Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability in the Global Clothing Industry

Assignment Brief

Learning outcomes

Knowledge Upon successful completion of this module, students will have demonstrated:

Knowledge

• K1 The ability to identify key challenges relating to business responsibility and sustainability.

• K2 The ability to examine and analyse the moral considerations generated by contemporary business behaviour.

• K3 The ability to consider the extent of responsibilities that businesses have in developing their activities internationally in countries across the world.

Skills

• S1 The ability to utilise the cognitive skills of critical thinking - explanation, analysis and judgement.

• S2 The ability to conduct effective independent research using a variety of information sources.

• S3 The ability to identify, formulate and present a set of recommendations that address a relevant business issue.

Task:

Choose ONE of the following sectors as your focus and discuss how a business sector can demonstrate its responsibilities in a global context today. This assignment is entirely secondary information based and as such you are not required to conduct any primary research.

1. The Clothing Industry

2. The Banking Industry

3. The Food Industry

4. Technology Industry i.e. Social media/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Your report should attempt the tasks below. It should provide examples drawn from the sector as a whole and specific firms within it to support your arguments. Your discussion should provide a good balance between theory and practice and use relevant references.

1. Examine and discuss the key challenges relating to corporate responsibility and sustainability relating to your chosen sector.

2. Analyse and explain what you consider to be `best practice` within the sector, making references to ethical and moral issues.

3. Make recommendations for businesses in the sector to show they are being more responsible by taking into account global considerations.

Your report should be typed, double-spaced and no more than 3000 words in length excluding appendices. You must acknowledge your sources of information and evidence, using the Harvard referencing system. An electronic copy of the assignment should be submitted to the UGB264 module site on Canvas

Sample Answer

Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability in the Global Clothing Industry

Introduction

The clothing industry is one of the largest and most influential business sectors in the global economy. It generates trillions of dollars annually, provides employment to millions of people, and shapes cultural and social identities worldwide. Yet behind the glamour of high street brands and fast fashion trends lies a sector that is deeply entangled with issues of corporate responsibility and sustainability. The global clothing industry faces criticisms about exploitative labour practices, environmental degradation, and excessive consumption patterns. These challenges raise important questions about how businesses in this sector can demonstrate responsibility while still remaining competitive in a highly globalised marketplace. This report examines the key challenges the industry faces, analyses examples of best practice that show how firms are responding ethically and sustainably, and provides recommendations for businesses to improve their global responsibility in the future.

Key Challenges in Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability

One of the most pressing challenges in the global clothing industry is the widespread issue of labour exploitation. Clothing supply chains are heavily reliant on workers in developing countries, often women and young people, who are paid very low wages and work under unsafe conditions. The 2013 Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, where more than 1,100 garment workers died after a factory collapse, highlighted the dangerous realities of this sector. Despite commitments from many brands to improve working conditions, reports continue to show that factory workers in countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia still face long hours, insufficient pay, and limited protection of their rights. This challenge exposes the tension between global consumer demand for cheap clothing and the human cost of producing it.

Environmental sustainability is another major challenge. The clothing industry is one of the largest contributors to global pollution. It produces massive carbon emissions through textile manufacturing, transportation, and waste. The use of synthetic fibres such as polyester contributes to plastic pollution, while cotton cultivation requires large amounts of water and pesticides. Fast fashion has worsened the environmental footprint by promoting short product lifecycles, encouraging consumers to buy more clothing at lower prices and dispose of it quickly. According to environmental reports, millions of tonnes of textile waste end up in landfills each year, much of it from discarded fast fashion products. The challenge of aligning consumer demand with environmental sustainability remains a key responsibility for the industry.

The global nature of the clothing sector creates further challenges relating to business responsibility. Many companies outsource production to developing countries where regulatory standards are weaker. While this reduces costs, it raises moral questions about the responsibilities of multinational corporations in ensuring ethical practices across their supply chains. When brands benefit financially from countries with lower labour costs, they also carry a responsibility to ensure that workers in those regions are not being exploited and that environmental laws are respected. The imbalance of power between large international firms and small local suppliers makes it difficult to enforce high standards, but it does not remove the responsibility of global businesses.

Another challenge is consumer behaviour. The fashion industry depends on constant consumption, with trends changing rapidly and advertising encouraging frequent purchases. However, as awareness of sustainability grows, consumers are demanding more transparency and ethical responsibility from brands. Companies now face the challenge of meeting consumer expectations for affordable fashion while also responding to increasing scrutiny about their environmental and social impact. Balancing these conflicting demands is not easy, but it is essential if businesses wish to maintain long-term legitimacy.

Best Practice in the Clothing Industry

Despite the challenges, there are examples of best practice in the clothing industry that demonstrate how businesses can take responsibility in ethical and sustainable ways. One example is Patagonia, a company widely recognised for its commitment to environmental responsibility. Patagonia has integrated sustainability into its core business strategy by promoting recycled materials, encouraging customers to repair rather than replace products, and pledging transparency in its supply chains. The company’s “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign encouraged consumers to think carefully before purchasing new items, which is a rare stance in a profit-driven industry. This shows that businesses can still succeed commercially while actively promoting responsible consumption.

Another example is Stella McCartney, a fashion brand known for its ethical approach to design and production. The company avoids animal products such as leather and fur, and invests heavily in developing sustainable alternatives like plant-based materials and biodegradable fabrics. By doing so, Stella McCartney has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable luxury fashion, demonstrating that ethical responsibility can also align with high-end brand identity.

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