GHG emissions:

Burberry has set an emissions reduction target for its own operations of 95% by FY22/23 from FY16/17, which is in line with keeping warming below 1.5 °C.

The company has also set an emissions reduction target for its supply chain of 46% by FY29/30 from FY18/19. This target is still short of the 55% reduction required.

Renewable energy:

Burberry has set a renewable energy target in its own operations of 100% by 2025, but the energy will be a mix of additional to the grid and renewable energy credits.

Burberry 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:

As a signatory of the renewed UN Fashion Charter, Burberry has committed to phasing out coal-fired boilers from its supply chain by 2030 to reduce air pollution and cut emissions.

GHG emissions:

Burberry publicly reports GHG emissions in its own operations, and in its supply chain. The company does provide a full breakdown of its Scope 3 emissions.

Energy use:

Burberry does publicly report its energy use for its own operations, including a breakdown of its renewable energy use and how that energy is sourced.

For its supply chain, Burberry does not publicly report its energy use, a breakdown of its suppliers’ renewable energy use, or how that energy is sourced.

Suppliers:

Burberry does not provide a supplier list.

Burberry does report engaging its suppliers on energy efficiency improvements, although it does not provide details on the training and resources offered. Burberry does not appear to offer financial support to help them make energy efficiency savings. But it does require them to make energy savings as a condition of contract. The company includes energy efficiency in its supplier code of conduct, and sets supplier energy efficiency as a corporate goal.

Burberry does not require suppliers to reduce thermal coal demand in their manufacturing processes.

Burberry does report providing some of its suppliers with training and resources to help them transition to renewable energy by creating supplier renewable energy guides and working with Aii to support Italian manufacturers. 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.

Burberry 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 or annually report GHG emissions.

Burberry has not made any commitments to phase out fossil fuel based materials.

Burberry 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, but the company has made a commitment to eliminate materials such as leather and viscose sourced from practices that contribute to deforestation by 2025.

Low-carbon materials:

Burberry is not acting to increase closed-loop apparel-to-apparel recycling for synthetics or plant-based materials, instead committing to use 100% of polyester sourced from recycled plastic bottles & bio-based nylon from renewable sources by 2025, which does not reduce textile waste. Burberry has committed to reduce the impact of its raw materials sourcing by switching to 100% organic cotton or cotton sourced from regenerative agriculture by phasing out non-organic cotton by FY22.

Increasing circularity:

Burberry does appear to be acting in a limited way to increase circularity and address overproduction by policies to improve the repairability, resale, durability and recyclability of its clothes, including offering repair and post-sale care for its products, and reporting on the volume of repairs.

Burberry does not publicly report its material mix or its volume of deadstock. But it does report how it manages or disposes of its deadstock to reduce waste.

Burberry does report its shipping emissions annually, but does not have a target to reduce GHG emissions from transportation and does not provide a breakdown of its transportation methods.

Burberry does not have a policy to avoid aviation and commit to slower shipping methods such as maritime, rail and land. The company does not report having a near-term plan to ship its cargo via cleaner methods, and between 2019 and 2021 its upstream transportation and distribution emissions increased by 18.2%.

Burberry 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.

Burberry has not committed to transitioning its last mile delivery to zero emission vehicles.

Burberry is in coalition with 39 other companies to sign the Clean Energy Demand Initiative (CEDI) Global Letter of Intent. This letter calls for a global clean energy transition in partnership with governments, non-profits, and other organizations. Burberry also participates in the Fashion Pact and RE100. The company also signed onto the We Mean Business Coalition Letter to keep 1.5°C commitments. Burberry receives a low grade in this category due to the company’s minimal action in advocating for global clean energy infrastructure in its supply chain.