New York debates Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act

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A bill to hold big fashion brands in New York accountable on sustainability and worker’s rights would require all apparel-footwear retailers in the US state with global revenues of at least $100 million to disclose their plans to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address the adverse social and environmental impacts of production processes.

Supported by multiple environmental and human rights advocacy groups, the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act would be the first of its kind in the country. It was sponsored by state senator Alessandra Biaggi and state assemblywoman Dr. Anna Kelles.

“We have an opportunity to really lead the way,” Biaggi said at a virtual press conference on Friday announcing the bill. “And it is not hyperbolic to say that our state and our country and our world’s future depends on all of us taking bold action in all the ways that we can,” she was quoted as saying by US media reports.

A bill to hold big fashion brands in New York accountable on sustainability and worker’s rights would require all apparel-footwear retailers in the US state with global revenues of at least $100 million to disclose their plans to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address the adverse social and environmental impacts of production processes.

The bill requires companies to map out at least half of their supply chain process across each tier of production, identify and share the negative social and environmental effects of the process, and set targets to reduce those impacts. The retailers are then required to meet their targets and report their annual compliance. 

Non-complying firms would be slapped with a fine of up to 2 per cent of their total annual revenue and would be included on a list from the state’s attorney general of non-compliant companies, according to the bill. The fines would be used to fund environmental benefit projects that directly and verifiably benefit environmental justice communities, according to the bill.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)





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