Tom Ford
OVERALL |
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Owned |
USA |
Rating |
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Luxury fashion house
Tom Ford was creative director for Gucci and YSL from 1994 to 2004, before starting his own label in 2005. Tom Ford the company was acquired by Estee Lauder in 2022 for US$2.8 billion, with Ermenegildo Zegna Group acquiring a long-term license from Estee Lauder for Tom Ford fashion, and Marcolin retaining the eyewear license.
Company Ownership
| Tom Ford International LLC | USA | website | ||||
Estee Lauder Companies Inc 
owns 100% of Tom Ford International LLC |
USA | website | ||||
Personal care product manufacturer Founded in 1946, today their products are available in over 135 countries. The founding Lauder family owns 87% of the company stock. | ||||||
Company Assessment
| PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
| Tom Ford International LLC | ||||
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The 2022 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 human rights and environmental policies, practices and impacts. Brands owned by this company scored 0%, signifying it has little to no information about their supply chain practices or policies available to the public. The average score was 24% and the highest score was 78%.
Source: Fashion Revolution (2022) |
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre digital platform presents news and allegations relating to the human rights impact of over 20,000 companies. Their enhanced Company Dashboards also include financial information, key data points based on corporate policies, and scores from prominent civil society benchmarks. Follow the link and use the search function to view this company's dashboard.
Source: BHRRC (2022)
In 2018 Tom Ford announced he went vegan about a year earlier, and has re-evaluated his position on using fur in fashion. "I have started using much more fake fur. I'm not yet ready to say that Iâm fur-free. Now, however, I have limited the fur in these collections and going forward to food by-products, which does not sound sexy". Ford is making a conscious attempt to opt for food by-product fur in his collections, so that any real fur used comes from animals bred for their meat rather than their pelts.
Source: news article (2018) |
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| Estee Lauder Companies Inc | ||||
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The WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2021 assesses 227 companies on the actions companies have taken to ensure their own palm oil supply chain is sustainable and free of deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, and human rights abuse. This company is rated 'leading the way' with a score of 19.61 out of a possible total of 24.
Source: WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard (2021)
This company is listed on the EPA Green Power Partnership website (USA) as using renewable energy for 104% of its organisation-wide electricity use in the USA.
Source: EPA (2023)
In 2022, 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 (2022)
America's Most Responsible Companies 2022 by Newsweek and Statista recognises the Top 500 most responsible companies in the United States. Companies were evaluated in three areas: environmental (waste, energy use, etc.), social (leadership diversity, employees and philanthropy) and governance (transparency and economic performance). This company received a total score of 82.4/100, ranking 13th in the Consumer Goods sector, and 89th overall.
Source: Newsweek (2021)
In 2022, 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 B.
Source: CDP (2022)
In 2022, 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 (2022)
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
Source: Human Rights Campaign (2021)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 60/100 in the Personal Products category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 23 Sep 2022). 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 (2022) |
As You Sow's 2019 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 215 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was 2.9% (Weak).
Source: As You Sow (2019)
This company appears on PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, USA) 'Companies That Do Test On Animals' list, signifying that they manufacture products that are tested on animals at some stage of development.
Source: PETA (2022)
As You Sow's 2021 Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard ranks companies on plastic packaging pollution. The study measures the progress of 50 large companies in the beverage, quick-service restaurant, consumer packaged goods, and retail sectors on six core pillars where swift action is needed to reduce plastic pollution: 1) Packaging Design, 2) Reusable Packaging, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Public Data Transparency, 5) Support for Recycling, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of D+
Source: As You Sow (2021)
In 2021 this company was fined 400,000 yuan (US$61,920) for false promotion by market regulators in China. Estee Lauder could not back up its claims that Clinique's fresh pressed daily booster improved pockmarks and reduced wrinkles within four weeks and improved the healing power of skin within 12 weeks. The company's action misled consumers and violated China's anti-unfair competition law. Estee Lauder also failed to back up claims that its Origins plantscription powerful lifting cream was effective in healing wounds and removing wrinkles.
Source: shine.cn (2021)
In 2017 Greece's competition watchdog fined six leading cosmetics firms, including Christian Dior, Estee Lauder and L'Oreal 19 million euros for distorting competition. This company's Greek branch was fined 5.4 million euros.
