Fashion Brands Face Climate Greenwashing Accusations

Worker Welfare Ignored in Asia’s Garment Industry

Major fashion houses are under scrutiny for prioritizing carbon reduction targets over the well-being of garment workers in Southeast Asia, a region increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts. A new report reveals a significant gap between commitments and action.

Report Details Lack of ‘Just Transition’ Policies

A study released today by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC), titled “The Missing Thread,” analyzed 65 global fashion brands. It found that while 44 companies have publicly pledged to lower carbon emissions, none have implemented a “Just Transition” policy. This framework, highlighted at COP27 in 2022, aims to protect workers during the shift to a low-carbon economy.

Only 11 of the companies studied acknowledged the climate-related impact on their workforce within their social and human rights policies. A mere four offered guidance on mitigating heat-related stress for employees.

“Decarbonisation done without workers as critical and creative partners is not a just transition, it’s a dangerous shortcut.”

—Natalie Swan, Labour Rights Programme Manager at BHRRC

Industry Reliance on Unsustainable Resources

The global textile industry currently depends on 98 million tonnes of non-renewable resources annually, including oil and fertilizer. Without significant changes, the fashion industry is projected to contribute over 25 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This alarming trend underscores the urgency of addressing both environmental and social concerns.

According to the World Economic Forum, the fashion industry is responsible for an estimated 8-10% of global carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. (World Economic Forum, Sept 2023)

Limited Action from Leading Brands

Among the brands assessed, only two—Inditex, owner of Zara, and Kering, parent company of Gucci—mentioned worker welfare in relation to their most ambitious climate goals. Nike, Hermes, and H&M did not respond to requests for comment regarding the report’s findings.

Swan emphasized, “The fashion industry’s climate targets mean little if the people who make its products are not taken into consideration. It’s not enough to go green. It has to be clean and fair.”

Climate Impacts Already Felt in Southeast Asia

Garment workers in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam are already experiencing the harsh realities of climate change, including extreme heat and severe flooding. In Bangladesh, reports indicate workers have collapsed from heat exhaustion, with factories allegedly failing to provide basic necessities like fans or drinking water.

Cambodia faced a heatwave in 2022 where temperatures exceeded 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit). The report also highlights that one-third of workers have experienced job losses due to automation, disproportionately affecting women who often lack access to training for new technologies.

Swan stated, “Brands must stop hiding behind greenwashing slogans and start seriously engaging workers and their trade unions, whose rights, livelihoods and safety are under threat from both climate change and the industry’s response to it. A just transition is not just a responsibility, it’s a critical opportunity to build a fairer, more resilient fashion industry that works for people and the planet.”