In 2020/2021, KnowTheChain assessed the 64 largest global apparel and footwear companies on their efforts to address forced labor risks in their supply chains. In addition to assessing information available on companies’ websites, KnowTheChain invited benchmarked companies over a period of three months (December 2020 -February 2021) to review the information identified and to disclose additional information.
Please find below details on the engagement with each company.
Company name
Headquarters
Engagement with KnowTheChain (Apr 2020-Mar 2021)*
2020/2021 Disclosure
2018 Disclosure
2016 Disclosure
ABC-Mart
Japan
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Adidas
Germany
Yes (sent disclosure)
Responded, provided additional disclosure and further information
Responded **
American Eagle
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure
[Not included]
[Not included]
Asics
Japan
Yes (sent disclosure)
Sent additional disclosure and links to Xinjiang statement and supplier list
Responded and provided additional disclosure
[Not included]
Belle International
China
n/a
[Not included]
[Not included]
No response
Burberry
United Kingdom
Yes (sent disclosure)
Responded and provided additional disclosure
[Not included]
Canada Goose
Canada
Informal
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Capri
United Kingdom
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Columbia Sportswear
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Responded and provided additional disclosure
[Not included]
Deckers
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Sent 2020 CSR report and additional disclosure
[Not included]
[Not included]
Fast Retailing
Japan
Yes (sent disclosure)
Responded and provided additional disclosure
Responded **
Feng Tay Enterprises
Taiwan
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Foot Locker
United States
No
No response
No response
[Not included]
Gap Inc.
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Sent additional disclosure and link
Responded and provided additional disclosure
Responded **
Gildan Activewear
Canada
Yes (sent disclosure)
Responded and provided additional disclosure
Responded **
Hanesbrands
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure
Provided additional disclosure
Responded **
Heilan Home
China
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Hermès
France
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure
Provided link to 2016 and 2017 reports and information on its business model
[Not included]
Hugo Boss
Germany
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure
Provided additional disclosure
Responded **
JD Sports
United Kingdom
Informal
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Levi Strauss
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure
[Not included]
[Not included]
Li & Fung
Hong Kong
n/a
[Not included]
No response
[Not included]
Li Ning
China
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Lojas Renner
Brazil
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure
[Not included]
[Not included]
LPP
Poland
No
No response
No response
[Not included]
Lululemon
Canada
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure, additional information, and links
Provided additional disclosure
Macy’s
United States
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Marks and Spencer
United Kingdom
Informal
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Michael Kors
United Kingdom
n/a
[Not included]
No response
[Not included]
Moncler
Italy
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Next
United Kingdom
Informal
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Nike
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure and link
[provided this link]
Nordstrom
United States
Informal
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Pou Chen
Taiwan
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided link to CSR Report and FLA Accreditation Report
[Not included]
Puma
Germany
Yes (sent disclosure)
Sent additional disclosure and links (1, 2)
Responded and provided link to Annual Report
[Not included]
PVH
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Responded, provided additional disclosure and link to CSR Report
Responded **
Ralph Lauren
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure, CR Report, and supply chain standard
Ryohin Keikaku
Japan
Yes (sent disclosure)
Provided additional disclosure
[Not included]
[Not included]
Salvatore Ferragamo
Italy
No
No response
No response
[Not included]
Shenzhou International
China
Yes (sent link)
Sent 2019 annual report
Provided additional disclosure and link to Annual Report
No response
Shimamura
Japan
No
No response
No response
[Not included]
Skechers
United States
Yes (sent disclosure)
Sent additional disclosure and documents (1, 2, 3)
No response
[Not included]
Tapestry
United States
Informal
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
TJX Companies
United States
Informal
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Urban Outfitters
United States
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Wolverine Worldwide
United States
No
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Youngor
China
No
No response
No response
[Not included]
Yue Yuen Industrial
Hong Kong
n/a
[Not included]
Provided link to ESG Report 2016 and 2017
[Not included]
Zalando
Germany
Informal
No response
[Not included]
[Not included]
Zhejiang Semir Garment
China
No
No response
No response
[Not included]
*KnowTheChain assesses engagement levels similarly to the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark:
- “Yes” indicates that a company participated in the research process by having an engagement call with KnowTheChain or submitted links or additional disclosure to KnowTheChain during the three-month engagement period (December 2020 to February 2021).
- “Informal” engagement means a company had some form of contact with KnowTheChain between April 2020 and March 2021. This could include an email enquiring about KnowTheChain or its benchmarking methodology or a call outside the engagement period.
- “No” means a company did not interact with KnowTheChain between April 2020 and March 2021 (beyond confirming a point of contact for KnowTheChain).
Company engagement process for the 2018 and 2016 benchmarks:
- 2018: To reduce the reporting burden for companies, ahead of the 2018 benchmarks, we asked companies to respond to 2-3 questions to point us in the direction of relevant disclosure. Further, we provided companies an opportunity to review the initial research findings, and to provide additional disclosure for indicators where disclosure was missing.
- 2016: Ahead of benchmark publication, we had invited companies to response to a set of engagement questions that correspond to the benchmark methodology.
** Information made available by benchmarked companies outside the 2018 and 2016 disclosure periods is available here.
For further details on the human rights impacts of companies around the world, see the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre’s website.