Thought Leadership

The Boohoo scandal shouldn’t shock anyone — our founder on City A.M.

Published on
July 21, 2020
Jessi Baker

This article was originally posted on City A.M. on the 21st of July 2020 and authored by Provenance founder & CEO, Jessi Baker.

Modern slavery is a pandemic. No brand today should be “shocked and appalled” at what happens in its own supply chain, as fast fashion brand Boohoo recently claimed to be. To know so little about the sourcing, processes and practices involved in creating a product you sell should be a crime itself.

Tales of UK-based sweatshops and modern slavery have, unfortunately, been making national headlines for years. But 2020 marks a watershed moment, with the story now set against the backdrop of a devastating health pandemic, a global recession, and surge in activism around the world.

In this case, as in so many other areas, change will almost certainly be driven by commercial risk. We have already seen the impact on share prices as shareholders dump stock in fallen brands like Boohoo. As shoppers become even more aware about the impact of their purchasing decisions, this is only set to continue.

Increasingly, consumers are looking beyond the price of an item to make their decisions. According to 2018 research from Edelman, some 60 per cent of shoppers say a brand should make it easier to see its values and position on important issues at the point of sale. More and more, they are voting with their wallets to reward brands that put responsibility — whether social or environment — at the heart of their business, from Tony Chocolonely challenging the whole cocoa industry with slave-free chocolates, to Oatly disrupting the milk market with plant-based alternatives…

Read the full piece on City A.M.

Jessi Baker

Jessi Baker, MBE, is the founder and CEO of provenance.org, the global leader in sustainability marketing technology. She is an Art and Science hybrid, with a Master’s in Engineering from Cambridge University and Design from the Royal College of Art. Across the US and Europe, she has worked with many brands on technology and digital design strategy including Cult Beauty, Unilever, GANNI and Princes.

The Provenance Team

Provenance powers sustainability claims you can trust. The global leader in sustainability marketing technology, Provenance helps brands and retailers share credible, compelling and fact-checked social and environmental impact information at the point of sale. Provenance’s technology is already increasing conversion rates, brand value and market share for customers including Cult Beauty, Douglas, GANNI, Napolina, Arla and Unilever

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