• Browse by: category | company | brand | product type  
  • HOME
  • THE GUIDE
  • ISSUES
  • GET INFORMED
  • GET INVOLVED
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT US
  • All  |
  • Baby  |
  • Clothing  |
  • Food & Drink  |
  • Household  |
  • Office Supplies  |
  • Personal Care  |
  • Pet  |
  • Retail  |
  • Technology  |
  • Toys
  • |  Print Guide  |
  • App
  • Clothing  |
  • Electronics  |
  • Food & Drink  |
  • Household & Personal Care
  • Issues  |
  • New! Clothing  |
  • Why Shop Ethically?  |
  • 5 Principles  |
  • Companies to avoid  |
  • News  |
  • Sign Up for Updates
  • Go ethical at school, work, home  |
  • Campaign  |
  • Spread the Word  |
  • Volunteer  |
  • Workshops  |
  • Movie Nights  |
  • Fundraising
  • All Products  |
  • Shop Ethical! app  |
  • Shop Ethical! book  |
  • Stockists  |
  • Other books  |
  • Fregie sacks  |
  • FREE STUFF!  |
  • DONATE
  • Introduction  |
  • About Us  |
  • Ratings & Assessment  |
  • Media Mentions  |
  • Testimonials  |
  • FAQ

Hermes

OVERALL

Owned
FRA
Rating
Criticism, some praise

Luxury goods

Founded 1837. Leather goods, fashion and perfume company, 65% owned by founding Hermes family.

Hermes International SA   FRA     website      facebook   twitter

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Hermes International SA
Environment CDP Forests Score of A-
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2021)
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of A-
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2021)
Social CDP Water Security Score of A-
In 2021, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of A-.
Source: CDP (2021)
Business Ethics 37/100 in Fashion Transparency Index
The 2021 Fashion Transparency Index reviewed 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers and ranked them according to how much they disclose about their social and environmental policies, practices and impacts. Brands owned by this company scored 37%, signifying it is publishing suppliers lists as well as detailed information about their policies, procedures, social and environmental goals, supplier assessment and remediation processes, and is more likely to be addressing issues such as living wages and collective bargaining. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 78%.
Source: Fashion Revolution (2021)
Social Forced labour in China
In early 2017, China's Communist Party began a new incarceration campaign, rounding up, detaining and forcibly indoctrinating over 1 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minority ethnic groups in the far-western region. A coalition of more than 180 human rights groups is calling on apparel brands and retailers to stop using forced labour in the Uyghur Region and end their complicity in the Chinese government's human rights abuses. This company is amongst those being targeted by coalition members for not doing enough to identify and disengage from business relationships with Uyghur Region-linked forced labour.
Source: End Uyghur Forced Labour (2021)
Social Human Rights Benchmark
The 2019 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 200 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from the Agricultural Products, Apparel, Extractives and ICT Manufacturing sectors on 100 human rights indicators. This company's score was in the 10-20 band range. The overall average score was a disappointing 24%.
Source: CHRB (2019)
Social 24/100 in KnowTheChain Benchmark
In 2020/21 KnowTheChain benchmarked over 180 large global companies in the ICT, Food & Beverage, and Apparel & Footwear sectors on their efforts to address forced labour and human trafficking in their supply chains. This company received a score of 24/100.
Source: KnowTheChain (2021)
Animals Use of fur
This company has used fur in factory made clothing lines, and has not announced plans to stop.
Source: IFF (2021)
Animals Use of factory farmed alligators
This 2015 investigation by PETA reveals that Hermes sources alligator and crocodile skins from factory farms in Texas and Zimbabwe for its luxury bags, belts and watchbands. It takes two or three crocodiles to make just one handbag, which can sell for $50,000 or more.
Source: PETA (2015)
Animals Use of factory farmed crocodiles
The Northern Territory has an estimated 135,000 Australian saltwater crocodiles in factory farms. French fashion brands Hermes and Louis Vuitton are believed to own or control most crocodile farms in the Northern Territory. A 2021 report by World Animal Protection Australia revealed plans by Hermes to expand its operations, housing another 50,000 crocodiles. In the wild, saltwater crocodiles can live more than 70 years. And yet, on crocodile farms, they live for about three years in small, barren plastic-lined pens.
Source: World Animal Protection Australia (2021)
Business Ethics 26/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 26/100 in the Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 7 Feb 2021). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2021)
Environment No Detox commitment
Greenpeace launched their Detox Campaign in 2011 to expose the direct links between global clothing brands, their suppliers and toxic water pollution around the world. As a result, many companies have joined Greenpeace's Detox Program, which requires companies to adopt a credible, individual and public commitment to phase out the use and release of all toxic chemicals from their global supply chain and products, by 1 January 2020. This company is yet to make a commitment despite pressure from Greenpeace.
Source: Greenpeace (2016)
Business Ethics Price fixing in France
In Jan 2012 a Paris appeals court upheld a 40 million euro fine imposed in 2006 by the French competition watchdog, which said the companies involved had reached illicit agreements on price fixing, enforced by procedures to monitor prices in outlets and backed up by commercial threats for non-compliance. Thirteen leading perfume and luxury goods companies were fined.
Source: news article (2012)
Business Ethics 28.0% in Newsweek Green Rankings 2016
This company received a score of 28/100 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: Newsweek (2016)
Environment Climate action commitments
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)
Business Ethics Responsible Jewellery Council member
This company 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: Responsible Jewellery Council (2019)
Business Ethics 'C+' grade in WWF Deeper Luxury report
WWF-UK analysed and ranked the 10 largest publicly-traded luxury brand-owners on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.
Source: WWF UK (2007)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Public company
Revenue 6 billion EUR (2018)
Employees 14,284 (2019)

Contact Details

Address Paris, France
Website www.hermes.com

Products / Brands

Hermes
Hermes Luxury Brands
Hermes Fragrances


  • About Us

    • Introduction
    • About Shop Ethical!
    • About ECG
    • About the Ratings
    • Assessment sources
    • Shop Ethical! database
    • Shop Ethical! book
    • Shop Ethical! app
    • Contact us
    • FAQ

    • Copyright
    • Privacy
    • Disclaimer
  • Get Informed

    • ISSUES
    • GET INFORMED
    • Electronics Guide
    • Clothing Guide
    • Values Screen
    • Why Shop Ethically?
    • 5 Principles
    • Be Inspired
    • Calendar
    • Local Harvest
  • Get Involved

    • GET INVOLVED
    • Go Ethical at school,
      work, home, church
    • Run a workshop or tour
    • Host a movie night
    • Spread the word
    • Resources
    • Volunteer
    • Support us
  • Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Suggest brand/company
    • Report an error
    • Give feedback
    • Sign up for updates
    • Past newsletters
    • >>DONATE<<

    • GET the GUIDE
        • App Store
        • Google Play
        • buy our book