Source: news article (2017)
In 2019 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$30,733. The CEO was paid 697 times this amount. Exorbitant CEO pay is a major contributor to rising inequality. CEOs are getting more because of their power to set pay, not because they are increasing productivity or possess specific, high-demand skills. The economy would suffer no harm if CEOs were paid less (or taxed more). In contrast, the CEO-to-typical-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1 in 1965 and 58-to-1 in 1989.
Source: AFL-CIO (2020)
This company scores Ethical Consumer's worst rating for the likely use of tax avoidance strategies, and has at least two high risk subsidiaries in tax havens.
Source: Ethical Consumer (2022)
As You Sow's 2023 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, Fabrizio Freda came in at number 2 on the list, having been paid US$65,996,984 in 2022. 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: As You Sow (2023) |
In 2016 Greenpeace East Asia ranked the world's 30 biggest personal care companies on their commitment to eliminating microbeads from their personal care products. The scorecard was based on four main criteria: commitment & transparency, definition, deadline and global application. This company was one of the lowest ranked. Microbeads are not retained by wastewater treatment and end up in the ocean where they are a threat to the marine environment.
Source: Greenpeace (2016)
This company uses plastic microbeads in some of its personal care products. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean where they contribute to ocean plastic pollution, and are hazardous to sea life. While the effects of microplastics on human health are not completely understood, there are concerns about plastic additives, such as phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors which are shown to have harmful effects on life.
Source: Beat the Microbead (2021)
In 2005, Estee Lauder and other major cosmetics manufacturers and retailers announced they would give away $175 million in products to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the companies of price fixing. [Listed under information due to age of court date]
Source: Green America (2005)
Testing commissioned by Friends of the Earth Australia found nanoparticles in foundations and concealers sold by Estee Lauder.
Source: FOE (2009)
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)
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; commit to 100% renewable power.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)
This company claims to source less than 10 per cent of its mica from India, but was working with a local community organisation to eliminate child labour. Estee Lauder has partnered with Indian NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) since 2006, to promote access to education as an approach to work towards the elimination of child labour in mica-sourcing communities.
Source: SMH (2014)
This company appears on the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, signifying a commitment to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.
Source: Bloomberg (2021)
This company was named in Seramount's 100 Best Companies 2022 for being a mum-friendly employer. Listed companies provide inclusive benefits for families, including paid gender-neutral parental leave, phase-back programs, bereavement leave after miscarriage, reimbursement for fertility expenses, and increased mental health benefits for employees.
Source: Seramount (2022)
This company is a Bronze Member of the Sustainable Brands Network, the leading peer to peer, learning and networking group designed to support brands in meeting their sustainability goals and ultimately become those leaders of the next sustainable economy.
Source: Sustainable Brands (2018)
This company is a member of the Circular Economy 100 (CE100) Network, a multi-stakeholder platform run by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The CE100 is the world's leading circular economy network, and facilitates market making by providing collaborative and pre-competitive opportunities which bring together business, innovators, cities and governments, universities, and thought leaders.
Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2019)
This company is a member of the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council (GC3), a business-to-business forum that advances the application of green chemistry and design for environment across supply chains. It provides an open forum for cross-sectoral collaboration to share information and experiences about the challenges to and opportunities for safer chemicals and products.
Source: GC3 (2019)
Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 41%.
Source: Forest 500 (2021)
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website (2016)
Skin Deep is an online safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products and their potential hazards and health concerns, with over 75,000 products rated from 1 (low hazard) to 10 (high hazard).
Source: Environmental Working Group (2019)
Call to boycott by BDS due to involvement in Israel. [This assessment has not been used in calculation of ratings].
Source: BDS (2009)
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: Open Secrets (2020)
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2023 rankings JUST Capital asked a representative sample of 3,002 Americans to compare 20 different business Issues on a head-to-head basis, producing a reliable hierarchy of Issues ranked in order of priority. Issues are organised under the headings Workers, Customers, Communities, the Environment, or Shareholders & Governance. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked 363rd of 951 companies, and 6th of 10 Personal Products companies.
Source: JUST Capital (2023) |
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Company Details
| Type | Wholly-owned subsidiary |
| Founded | 2005 |
Contact Details
| Address | 845 Madison Ave, New York, New York, USA |
| Website | www.tomford.com |