Overall: 5/10

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Arguably the most popular brand H&M Group owns is the fast-fashion giant H&M itself. H&M plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Though the majority of materials H&M uses are not eco-friendly, it has a pledge to use 100% sustainable or recycled materials by 2030. 

 

The label H&M does have a textile recycling program in which people can recycle clothes from any brand in H&M stores. They also have a “conscious choice” line which uses “at least 50% of more sustainable materials.”

 

Despite these efforts for the environment H&M needs to improve their treatment of employees first. The label operates under a fast fashion business model meaning factory workers are not paid a living wage. This claim is easily supported by H&M’s promise to pay 850,000 workers a living wage by 2018, a promise they have failed to deliver on. Also, in 2018, factories that supply H&M were named in reports by Global Labor Justice detailing abuse of female garment workers. H&M also struggles with BIPOC representation.

 

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& Other Stories is one of H&M group’s more expensive labels. The brand uses some more eco-friendly materials, like organic cotton, and they have featured lyocell in their sustainable collection according to Good On You. Just like the parent company H&M, & Other Stories is a fast fashion brand. Meaning, they’re always on trend and regularly have new arrivals. Also, just like H&M, & Other Stories has a science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated from its own operations and supply chain by 2040. But there is no evidence it is on track to meet its goal. 

 

Speaking of supply chains, none of & Other Stories' supply chain is certified by labor standards. It did have a project to improve wages in its supply chain, but there is no evidence it ensures payment of a living wage. It also did disclose some policies to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19, but implementation is uncertain. Also in the middle of 2020 the brand came under fire for use of a racial slur on an internal system on more than a one-off incident. The brand did respond quickly by firing the one who wrote it from the company, and removing the offensive term. The company also said it would be, “undertaking conscious and unconscious bias training for employees, as well as increasing diversity on the management teams and the board of directors”. The company says, by 2025 they strive for a minimum of 30% diversity. Hopefully, they will have way more than 30% diversity by 2025.

 

 

 

 

 

COS is one of H&M group's smaller labels. Out of all the brands in H&M, COS is one of the more transparent brands. Though none of its chain is certified by labor standards, ensuring worker health and safety, living wages, or other labor rights. It does have a project to improve its workers’ wages, but there is no evidence that progress has been made on this project. Since COS, like H&M, is a fast fashion brand it has fast fashion traits like on trends styles and regular new arrivals which contribute to mass consumption. Just like the aforementioned H&M Group brands, COS has a plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions generated from its operations and supply chain, and be climate neutral by 2030 and climate positive by 2040. But there is no evidence it is on track to hit those goals.

 

Conclusion

H&M Group gets a five out of ten. In order to improve their score they first would need to guarantee that all workers receive a living wage and have their supply chain labor certified. They also would need to use more eco-friendly materials regularly, and try to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions faster, rather aiming to be climate positive by 2040. The Climate Clock says we only have about six years from 2022 to limit climate change, 2040 is too far right now.