Fashion brands are reporting more often, and in more detail, on their policies on the environment, climate change and labour conditions. For its new report “Feel Good Fashion”, Rank a Brand reviewed the scores of the 400 fashion brands in its database, and noted that they had increased by 45%, on average, between 2010 and 2011. In particular, the brands are better at reporting on their policies on labour conditions – this information is now provided by one in two fashion companies. Measures to reduce carbon emissions are described on one in four corporate websites.

We saw higher scores in almost all segments of the fashion industry. Remarkably, designer brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen are starting to explain their policies for people and planet better than in 2011.  Designer brands have traditionally scored much lower than the sector average. Another significant trend is that eight out of ten Scandanavian brands now have an online corporate social responsibility statement – above the sector average.

Rank a Brand founder Niels Oskam states: “Because the CSR policies and performances in the fashion sector are improving, brands are increasingly willing to be transparant. On their websites, they do this by publishing yearly CSR reports, or through the Made-By scorecards. We assess this information so that consumers can choose the most responsible brands.”

Niels is delighted with the increase in transparancy, but also warns that much remains to be done. “You often see high growth rates in new markets, when the possibilities are endless. In CSR, much more growth is still possible – up to the point where all brands show that their clothing is made under humane conditions and without damaging the environment or climate. We still have a long way to go before we reach that point.”

Click here to see more details about the report ‘Feel Good Fashion”.