How We Rate?
How do you know a brand is truly sustainable and ethical? Simple! You can check our Brand Rating Guide, which is designed to act as your compass to navigate the sustainability and ethical stance of global companies. Our rating system is framed in alignment with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, guiding the fashion industry towards sustainability and fairness.
How the Rating System Works
Our rating system helps you cut through the greenwashing clutter. We gather crucial information on sustainability and ethical issues like carbon emissions, water consumption, worker conditions, fair wages, and more. Then, we evaluate the brand’s efforts to overcome these factors. And finally, we break down our findings into clear, easy ratings. No complexity, just straightforward understanding for everyone.
Transparent Approach
All our actions are built on transparency, starting with the data we collect. Be Good’s rating system is formulated by skilled analysts who gather and validate information from brands’ public reports, reliable third-party organizations, and globally-recognized certifications. We solely rely on publicly accessible data from trustworthy platforms and brand pages. We firmly believe that it’s essential to consumer rights that companies report their impacts accurately and consistently. You deserve to know how profit-making multinationals affect the issues you care about. Transparency fosters accountability and encourages brands to operate more responsibly.
Comprehensive Methodology
Be Good’s ratings are meticulous and thorough. We examine every aspect of brands’ operations — whether it’s raw material sourcing, final stage of production or product disposal. We assess hundreds of data points on vital environmental and social aspects, considering certifications, international standards, and third-party sources. Our analysts use our in-house technology for the evaluation and the methodology we follow is shaped with inputs from sustainability experts, academics, and recognized organizations.
Simplified Rating
Our user-friendly ratings are designed for everyone. For consumers, it’s as easy as checking a product’s price tag. Businesses can utilize our innovative tech and comprehensive ratings data to enhance, comprehend, and communicate their impacts. Media outlets can rely on us as the primary sustainability experts for reporting the reality.
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Sources We Trust to Rate Brands
Accreditations and Certifications
Numerous certifications, like B Corporation and Fair Labor International, set strict criteria in the clothing industry for environmental and labour practices, spanning products to supply chains, showing a brand’s commitment to ethical standards.
Third-Party Organizations
Research and analyses by sustainability consultancies, academic institutions, and entities like Fashion For Good, McKinsey, and Greenpeace offer key insights into sustainable and ethical practices in various fields.
Brand’s
Reporting
Brands sharing their business practices and impact reports online are assessed if relevant to our criteria. Exclusive data should be public for consideration, ensuring universal access. We only evaluate information that is publicly accessible.
Rating Criteria
Good
Brands with Good ratings adopt comprehensive policies and practices to manage multiple issues across their supply chain, often demonstrating leadership in one or more areas. They are transparent and show significant progress towards sustainability and ethical goals.
Excellent
Brands with Excellent ratings excel in sustainability, ethics, and transparency, demonstrating leadership in all areas. They have robust policies, certifications, and substantial positive impacts across their supply chains, contributing significantly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Fair
Brands with Fair ratings are transparent about their policies and practices to manage some issues and are making good progress on one or more of them. They are working towards improving their sustainability and ethical impact.
Needs Improvement
These brands disclose some information in one or more areas and consider some issues but do not yet sufficiently address the impacts across their supply chain. They show some commitment but have considerable room for improvement.
Poor
These brands disclose little to no relevant or concrete information about their sustainability practices. They may engage in greenwashing and have minimal to no positive impact on sustainability or ethical issues.
Brand Assessment & Scoring
Sustainability
Sustainability is an umbrella term that covers numerous minute yet high-impact factors. At Be Good, we dig into the core of brands’ environmental commitments to provide you with transparent insights and reveal any potential greenwashing. Our focus is to ensure that companies contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
We scrutinize various dimensions of brands’ operations, including their reported resource utilization, water consumption, fiber types, the percentage of sustainable fibers in their collections, and the sources or certifications of raw materials used. The sustainability of their business model, measures to reduce CO2 emissions, and the durability of their products are other integral aspects of our evaluation.
Our scrutiny further extends to examining their dedication to zero-waste manufacturing, circularity initiatives, and practices related to textile waste management. Brands’ impact on critical environmental facets, such as biodiversity preservation, microfiber pollution mitigation, wastewater treatment, ocean protection, and responsible chemical use across their supply chain, are also investigated.
We encourage brands to minimize hazardous chemicals in their factories to address concerns related to leather manufacturing and footwear making. Our expectation extends beyond eliminating chemicals harmful to human health. We urge brands to set objectives and implement measures to eliminate chemicals that may jeopardize the environment, including nearby freshwater bodies and local wildlife, throughout their complete supply chain.
Again, brands’ mechanisms to incorporate eco-friendly packaging options like recyclable or biodegradable packaging are also assessed. It definitely works in their favor if they use certified green materials for packaging.
Finally, we probe into how brands address environmental harm in the fashion industry through initiatives such as innovation, advocacy, and rectification of adverse incidents.
