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Retail Apparel Group

OVERALL

Owned
ZAF
Rating
Criticism, some praise

Menswear retailer

Malaysian private equity firm Navis Capital bought 80% of this company from Champ Ventures in 2011, with founder Steven Leibowitz owning most of the remainder. Navis sold the company to South Africa's Foschini Group in 2017. Operates about 380 stores.

Company Ownership

Retail Apparel Group Pty Ltd   AUS     website   email      
  The Foschini Group Ltd   
   owns 80% of Retail Apparel Group Pty Ltd  
ZAF     website   email   facebook   

Clothing retail

Founded in South Africa over 90 years ago, today Foschini operates 22 retail brands in over 3000 locations. Made its first major Australian acquisition in 2017, buying Retail Apparel Group for $302 million.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Retail Apparel Group Pty Ltd
Social COVID Fashion Commitments
In 2020 Baptist World Aid Australia released The COVID Fashion Report, a special edition of their Ethical Fashion Report. The report is framed around six COVID Fashion Commitments that ask companies to demonstrate the steps and measures they are taking to protect and support the most vulnerable workers in their supply chains. This company showed evidence of actions that cover ALL areas of the COVID Fashion Commitments.
Source: Baptist World Aid Australia (2020)
Social Turkmen Cotton Pledge signatory
This company has signed the Cotton Pledge with the Responsible Sourcing Network, signifying a public commitment to not knowingly source Turkmen cotton for the manufacturing of any of their products until the Government of Turkmenistan ends the practice of forced labor in its cotton sector. Each cotton season, Turkmen public sector workers are forced by the government to fulfill cotton picking quotas and private businesses are forced to contribute to the efforts financially or with labor. This places a huge burden on the health, education, and general well-being of Turkmen citizens.
Source: Responsible Sourcing Network (2021)
Animals 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: PETA (2018)
Social B grade in 2021 Ethical Fashion Report
B grade in Baptist World Aid Australia's '2021 Ethical Fashion Report', which grades companies, from A to F, on the strength of their systems to mitigate against the risks of forced labour, child labour and worker exploitation in their supply chains, as well as protect the environment from the harmful impacts of the fashion industry. Assessment criteria fall into five main categories: policy & governance, tracing & risk, auditing and supplier relationships, worker empowerment and environmental sustainability.
Source: Baptist World Aid Australia (2021)
The Foschini Group Ltd
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of B
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 B.
Source: CDP (2021)
Social CDP Water Security Score of F
In 2020, 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 F.
Source: CDP (2020)
Business Ethics 17/100 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 17%, signifying it makes some efforts to manage and improve their supply chains but make little supply chain information publicly available. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 78%.
Source: Fashion Revolution (2021)
Business Ethics 30/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 30/100 in the Retailing 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)
Business Ethics Corporate Social Investment claims
Follow the link to see details of this company's Corporate Social Investment initiative.
Source: company website (2017)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Private company
Employees 2,670 (2016)

Contact Details

Address Level 1, 409 George St, Waterloo, NSW, 2017, Australia
Phone 02 9699 0888
Email gary@retailapparelgroup.com
Website www.retailapparelgroup.com

Products / Brands

Retail Apparel Group
Connor Menswear (casual)
Johnny Bigg Menswear (casual)
Rockwear Activewear
Tarocash Menswear (casual)
yd. Menswear (casual)


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