I chose Adidas as the brand to research- The Fashion Transparency Index, published by non-profit organization Fashion Revolution (Links to an external site.) reports and ranks about 250 fashion brands business information within five key sustainability areas: policy and commitment; governance; traceability; know, show, fix; spotlight issues. Five areas defined by are Index are following: Policy and commitment (provides answers to the following questions: What are the brands social and environmental policies? How is the brand putting its policies into practice? How does the brand decide which issues to prioritise? What are the brands future goals for improving its impacts? ). Governance: (provides answers to the following questions: Who in the brand is responsible for the brands social and environmental impacts? How can they be contacted? How does the brand incorporate human rights and environmental issues into its buying and sourcing practices? ).Traceability (provides answers to the following questions: Does the brand publish a list of its suppliers, from manufacturing to raw material level? If so, how much detail do they share? ). Know, show, fix (provides answers to the following questions: How does the brand assess the implementation of its supplier policies? How does the brand fix problems when found in its supplier facilities? Does the brand report assessment findings? How can workers report grievances?). Spotlight issues (provides answers to the following questions: What is the brand doing to ensure workers are being paid a living wage? What is the brand doing to support workers Freedom of Association? What is the brand doing to reduce consumption of resources?).
In this case study, students are to select one international brand (please do not select a US-based retailer, and preferably ask a professor for approval of the selected brand) from FTI 2020 and conduct an analysis of index scores within five key sustainability areas listed above (Policy and commitment, governance, traceability, know, show, fix and spotlight issues).
Using ratings and FTI 2020 full material (Links to an external site.), students should attempt to provide answers on the following questions:
To compare the scores in the table and identify the strongest and the weakest areas for the selected brand.
Based on their understanding of sustainability issues, the student should address what area(s) selected brand needs to improve in order to become more transparent and socially responsible.
Provide recommendations as to how a particular brand might improve its transparency score.
Students are to describe why transparency is a prerequisite for sustainable and responsible business communication.
Students are required to provide 1-page case study summary that should reflect the evaluation of the problem (For the selected brand here you are expected to summarize scores in each area as provided by Index, and evaluate overall transparency score), and 1 page (single space) answer for each of the additional questions (as we have 4 questions to answer you are expected to provide 4 pages evaluation). At minimum, you need to created project on 5 pages (1-page summary and 4 pages to answer questions). Please provide concise and brand-specific answers, using the information provided in FTI 2020 material. Your answers should be clear, thorough, and carefully written.
