In an assessment of the efforts of 20 major apparel brands to stop or prevent forced labor in their supply chains, luxury fashion-house Prada scored a paltry nine out of 100.
The study, which was conducted by KnowTheChain, using information provided by the surveyed brands, as well as data available on public platforms, determined scores based on a variety of criteria, including auditing processes, worker recruitment, and labor rights. Prada, which is one of the most expensive brands in the world, was one of only three participants to score below 25 – the other two were Belle International Holdings and Shenzhou International Group Holdings, both Chinese manufacturers.
Other low scorers include Ralph Lauren (45) and Hugo Boss (46). Surprisingly, lower cost retailers Adidas, Gap, and H&M fared far better than their luxury counterparts, earning scores of 81, 77, and 69 respectively, which the study chalks up to high levels of public transparency and active anti-slavery initiatives, following years of damaging coverage of their labour practices.
You can read more about the study at The Guardian.
