It publicly reported on its main material mix and provided a Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier list, with a stated plan to publish its raw material suppliers in 2023. However, Boohoo is lagging far behind its competitors in the fast fashion sector in terms of progressing with an energy transition in the supply chain, engaging in renewable energy advocacy, and use of low-carbon materials. Worse, it reported a significant emission increase in both the purchased goods and services category and the upstream transportation and distribution category from 2019 to 2021. Boohoo should start taking its negative climate impacts seriously and develop realistic short-term plans, such as providing resources to suppliers to improve energy efficiency, advocating for the urgent renewable energy needs, and helping UK suppliers transition to renewable energy.
Total Score
Emissions
About the Scorecards
The fashion industry is responsible for 2- 8% of global emissions but are fashion brands doing enough to tackle their growing climate impact? The updated 2023 Fossil Free Fashion Scorecard analyses 43 fashion companies on their climate action.
Read ReportScore Breakdown
GHG emissions:
Boohoo has set an emissions reduction target for its own operations of 42% by 2030 from a 2020 base year, which is not quite in line with keeping warming below 1.5°C.
The company has also set an emissions reduction target for its supply chain of an intensity-based target of 52% per unit of value added over the same timeframe, which is not as strong as an absolute reduction target and not in line with the 55% reduction required.
Renewable energy:
Boohoo has set a renewable energy target in its own operations of 100% by 2022, but it is not clear whether the energy will be additional to the grid.
Boohoo has yet to set a target of 100% renewable energy for its supply chain by 2030, which is an essential step for decarbonising its manufacturing.
Coal phase out:
Boohoo has not publicly set a target to phase out coal-fired boilers from its supply chain by 2030 to reduce air pollution and cut emissions.
GHG emissions:
Boohoo publicly reports GHG emissions in its own operations, and in its supply chain, but the company does not provide a full breakdown of its Scope 3 emissions.
Energy use:
Boohoo does not publicly report its energy use or provide a breakdown of its renewable energy use and how that energy is sourced, for either its own operations or its supply chain.
Suppliers:
Boohoo provides a partial supplier list to Tier 1 or 2, and plans to publish its raw material suppliers in 2023.
Boohoo does not report providing its suppliers with training and resources to help them make energy efficiency improvements. Boohoo does not report providing its major suppliers with financial incentives for energy efficiency measures, and does not require them to make energy savings as a condition of contract.
Boohoo does not require suppliers to reduce thermal coal demand in their manufacturing processes.
Boohoo does not report providing its suppliers with training and resources to help them transition to renewable energy. The company does not report providing financial support or incentives to make the energy transition, and does not require suppliers to use renewable energy as a condition of contract.
Boohoo does not require its suppliers to set GHG emissions reduction targets or set science-based emissions reduction targets, and does not require suppliers to provide facility level data via the Higg Index and annually report GHG emissions.
Boohoo has not made any commitments to phase out fossil fuel based materials.
Boohoo has not made a public policy to ban the sourcing of leather from the Amazon Biome or taken measurable steps to ensure that Amazon leather is not contributing to deforestation, and the company does not have processes in place to avoid leather sourced from deforested regions. Boohoo also does not have a general policy against contributing to deforestation through other materials including cellulose-based fabrics.
Low-carbon materials:
Boohoo has not committed to increasing closed-loop apparel-to-apparel recycling for synthetics and plant-based materials. Boohoo is planning to reduce the impact of its raw materials sourcing by increasing the mix of more sustainably sourced cotton and polyester by 2030, including organic, recycled or Better Cotton, but has not committed to switch to 100% organic cotton or cotton sourced from regenerative agriculture.
Increasing circularity:
Boohoo is not currently acting to increase circularity and address overproduction by policies to improve the repairability, resale, durability and recyclability of its clothes, though has plans to launch a resale service by 2023, and given its ultra-fast fashion business model it needs to do far more to increase the durability and repairability of its products with a goal of reducing production.
Boohoo does publicly report its main material mix, but it does not report the volume of materials. Boohoo does not report its volume of deadstock or how it manages or disposes of its deadstock to reduce waste, but has committed to end textile waste to landfill by 2025.
Boohoo does report its shipping emissions annually, but does not provide a breakdown of its transportation methods, and does not have a target to reduce GHG emissions from transportation.
Boohoo does not report having a policy to avoid aviation and commit to slower shipping methods such as maritime, rail and land. The company reported a 36.6% increase in its upstream transportation and distribution emissions from 2019 to 2021.
Boohoo has not committed to transitioning to zero emissions vessels (ZEV) by 2030. The company has not used its voice publicly to advocate for Zero Emission Shipping.
Boohoo has yet to commit to transitioning its last mile delivery to zero emission vehicles.
It is not discernible that Boohoo engaged in any international or supply chain advocacy in support of renewable energy during the 2023 Scorecard period.