This comprehensive evaluation ensures that you receive a transparent and accurate depiction of a brand’s commitment to sustainability. Guiding you to live the best version of an eco-friendly lifestyle while protecting our precious planet is what Be Good aims for.
Ethical Practices
Ethics are a vital part of every responsible business. To ensure your purchases never contribute to labor exploitation, we have laid out strict criteria around the assessment of fair trade practices. Companies are expected to abide by UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 10.
For Be Good, transparency in supply chain management is a crucial criterion. Brands are evaluated based on their disclosure of information regarding labor welfare and sourcing practices. We consider brands’ inclusion in the Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency Index (FTI) and incorporate their FTI scores into our rating.
Our assessment takes into account the brands’ ability to trace suppliers, emphasizing the importance of tracing beyond the final production stage. Brands are expected to include primary and secondary suppliers in their tracing efforts to effectively manage their impact and safeguard workers’ rights.
Additionally, brands’ commitment to diversity, inclusion, and gender equality is another important factor, emphasizing initiatives for an inclusive workplace. We admire brands that engage and support local communities and provide employment opportunities to marginalized communities in developing countries.
Our benchmarks prioritize upholding human rights in all business practices, treating every employee decently, and preventing exploitation and abuse. The assessment extends to stern measures against forced or child labor.
The ethical practices bracket evaluates how well brands address their impacts on workers, examining policies and practices related to child labor, forced labor, worker safety, freedom of association, and payment of a living wage. We closely examine the implementation of these policies, assessing whether brands empower workers, maintain supportive supplier relationships, conduct meaningful audits, and protect workers during crises.
If brands are outsourcing production, then we investigate their Suppliers’ Code of Conduct and expect them to share their factory list. By bringing together every possible detail, we ensure fair treatment and compensation for workers. Lastly, avoiding sourcing from areas with a high risk of modern slavery, such as cotton from Xinjiang, further adds to our all-round evaluation.
Animal Welfare
Animals are the most vulnerable beings, falling prey to the fashion industry. Our animal welfare segment covers all the essential criteria for those seeking cruelty-free and vegan fashion or expressing concerns about animal protection. We strive to make certain that companies contribute to accomplishing UN Sustainable Development Goals 3, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Be Good’s evaluation considers the brand’s commitment to tracing and monitoring the process under which animals are bred, treated, and raised. We value brands that take every measure to reduce animal suffering, have an animal welfare policy and opt for ethically certified animal-based textiles.
We specifically highlight brands that avoid the use of exotic animals, endangered species, real fur, angora, snake hide and other fabrics associated with potential cruelty. Factors such as wool sourcing practices, including “mulesing,” and the use of leather, down, and other animal fibers are scrutinized, with recognition for brands prioritizing recycled or certified materials.
Furthermore, we look for clear and actionable commitments to eliminate or reduce the use of animal products altogether. Brands are commended for adopting cruelty-free and vegan materials, sourcing from certified suppliers, collaborating with recognized animal welfare organizations, and investing in innovative, eco-friendly alternatives to animal-based textiles.
Gives Back
Giving Back doesn’t simply mean ticking off the annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity. It’s about recognizing real-world problems and utilizing the power to bring meaningful change in people’s lives and the growing environmental crisis. We aim to make sure that businesses work towards accomplishing UN Sustainable Development Goals 2, 4, 11, 16 and 17.
In evaluating brands’ dedication to giving back to society and the planet, we focus on various aspects that lead to consequential social and environmental impact. Brands receive positive ratings when they actively participate in philanthropic initiatives, whether through funding or direct involvement in grassroots projects. Allocating a portion of profits or resources to charitable causes further supports achieving a higher rating.
We appreciate brands that prioritize uplifting underserved communities, both locally and overseas, by offering livelihood or educational opportunities. Brands that provide measurable impact metrics, demonstrating the outcomes of their philanthropic efforts definitely stand out.
From sharing success stories to highlighting the positive effects of giving back — the good deeds done by responsible brands never go unnoticed at Be Good. Additionally, brands advocating for sustainability awareness, enlightening both consumers and communities, receive positive recognition for their integral approach to giving back to Mother Earth and its inhabitants.
Be Good Rated
To earn recognition as Be Good Rated, a brand must achieve our system’s “Good” rating. This approach aligns with our mission to empower consumers to make more informed and ethical shopping choices.
If you’re a brand aspiring to feature on Be Good, carefully review our rating guide. If our criteria resonate with your values, proceed by completing our form to kickstart the evaluation process. Our expert analysts will take it from there.
Brands earning our “Good” rating are offered the exclusive opportunity to become part of our esteemed membership network. This membership serves as a platform to spotlight your high ratings, connect with other mindful labels, and engage with a community of conscious consumers.
Our partnerships team collaborates with member brands to devise exciting offers for consumers. Brands also have the chance to share their unique stories and achievements across our social media channels on a sponsored basis. Sounds interesting? Then, join us in promoting sustainability and ethical practices in the consumer landscape.