Covid-19 gave fashion businesses a chance to rebuild ethically: Report

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the fashion industry is arguably the hardest hit sector of retail, with most customers cutting back spending to only essentials as the country fell into its first recession in years.

However, the crisis has acted as a catalyst for many brands to find the ethical gaps and weaknesses in their sourcing practices, according to Baptist World Aid Australia’s recent Covid Fashion Report.

According to the report, more than 70 per cent of fashion businesses assessed in 2020 can demonstrate deliberate positive actions made to support vulnerable garment workers through the pandemic, although none could demonstrate an end-to-end supply chain response.

“Fashion companies have been literally fighting for survival in 2020,” said BWAA CEO John Hickey.

“But the wellbeing of the workers who produce the garments they sell must still be considered a core priority.”

Most companies were unable to show evidence in all six of the report’s criteria: honoring supplier commitments, supporting workers at risk, listening to the experience of workers, upholding worker rights, collaboration, and to build back better for workers and the world.

However, a number of Australian and New Zealand brands such as Country Road, Glassons, Kathmandu and Retail Apparel Group were recognized as top scorers in the report, while Outland Denim achieved the “highest score possible”.

“Outland Denim provided to production staff in Cambodia during the pandemic’s outset face masks, temperature testing, sanitising stations, and health education delivered by the brand’s on-site nurse,” the business said.

“Further to supporting their own team, Outland Denim took steps to support the earliest and most vulnerable members of their supply chain with the launch of a world-first program named ‘Supply Network Intelligence System’.

The program’s pilot phase focused on delivering education, PPE, and care packs to vulnerable communities in Turkey, while moving forward the enduring program will seek out instances of deliberate exploitation, slavery, and unsafe working conditions and puts methods in place to resolve them.

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