The North Face

How ethical is The North Face?

The North Face is a fashion retailer which was launched in 1966 as a mountaineering and hiking sportswear brand.

The North Face has been given a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Fashion Retailers Ratings Table. Although it has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see The North Face make progress in future.

Read more about the issues facing the Ethical Fashion Retailers sector and find out which companies have achieved accreditation for their commitment to being ethical and sustainable.

In which areas does The North Face perform poorly?

The North Face has a poor Human Rights record, so gets a bottom score for this criterion. A recent example includes the case of at least 12 workers who lost their jobs after trying to form unions.

Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

In which areas does The North Face score well for its ethics?

The North Face is awarded a top rating for its Environmental Report, as parent company, VF Corporation, has a Sustainability & Responsibility Report 2022 which contains plenty of targets. It also gets a top score for its robust Code of Conduct.

We found no criticisms of The North Face relating to; Better Cotton, Nuclear, Fossil Fuels, Code of Conduct, Ethical Trading Schemes, or Armaments, so it scores well for these criteria.

How can The North Face improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that The North Face is awarded is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria. To reach our minimum benchmark score and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, The North Face has some issues to resolve including its poor Human Rights record.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our Ethical Mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.