Uniqlo Australia
OVERALL |
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Owned |
JPN |
Rating |
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Apparel
First Australian store opened in Melbourne in April 2014, and as of September 2015 has 6 stores across NSW and Vic.
Company Ownership
| Uniqlo Australia Pty Ltd | AUS | website | ||||
Uniqlo Co Ltd 
owns 100% of Uniqlo Australia Pty Ltd |
JPN | website | ||||
Clothing retailer Founded in Japan in 1984 by Tadashi Yanai, Japan's richest man. One of the largest apparel retailers in the world, with 853 stores in Japan and 446 in Asia, UK and USA. Uniqlo controls the whole process of planning, manufacture, distribution and sales. Opened its first Australian store in April 2014. | ||||||
| Fast Retailing Co Ltd
owns 100% of Uniqlo Co Ltd |
JPN | website | ||||
Retail holding company Established in 1963. Opened it's first Uniqlo store in 1984. Owns Uniqlo plus several other brands. Operates over 2400 stores worldwide. | ||||||
Company Assessment
| PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
| Uniqlo Australia Pty Ltd | ||||
| No assessment data currently available for Uniqlo Australia Pty Ltd | ||||
| Uniqlo Co Ltd | ||||
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B+ grade in the Baptist World Aid Australia's 'Ethical Fashion Report 2019', 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: policies, transparency and traceability, auditing and supplier relationships, worker empowerment and environmental management.
[Source 2019][More on Workers Rights]
The 2020 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 40%, signifying that it is making significant efforts in the given areas, and has made some or most of this information publicly available. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 73%.
[Source 2020][More on Sustainability Reporting] |
In this 2015 report by SACOM investigates the working conditions of UNIQLO's suppliers in China. Key findings include: long working hours and low wages, unsafe working environment, harsh management style and punishment system, and unrepresented workers.
[Source 2015][More on Workers Rights]
The Chinese government has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west region of Xinjiang to factories across the country. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including brands owned by this company. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's 2020 report estimates (somewhat conservatively) that more than 80,000 Uyghurs were transferred out of Xinjiang to work in factories across China between 2017 and 2019, and some of them were sent directly from detention camps.
[Source 2020][More on Workers Rights] |
Uniqlo is cited as an example of ruthless employers exploiting 'disposable' workers, an example of so-called 'black corporations' which hire large numbers of new graduates, making them accept long hours of work which leads to high turnover rates because of mental and emotional stress.
[Source 2013][More on Workers Rights]
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]
This company has Corporate Social Responsibility claims on its website.
[Source 2015][More on Sustainability Reporting]
This company received a score of 43.6/100 (retrieved 25-Feb-2020) 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 2020][More on Habitats] |
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| Fast Retailing Co Ltd | ||||
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In 2019, 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 2019][More on Climate Change]
In 2019, 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 2019][More on Forests]
In 2019, 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 B.
[Source 2019][More on Human Rights]
This company has signed the 'Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh', a program endorsed by Bangladeshi and international unions and labor rights organizations. The ground-breaking program includes independent safety inspections with public reports, mandatory factory building renovations, the obligation by brands and retailers to underwrite the cost of repairs, and a vital role for workers and their unions all in a legally-binding, enforceable agreement.
[Source 2019][More on Workers Rights]
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 40-50 band range. The overall average score was a disappointing 24%.
[Source 2019][More on Human Rights]
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] |
The Clean Clothes Campaign report, Tailored Wages 2019 analyses responses from 32 top clothing brands about their progress in implementing a living wage for the workers who produce their clothes. This company received the lowest possible grade in the report, meaning they produced no evidence that any worker making their clothes was paid a living wage anywhere in the world.
[Source 2019][More on Workers Rights]
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 0.5/19.5, making it one of the weakest performing companies.
[Source 2016][More on Human Rights]
This company received a score of 22.1/100 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 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, soy, beef, leather, timber and paper). This company received a score of 35%.
[Source 2019][More on Forests] |
This company is a member of the CanopyStyle initiative, which came about when research found that millions of trees are used every year to produce dissolving pulp, a key ingredient for fabrics such as rayon/viscose. The campaign seeks to phase out the use of endangered forest fibre in fabric.
[Source 2018][More on Forests]
Greenpeace launched its "Detox My Fashion" 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, including this one, committed to Greenpeace's Detox Program. The 2016 Detox Catwalk report focused on implementation, assessing the steps taken by fashion brands to fulfil their commitments using three criteria: Detox 2020 plan, PFC elimination and Transparency. This company is "committed to Detox and has made progress implementing its plans, but its actions need to evolve faster to achieve the 2020 Detox goal".
[Source 2016][More on Habitats]
When joining the Fair Labor Association (FLA) this company committed to promoting and complying with international labor standards throughout their supply chain. The FLA does not accredit the company itself; rather, they accredit the company's labor compliance program. Being granted accreditation implies that their workplace standards program is substantially in compliance with the FLA Code.
[Source 2016][More on Workers Rights]
This company has Corporate Social Responsibility claims on its website.
[Source 2015][More on Sustainability Reporting]
This company is a founding member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a multi-stakeholder initiative launched in March 2011 by a group of global apparel and footwear companies and non-profit organizations (representing nearly one third of the global market share for apparel and footwear). The Coalition's goals are to reduce the apparel industry's environmental and social impact, and to develop a universal index to measure environmental and social performance of apparel products.
[Source 2020][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
This company is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, a voluntary initiative which encourages the adoption of better management practices in cotton cultivation to achieve measurable reductions in key environmental impacts, while improving social and economic benefits for cotton farmers, small and large, worldwide.
[Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
This company is a partner of Better Work, an initiative of the UN's International Labour Organization and the International Finance Corporation which brings diverse groups together - governments, global brands, factory owners, and unions and workers - to improve working conditions in the garment industry and make the sector more competitive.
[Source 2020][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
This company is a member of the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit that works closely with its members to drive textile industry transformation in preferred fibres, integrity and standards and responsible supply networks. They identify and share best practices regarding farming, materials, processing, traceability and product end-of-life in order to reduce the textile industry's impact on the world's water, soil and air, and the human population.
[Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
This company is a signatory to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, a United Nations initiative which contains the vision to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
[Source 2020][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
In 2018 KnowTheChain benchmarked 120 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 43/100.
[Source 2018][More on Workers Rights]
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 2017][More on Human Rights]
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 published limited supplier factory information, and falls well short of the Pledge standard.
[Source 2019][More on Sustainability Reporting]
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 57/100 in the Retailing category of the 2019 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices. 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 2019][More on Sustainability Reporting] |
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Company Details
| Company Structure | Wholly-owned subsidiary |
Contact Details
| Address | L4, 50 Market St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia |
| Website | www.uniqlo.com/au/ |
Products / Brands
Uniqlo Australia|
Uniqlo Childrenswear Uniqlo Everyday Apparel Uniqlo Babywear Uniqlo Womens Fashion Uniqlo Menswear (casual) |