Adidas and Reebok have again topped the ranking of global brands’ social and environmental transparency and practices. Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency Index of 150 major global brands and retailers found improvement across the industry but said most companies were still operating in broadly the same way that enabled the Rana Plaza disaster to happen five years ago.

Only 55 per cent brands and retailers published measurable, timed goals on improving their environmental impact and just 37 per cent published goals on improving human rights.

The index, launched to mark the start of Fashion Revolution Week, which marks the anniversary of the 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh in which more than 1,000 workers died, aims to help consumers make informed decisions about the companies they support through greater transparency.

Puma, H&M, Esprit, Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, C&A and Marks & Spencer followed Adidas and Reebok in the ranking, all scoring within between 51 per cent and 60 per cent out of a possible 250 points. The original brands which were reviewed in 2017 and again in 2018 show a 5 per cent overall improvement in transparency levels. The campaign said the proportion of brands and retailers who published a list of where their clothes are cut, sewn and completed had increased from 12.5 per cent two years ago to 37 per cent this year.

Fashion Revolution global operations director and founder Carry Somers says that over the last five years, millions of consumers have demanded a fairer, safer, cleaner industry.