.
Company Ownership
| Kate Spade & Company | USA | website | ||||
Tapestry Inc
owns 100% of Kate Spade & Company |
USA | website | ||||
Luxury fashion Coach was founded in 1941. Changed its name to Tapestry in 2017 after buying Kate Space and Stuart Weitzman. | ||||||
Company Assessment
| PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
| Kate Spade & Company | ||||
|
This company has signed the Cotton Pledge with the Responsible Sourcing Network, signifying a public commitment to not knowingly source Uzbek cotton for the manufacturing of any of their products until the Government of Uzbekistan ends the practice of forced labor in its cotton sector. The Uzbek government uses local government officials, hospital directors, and school presidents to mobilize workers; and detains and tortures human rights defenders seeking to monitor the harvests.
[Source 2019][More on Human Rights] |
This company received a score of 2.5/100 (retrieved 14-Feb-2018) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
[Source 2018][More on Habitats]
This 2012 report by the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights reveals how workers at the Rich Pine garment factory in Jordan endure mandatory, seven-day, 96-hour work weeks. All overtime is obligatory, wages are below the legal minimum wage, sick days are not allowed and workers are housed in crowded, primitive dorms. Liz Claiborne clothing accounts for roughly 60 per cent of total production from the factory.
[Source 2012][More on Workers Rights]
The 2018 Fashion Transparency Index looks at how much brands know about their supply chains, what kind of policies they have in place and importantly, how much information they share with the public about their practices and products. This company scored 12%, signifying it makes some efforts to manage and improve their supply chains but make little supply chain information publicly available. This company still has a long way to go towards supply chain transparency. The average score was 21% and the highest score was 58%.
[Source 2018][More on Sustainability Reporting] |
This company has announced that they don't sell animal fur or are phasing in a fur-free policy.
[Source 2014][More on Animal Rights]
This 2010 report by As You Sow, "Toward a Safe, Just Workplace: Apparel Supply Chain Compliance Programs", provides a scorecard and report focus on company programs such as: factory auditing, remediation, continuous improvement, collaboration, company management accountability, and transparency. This company received a C- rating.
[Source 2010][More on Workers Rights]
Responsible Sourcing Network's 2014 report Cotton Sourcing Snapshot: A Survey of Corporate Practices to End Forced Labor includes survey results and ratings of 49 companies reflecting actions they are taking to stop cotton from Uzbekistan picked with forced labor from entering their supply chains. The survey offered a maximum of 100 points across 11 indicators in the categories of Policy, Public Disclosure, Engagement, and Implementation & Auditing. Only five companies scored over 50 points, 19 companies (including this company) scored under 25 points, and two companies scored zero. *UPDATE* This company improved its score to 34.5 in 2015.
[Source 2015][More on Human Rights]
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
[Source 2014] |
||
| Tapestry Inc | ||||
|
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
[Source 2017][More on Workers Rights] |
This company received a score of 2.5/100 (retrieved 14-Feb-2018) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
[Source 2018][More on Habitats]
In 2016 Rank a Brand assessed 37 major cotton-using companies on their commitment and performance with regard to sustainable cotton by looking at each company's cotton sourcing policies, use of sustainable cotton, and traceability. This company scored 0/19.5, making it one of the worst performing companies.
[Source 2016][More on Human Rights]
This company received a score of 14.8/100 in the Newsweek Green Rankings 2016, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
[Source 2016][More on Sustainability Reporting]
The 2017 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 98 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from the Agricultural Products, Apparel and Extractives sectors on 100 human rights indicators. This company's score was in the 20-29 band range. The overall average score was 28.7%.
[Source 2017][More on Human Rights]
This company has used fur in factory made clothing lines, and has not announced plans to stop.
[Source 2016][More on Animal Rights] |
This company is a member of the Leather Working Group, a multi-stakeholder group who's objective is to develop and maintain a protocol that assesses the compliance and environmental performance of tanners and promotes sustainable and appropriate environmental business practices within the leather industry.
[Source 2016][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
The Forest 500 identifies, ranks, and tracks the governments, companies and financial institutions worldwide that together could virtually eradicate tropical deforestation. Rankings are based on their public policies and commitments and potential impacts on tropical forests in the context of forest risk commodities (palm oil, soya, beef, leather, timber, and pulp and paper). This company received a score of 3/5.
[Source 2016][More on Forests]
As You Sow's 2018 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 206 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was above 50% (Adequate).
[Source 2018][More on Human Rights]
WWF-UK analysed and ranked the 10 largest publicly-traded luxury brand-owners on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.
[Source 2007][More on Governance]
The 2018 Fashion Transparency Index looks at how much brands know about their supply chains, what kind of policies they have in place and importantly, how much information they share with the public about their practices and products. This company scored 21%, signifying it is doing a bit more than the others when it comes to having policies and commitments in place and auditing and reporting activities, but could be doing more. The average score was 21% and the highest score was 58%.
[Source 2018][More on Sustainability Reporting]
Project JUST examines the manufacturing practices and ethics of fashion brands. Follow the link to see this company's profile.
[Source 2016]
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
[Source 2014] |
||
Company Details
| Company Structure | Wholly-owned subsidiary |
| Revenue | US$1.24 billion in 2015 |
| # Employees | 6,800 in 2014 |
Contact Details
| Address | New York, New York, USA |
| Media_Relations@katespade.com | |
| Website | www.katespadeandcompany.com |

