Primark, one of the UK’s top clothing and footwear retailers, ranks joint 7th out of 65 companies. Since 2021, the company improved on the themes of Commitment & Governance, Worker Voice, and Remedy. In particular, the company joined the pilot Employment Injury Scheme in Bangladesh, and disclosed new remedy outcomes for supply chain workers including ensuring payment of unpaid wages and benefits. However, the company did not improve across other themes. As such, the company’s rank has dropped by 2 places. Notably, the company is one of the two highest-scoring UK companies in the benchmark and among those scoring highest on the theme of Purchasing Practices.
KnowTheChain identified one allegation of forced labour in the company’s supply chains, related to alleged Uyghur forced labour. The company discloses engagements with governments and with groups representing rightsholders, as well as a ban on sourcing from the Xinjiang region. However, the company does not disclose the steps it has taken to address the risks of alleged Uyghur forced labour across raw materials and supply chain tiers.
The company has an opportunity to improve its performance and disclosure on the themes of Traceability & Risk Assessment, Recruitment, and Monitoring.