Evans

How ethical and sustainable is Evans? 

Evans is a below-benchmark brand in The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Ratings.

Evans is a fashion brand based in the UK and sells clothes globally. It specialises in plus-size garments and is owned by City Chic Collective. The brand receives a low Good Shopping Guide score in our Ethical Fashion Retailers Ratings Table. Although Evans has not yet met our Ethical Benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in this brand if it submitted itself to apply for Ethical Accreditation, whereby we would make further detailed assessments and recommendations for ethical improvement.

In what areas does Evans perform poorly? 

Despite Evans’ progress, there is still room for improvement. The brand was marked down under our criteria for the Environment and People in particular.

Although City Chic Collective publishes an Annual Report, the company’s environmental impact gets very little mention; on the Evans website itself… nothing! In the Annual Report, the targets are too vague to hold Evans accountable, and simply asking “vendors, as part of our code of conduct, to manage their waste, water and energy in a responsible manner,” (p.31) is not enough to reduce this brand’s environmental impact. Brands must choose to find sustainable suppliers.

Evans also stocks no certified-Organic products and is not a member of the Better Cotton Initiative.

As of July 2020, the brand also received a “not good enough” grade in the Good on You ratings, which evaluate a company’s behaviour towards People, the Environment, and Animals. Evans scored a 2/5 rating for its treatment of people and animals, and a 3/5 rating for its environmental standards.

In what areas does Evans perform well?

The parent company, City Chic Collective does have a comprehensive Code of Conduct. A Code of Conduct means that both consumers and investors can hold brands and companies to account for their actions (for example, if the company promises to uphold the rights of workers to collective bargaining, but fires union members, then its reputation and credibility will be damaged).

Though City Chic Collective does have an Animal Welfare Policy in its Corporate Social Responsibility documentation, it is unclear whether this policy applies to all of its subsidiaries also.

How can Evans brand improve its Ethical Rating?

The Good Shopping Guide score results from multiple ethical criteria in relation to Evans. To reach our minimum Ethical Benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Evans has some issues to resolve. In particular, it must begin to track and publish its impact on the planet using a comprehensive Environmental Report. For example, tracking carbon emissions helps a brand to achieve carbon neutrality, as Britain and British businesses aim for carbon neutrality by 2050.

If your fashion brand values ethics and sustainability, why not check out The Good Shopping Guide‘s Ethical Accreditation? Increase customer and investor confidence and stand out from the greenwash.