Columbia

Rated: Not good enough

price: $$$$

location: United States

Columbia is not taking adequate steps to ensure payment of a living wage for its workers.

Columbia sustainability rating

Planet

2 out of 5

People

2 out of 5

Animals

2 out of 5

Overall rating: Not good enough

Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We avoid) to 5 (Great) How we rate


Columbia is owned by Columbia Sportswear Company.

Our “Planet” rating evaluates brands based on the environmental policies in their supply chains, from carbon emissions and wastewater to business models and product circularity. Here we rate Columbia “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

  • It uses few lower-impact materials.
  • There’s no evidence it has set a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target.
  • It uses some bluesign certified fabric.
  • There’s no evidence it’s taking actions to protect biodiversity in its supply chain.

Workers’ rights are central to our “People” rating, which assess brands’ policies and practices on everything from child labour to living wages and gender equality. Here we rate Columbia “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

  • Little of its supply chain is certified by crucial labour standards that help ensure worker health and safety, living wages, and other rights.
  • It received a score of 31-40% in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index.
  • There’s no evidence it supports diversity and inclusion in its supply chain.
  • There’s no evidence it ensures workers are paid living wages in its supply chain.
  • During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not disclose adequate policies or safeguards to protect workers in its supply chain from the virus.

Brands’ animal welfare policies and, where applicable, how well they trace their animal-derived products are the focus of our “Animals” rating. Here we rate Columbia “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:

  • It has a formal policy aligned with the Five Freedoms of animal welfare but no clear implementation mechanisms in place.
  • It appears to use leather.
  • It has a policy to source wool from non-mulesed sheep but doesn’t provide any evidence to verify its claims.
  • Responsible Down Standard certifies the down it uses.
  • It doesn’t appear to use fur, angora, exotic animal skin, or exotic animal hair.
  • It traces some animal-derived materials to the first production stage.

Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate Columbia “Not Good Enough” overall.

Last updated September 2023