Key facts
- Shein scored 28 in the Baptist World Aid ethical fashion report.
- Myer scored 20, while Ghanda and Windsor Smith scored zero.
- The report assessed 138 companies on worker empowerment and environmental sustainability.
- 58% of businesses were assessed solely on publicly available information.
- Shein's score improved from previous years due to public scrutiny.
The 11th Baptist World Aid ethical fashion report, released on Tuesday, assessed 138 companies on their ethical practices. Online fast-fashion giant Shein received a score of 28, outperforming several Australian retailers including Myer (20), Boardriders (3), Ghanda (0), and Windsor Smith (0). The report found that only 13% of companies surveyed could show evidence of paying a living wage to workers in their supply chain. Shein competitor Temu also received a score of zero, while Seafolly scored one. The report noted that Australia is the world's highest consumer of textiles per person, with over 200,000 tonnes of clothing ending up in landfill annually. Many companies, including Shein, were assessed based on publicly available information due to a lack of participation in the research.