During an unprecedented year navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, Baptist World Aid adjusted the focus of its annual Ethical Fashion Report to identify which suppliers supported garment factory workers during the pandemic. Workwear Group volunteered to participate in the report and proudly achieved the highest rating possible by providing evidence against all six commitments. 

The report assessed 96 Australian, New Zealand and international companies representing 428 brands on specific positive actions taken amid the pandemic. Workwear Group, Australia’s leading uniform provider, not only appeared in the top tier of meeting the outlined commitments, it was the only uniform business to achieve this rating. 

The Ethical Fashion Report is the most comprehensive of its kind for Australia and New Zealand. Typically, the report highlights fashion brands’ transparency and demonstrable practices around treatment of workers and the environment through extensive surveying, consultation and examination of publicly available materials, giving brands a score from A+ to F.  

The report looked for evidence of brands’ support of workers’ wages by honouring their commitments to suppliers, companies’ ability to identify and mitigate the risks of COVID-19, processes around listening to workers’ voices through the supply chain, provision of fair and healthy working conditions, ability to collaborate with external groups to protect vulnerable workers and intention to ‘build back better’ for workers and the environment.  

"I’m very proud of Workwear Group’s performance on the Ethical Fashion Report as the only uniforms business to make the list in 2020. Our commitment to suppliers and their workers throughout a year like no other is a strong statement of what Workwear Group and our team members live and breathe. Our social responsibility by doing the right thing by our people, community and environment and commitment to ethical sourcing is paramount for the future of our industry and the environment for the generations to come,” said Doug Swan, Group General Manager, Workwear Group.