Burberry Group plc — Ethics Grade C

Burberry Group plc receives an overall ethics grade of C (54/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Fashion & Apparel. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 55
• privacy: 85
• consumer: 70
• environment: 45
• humanRights: 40

Documented incidents (3)

• Incineration of unsold stock (high, 2018) — The company faced intense global backlash after revealing it burned unsold clothes, accessories, and perfume worth £28.6 million to protect its brand image and prevent theft or discounted sales.
• Exploitation in garment factories (medium, 2020) — Investigations identified Burberry as one of many luxury brands linked to factories in Leicester, UK, where workers were reportedly paid below the minimum wage in poor conditions.
• Uyghur forced labor allegations (high, 2021) — Burberry was named in reports by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) for potentially benefiting from forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China.

Documented good deeds

• Ban on real fur and angora — Burberry committed to ending the use of real fur and angora in its collections, marking a significant shift in luxury fashion ethics.

Ethical alternatives

• Stella McCartney — Leader in sustainable luxury using circular materials and vegan leather.