Ralph Lauren

OVERALL
Owned	USA
Rating

Premium lifestyle products

American style icon and CEO Ralph Lauren controls the company. Their fragrances and body care products are manufactured under license by L'Oreal.


Ralph Lauren Corporation	USA	website		facebook	twitter

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE

CRITICISM

INFORMATION

Ralph Lauren Corporation

Irresponsible fabric sourcing

In 2015 the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) released a report documenting the results of decades of irresponsible fabric sourcing including land grabbing, forest destruction and human rights abuse to forest-dependent communities caused by deforestation from tree-based fabric production companies. This company was one of the "Fashion Fifteen" implicated in the report for irresponsibly sourcing tree-based fabrics such as rayon and viscose.
[Source 2015][More on Forests]

Supply chain practices in China

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]

Cotton sourcing (Rank a Brand)

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]

6.2% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017

This company received a score of 6.2/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, 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 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting]

'E' rating at rankabrand.org

Rank a Brand searches the websites of brands for the answers to carefully targeted questions. From this they calculate sustainability scores based on the themes of environment, climate, labor issues, and transparency. Brands owned by this company received an 'E', the lowest possible score.
[Source 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting]

Child labour scorecard

This website by German NGO Earth Link rates companies on their corporate policies against child labour, production monitoring and accusations of child labour. This company received at least one red mark, indicating poor performance in one or more of these areas.
[Source 2013][More on Human Rights]

D+ grade in 2018 Ethical Fashion Report

D+ grade in the Baptist World Aid Australia's 'Ethical Fashion Report 2018', which grades companies, from A to F, on the strength of their systems to mitigate against the risks of forced labour, child labour, and exploitation in their supply chains. Assessment criteria fall into four main categories: policies, knowing suppliers, auditing and supplier relationships, and worker empowerment.
[Source 2018][More on Workers Rights]

Conflict minerals rating

As You Sow's 2017 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 40% (Minimal).
[Source 2017][More on Human Rights]

14/100 in Fashion Transparency Index

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 14%, 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]

Excessive CEO pay

As You Sow's 2017 report, 'The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs', reveals the 100 most overpaid CEOs from USA's 500 largest public companies (as determined by the S&P 500 list). This company's CEO, Ralph Lauren came in at number 23 on the list, having been paid US$23,957,577 in 2015. According to the report, "Most CEOs have come to be grossly overpaid, and that overpayment is harmful to the companies, the shareholders, the customers, the other employees, the economy, and society as a whole."
[Source 2017][More on Finance]

Fined for bribery

In 2013 this company paid more than $1.6 million to settle a criminal and civil investigation of allegations that one of its subsidiaries bribed government officials in Argentina.
[Source 2013][More on Finance]

Sweatshop labour

Polo Ralph Lauren was involved in the notorious Saipan sweatshop case where 30,000 garment workers on US territory were abused over the course of ten years.
[Source 2004][More on Workers Rights]

Worker exploitation in India

Maid in India', a 2012 report by two Dutch NGOs (SOMO and ICN) revealed how workers in the South Indian garment and textile industry continue to suffer exploitative working conditions while making garments for Western brands. While some recent improvements have been made, thousands of girls work under recruitment and employment schemes that amount to bonded labour. This company was shown to be sourcing from one or more of the four garment manufacturers investigated, and failed to respond to a review request. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
[Source 2012][More on Workers Rights]

Sweatshops in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines

This 2011 report by the International Textile Garment and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) examined working conditions in 83 factories in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Investigations found that widespread violations and abuses of workers' rights continue to be the norm, such as underpaying workers, long hours, forced overtime, and repression of the freedom of association. This company's brands were found to be made in one or more of the 83 factories covered in the research. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
[Source 2011][More on Workers rights]

Transparency Pledge

The Apparel and Footwear Supply Chain Transparency Pledge (Transparency Pledge) helps demonstrate apparel and footwear companies' commitment towards greater transparency in their manufacturing supply chain. Transparency of a company's manufacturing supply chain better enables a company to collaborate with civil society in identifying, assessing, and avoiding actual or potential adverse human rights impacts. This is a critical step that strengthens a company's human rights due diligence. This company has not reponded to a letter by the coalition.
[Source 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting]

Green Power Partner

This company is listed on the EPA Green Power Partnership website (USA), as using renewable energy for 10% of its organisation-wide electricity use in the USA.
[Source 2016][More on Climate Change]

Angora ban

This company has taken angora items off the shelves and promised not to use angora again, following a PETA campaign launched in Dec 2013 which revealed the cruelty inflicted on angora rabbits in Chinese factory farms, where 90% of the world's angora is produced.
[Source 2018][More on Animal Rights]

Fur free

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]

Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation

The Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation supports initiatives in cancer care, education and service in underserved communities. Ralph Lauren engages in a number of philanthropic initiatives, some of which are highlighted at the link below.
[Source 2016][More on Finance]

Responsible Jewellery Council member

This company's subsidiary, Palph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co, is a certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC). Certification under the RJC system demonstrates that the Member's business practices conform to RJC's Code of Practices for business ethics, human rights, social and environmental performance.
[Source 2017][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]

SB 657 disclosure statement

The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (SB 657) requires companies operating in California to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their direct supply chains. KnowTheChain.org has examined this company's disclosure statement and concluded that it addresses the majority of SB 657 requirements. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
[Source 2013][More on Workers Rights]

Ralph Lauren Goes Fur-Free

Ralph Lauren issued a statement making its decision to go fur-free official in 2006 after a series of meetings with PETA during which executives viewed grisly undercover video footage of fur farms in China, where more than half the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States are sourced.
[Source 2006][More on Animal Rights]

Project JUST profile

Project JUST examines the manufacturing practices and ethics of fashion brands. Follow the link to see this company's profile.
[Source 2016]

> About the Icons

Company Details

Company Structure	Public company
Revenue	US$7.4 billion in 2016
# Employees	23,000 in 2014

Contact Details

Address	New York, New York, USA
Website	www.ralphlauren.com

Products / Brands

Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren Menswear (formal)
Ralph Lauren Luxury Brands

Ralph Lauren

OVERALL

Company Assessment

Company Details

Contact Details

Products / Brands

Featured Pages

Connect

Legal