Disclose real-time heat and humidity levels in production facilities
Does the company disclose real-time heat and humidity levels in production facilities within the brand's supply chain to assess and track worker heat stress risk (e.g., wet bulb globe temperatures exceeding 30.5°C for moderate heat stress)?
About the data
What Fuels Fashion?’ is a special edition report of the Global Fashion Transparency Index. It has been designed to measure transparency of brand disclosure about climate and energy-related data in their own operations and supply chains. The research is broken down into five key themes, including: Accountability, Decarbonisation, Energy Procurement, Financing Decarbonisation and Just Transition and Advocacy.
200 of the world's largest fashion brands have been selected based on their annual turnover, over $1 billion USD and representing a spread of market segments including high street, luxury, sportswear, accessories, footwear and denim from across Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa. Where brands are privately held, estimates have been made regarding their size and turnover. Geographic spread is considered too.
200 of the world's largest fashion brands have been selected based on their annual turnover, over $1 billion USD and representing a spread of market segments including high street, luxury, sportswear, accessories, footwear and denim from across Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa. Where brands are privately held, estimates have been made regarding their size and turnover. Geographic spread is considered too.
Methodology
Heat stress is a significant occupational health risk for workers, particularly in garment factories located in production countries and regions with high temperatures and humidity. Exposure to high wet bulb globe temperatures (WBGT) above 30.5°C, which corresponds to 'moderate' heat stress, can cause severe health effects, including heat stroke and dehydration, and impair worker productivity.
To address this issue, it is critical for brands to track and disclose primary data on temperature and humidity levels in their supply chain factories. The technology to monitor heat and humidity is readily available, inexpensive, and reliable. Tracking and transparency of this data are essential so that manufacturers, unions, and brands can establish baselines, track productivity changes against various WBGT thresholds, and calculate returns on adaptive investments such as cooling systems and flood defences.
This guidance aligns with the Hot Air report, which highlights the increasing frequency of high-heat days in major garment production hubs, including Vietnam. Given this trend, urgent adaptation measures - such as improved ventilation, cooling systems, and worker heat safety protocols - are necessary to protect workers. Additionally, relevant national laws and standards on occupational heat stress, such as those in Vietnam (see Hot Air report, p. 14), should be referenced to ensure compliance and best practice.
Best practice would include the following disclosure:
- Regular, publicly available data on daily high WBGT levels in factories, including instances where worker safety thresholds (e.g., WBGT exceeding 30.5°C) are surpassed.
- The number of days in which WBGT levels exceed 30.5°C.
- The percentage of supplier factories included in monitoring efforts and the geographical regions covered.
See the Hot Air report for more information on the impact of rising temperatures on workers' health and recommendations for addressing heat stress in garment production.
We only award points for publicly disclosed information on the brand or parent company's own website. This means information disclosed on:
• Sustainability/CR microsite, provided there is a direct web link to it from the main brand or parent company website;
• In annual reports or annual sustainability/CSR reports (only counted if dated January 2023 or later) published on the brand or parent company website;
• In any other documents which are publicly available and can be downloaded freely from the brands' website; or
• Via external, third party websites but only when there is a direct web link from the brand or parent company's website to the third party website (e.g. Bangladesh Accord, Better Work, CDP, FLA, ETI, BSCI/amfori websites) where specific disclosures can be found.
The methodology is based on existing international standards and benchmarks such as: SDGs, ETI Base Code, UNGPs, OECD Due Diligence Guidelines, Fair Labor Association’s Freedom of Association guidelines, the GhG Protocol, CDP, Climate Action 100+ among others. It has also been developed to align with other industry benchmarks and relevant initiatives including the Transparency Pledge, Corporate Human Rights Benchmark, the Open Data Standard for the Apparel Sector and the World Benchmarking Alliance.
To address this issue, it is critical for brands to track and disclose primary data on temperature and humidity levels in their supply chain factories. The technology to monitor heat and humidity is readily available, inexpensive, and reliable. Tracking and transparency of this data are essential so that manufacturers, unions, and brands can establish baselines, track productivity changes against various WBGT thresholds, and calculate returns on adaptive investments such as cooling systems and flood defences.
This guidance aligns with the Hot Air report, which highlights the increasing frequency of high-heat days in major garment production hubs, including Vietnam. Given this trend, urgent adaptation measures - such as improved ventilation, cooling systems, and worker heat safety protocols - are necessary to protect workers. Additionally, relevant national laws and standards on occupational heat stress, such as those in Vietnam (see Hot Air report, p. 14), should be referenced to ensure compliance and best practice.
Best practice would include the following disclosure:
- Regular, publicly available data on daily high WBGT levels in factories, including instances where worker safety thresholds (e.g., WBGT exceeding 30.5°C) are surpassed.
- The number of days in which WBGT levels exceed 30.5°C.
- The percentage of supplier factories included in monitoring efforts and the geographical regions covered.
See the Hot Air report for more information on the impact of rising temperatures on workers' health and recommendations for addressing heat stress in garment production.
We only award points for publicly disclosed information on the brand or parent company's own website. This means information disclosed on:
• Sustainability/CR microsite, provided there is a direct web link to it from the main brand or parent company website;
• In annual reports or annual sustainability/CSR reports (only counted if dated January 2023 or later) published on the brand or parent company website;
• In any other documents which are publicly available and can be downloaded freely from the brands' website; or
• Via external, third party websites but only when there is a direct web link from the brand or parent company's website to the third party website (e.g. Bangladesh Accord, Better Work, CDP, FLA, ETI, BSCI/amfori websites) where specific disclosures can be found.
The methodology is based on existing international standards and benchmarks such as: SDGs, ETI Base Code, UNGPs, OECD Due Diligence Guidelines, Fair Labor Association’s Freedom of Association guidelines, the GhG Protocol, CDP, Climate Action 100+ among others. It has also been developed to align with other industry benchmarks and relevant initiatives including the Transparency Pledge, Corporate Human Rights Benchmark, the Open Data Standard for the Apparel Sector and the World Benchmarking Alliance.
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