The company aims for net zero by 2050 but lacks a detailed roadmap or interim milestones. REI has sourced 100% renewable electricity for its operations for over a decade and is phasing out on-site coal at Tier 1 and selected Tier 2 suppliers by 2025. It collaborates on clean energy efforts, including developing tools for thermal energy electrification. However, it does not provide supply chain energy data or evidence of supplier financing. Emissions data is disclosed by category but not by supplier tier or country. Despite some sustainability-linked purchasing standards, REI faces labor rights concerns and lacks transparent pricing or just transition support. It offers resale and repair services and ties product longevity to reduced production goals. Shipping emissions are included in its targets, with reductions noted, though still above baseline. REI has joined COZEV, committing to zero-emission shipping by 2040, but has no target to reduce air freight. Governance and climate-linked executive incentives are not clearly disclosed.
Total Score
Manufacturing Emissions Change
2023 Score
About the Scorecards
As the rampant production of fossil-fueled clothing continues to rise, contributing at least 4% of global emissions, the fashion industry must urgently correct course by ending its dependency on fossil fuels for manufacturing, transportation, and raw materials.
Read Report Download Report (PDF)Emissions change of Scope 3 Category 1 emissions when compared with the brand’s baseline year. Emissions change of -27% is used as the benchmark for alignment with 1.5C, based on 50% total reduction by 2030 compared with 2018 levels.
Score Breakdown
Climate and Net Zero Targets
Scope 1 and 2: In the near-term, REI has committed to reducing the absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 47% by 2030 from a 2019 base year, while further committing 41% of suppliers by emissions will have science-based targets by 2025.
Scope 3: REI has committed to reducing the absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 47% by 2030 from a 2019 base year, while further committing 41% of suppliers by emissions will have science-based targets by 2025.
Mid-term (2035/2040) milestones: No
Net Zero Roadmap: Committed to Net Zero by 2050, no concrete roadmap
Renewable Energy Targets
Own operations RE target: REI reports sourcing 100% renewable electricity across its own operations for 11 years, with 21% from higher impact sources, and reports working to shift away from RECs.
Supply chain RE target: No specific target
Thermal Coal Phase Out
2030 Coal Phase-out Target: Yes. Earlier. Instated a phaseout requirement for the use of on-site coal, with no new coal-based equipment by 2023 and the elimination of any existing coal usage by the end of 2025 for all tier 1 and nominated tier 2 suppliers.
Thermal energy transition/ electrification: Yes. Earlier. Instated a phaseout requirement for the use of on-site coal, with no new coal-based equipment by 2023 and the elimination of any existing coal usage by the end of 2025 for all tier 1 and nominated tier 2 suppliers.
Transparency
Emissions data: Reports three years of scope 1-3 emissions, and provides a breakdown of Scope 3 by category but not country or supplier tier.
Supply chain energy data: REI does not disclose data on its supply chain energy or electricity consumption.
Supplier lists published: Publishes a supplier list to Tier 2.
Training, feasibility studies, and non-financial support for climate action
REI reports that its sustainability department conducts periodic trainings on “persistent and emerging issues”, developed in partnership with multi stakeholder organizations, including the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the Social & Labor Convergence Program, Fair Trade USA, and the Outdoor Industry Association and the Retail Industry Leaders Association. REI does not report the percentage of its supply chain that received training, or the specific topics included.
Additional, targeted support for transition planning: REi reports “collaborating with our manufacturing partners and other outdoor brands—and investing our own funds—to scale clean energy and energy efficiency in the factories and countries where our products are made.” It is unclear which supply chain partners are included and the kind of support provided. It worked with the OIA on the Vietnam Energy CoLab project. The brand worked with industry players to create the Textile Heating Electrification Tool which aims to enable fashion brands and suppliers to calculate the potential energy consumption, GHG emissions, cost savings of transitioning from fossil fuel-based heating to electric solutions like industrial heat pumps, electric steam boilers, and electric thermal oil boilers in countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam.
Financial Support for Decarbonization
Loans and financing: No evidence
Collective financing initiatives: No evidence
Direct/debt-free financing: No evidence
Responsible/equitable buying to enable climate action
Purchasing decisions incentivize climate action: REI does report having environmental standards for suppliers through its manufacturing code of conduct, as well as assessing factories’ performance using an internal scorecard which impacts purchasing decisions.
Equitable/long-term sourcing to enable climate action: No evidence
Prices enable climate action: No evidence provided of supportive pricing or wage policies, and in December 2024 a report found “pervasive violations of labor rights in the supply chain of REI” including allegations of debt bondage and sub-poverty wages.
Climate Adaptation
Adaptation/worker just transition training funded or provided: No evidence
Emergency support developed with local groups: No evidence
Decarbonization Progress
Reducing manufacturing emissions: Scope 3 Category 1 emissions increased overall against the company’s base year, but fell 15% in the past year.
Increasing supply chain renewable electricity: No data
Coal phase out transition progress: No data
Commitment to phase out fossil fuel-derived fibers
REI does not have a commitment to phase down its use of synthetics, instead focusing on increasing its use of recycled polyester and nylon.
Deforestation-free materials
Leather: REI reports “prioritising” suppliers rated by the Leather Working Group, and specifically says that it does not endorse cattle farming in the Amazon Biome due to the impact of deforestation.
Man-made Cellulosic Fibers: REI reports prioritizing materials that come from responsibly managed forests, including only working with suppliers that formally commit to protecting ancient or endangered forests and supporting long-term forest conservation.
Low-carbon materials
No clear examples of investment or action to increase access to next generation materials or circularity.
Increasing Circularity
REI is yet to provide strong examples of investment or action to increase access to next generation materials or circularity.
It does not have a specific material target tied to recycled cotton.
REI’s offers resale through its Re/Supply program, offers in-house repairs and reports the number of items sold annually through its resale program. The company opened dedicated resale stores in Oregon and California.
Positively, REI is one of the only brands to link its repair offering to a goal of reduced production, although there are no specific targets attached.
Target & increase recycled cotton
No specific commitment on recycled cotton.
100% recycled/organic/regen cotton + wool, report on progress
REI reports prioritizing organically grown cotton, but does not report a specific target.
Support farmers, transition to regen/organic farming
Not clear
Resale/repair – % total sales/disclosure on #
REI’s offers resale through its Re/Supply program, offers in-house repairs and reports some data on the repairs provided, and reports the number of items sold annually through its resale program. REI also opened dedicated resale stores in Oregon and California.
Direct link resale/repair to reduce production
REI is exceptional in explicitly linking repair to a goal of reduced production, although there are no specific targets attached.
Materials transparency
Shares material mix: Not disclosed
Provides data on units sold: Not disclosed
REI does include shipping emissions in its Scope 3 target. The company reported a decrease in its shipping emissions compared with the previous year, which is positive, although it was still 35% higher than in its baseline year. The company does not provide any transparency into its transportation modes, or disclose a goal to limit air freight.
Action to reduce the impact of marine shipping: Reports working with DHL GoGreen Plus program to reduce maritime shipping emissions
No explicit commitment to zero emission marine shipping, but joined COZEV in 2022, committed to zero emission shipping by 2040 as part of ZEMBA.
REI has demonstrated some efforts including working with the Clean Energy Buyer’s Association and signing a CERES business letter to support the CA SB261 and SB253. However, REI has been criticized for signing a letter endorsing Doug Burgum for Secretary of the Department of the Interior, despite his pro-fossil fuel extraction policies on public land.