This table explains the areas and issues that Good On You assesses when rating retailers, and the summary of these issues.
Planet
Area | Issue | Summary |
Resources and waste | Product categories, equipment and furnishings | How the retailer mitigates environmental impacts through selection of lower-impact equipment and furnishings. We also identify which product categories are material so the questionnaire can route brands to the most relevant environment, labour, and animal rights issues. |
Resources and waste | General product policies | The retailer’s policies and screening processes for reducing environmental impacts across the products it sells. We look for clear standards or requirements that apply to brands and suppliers, including how the retailer evaluates product sustainability claims, certifications, materials, ingredients, and other category-specific risks. |
Resources and waste | Distribution and in-store packaging | How retailers reduce the environmental impacts of distribution, shipping, and in-store packaging. We look at whether the retailer minimises packaging, uses recycled or lower-impact materials, eliminates unnecessary plastics, and applies packaging standards across its own operations and the products it sells. |
Resources and waste | Waste management | How retailers prevent, reduce, and manage waste from their direct operations, stores, distribution, and unsold or returned products. We reward retailers that measure waste, divert it from landfill, support reuse or recycling, and have clear processes for responsible disposal. |
Resources and waste | Food and beverage | How retailers manage environmental impacts linked to food and beverage products. We look at the proportion of products with recognised sustainability certifications or standards, policies on high-impact ingredients, and actions that reduce resource use, waste, deforestation, biodiversity loss, or other category-specific impacts. |
Resources and waste | Cosmetics and personal care | How retailers manage environmental impacts linked to cosmetics and personal care products. We consider policies and product standards for ingredients and materials associated with environmental risk, including recognised certifications and actions to address issues such as mica sourcing, palm oil, packaging, and product-level sustainability claims. |
Resources and waste | Fashion | How retailers manage environmental impacts linked to the fashion products they sell. We look at the share of products made with lower-impact or certified materials, policies covering high-risk materials and regions, and actions that encourage brands and suppliers to reduce waste, chemical impacts, deforestation, and other fashion-specific harms. |
Resources and waste | Homeware | How retailers manage environmental impacts linked to homeware products. We consider policies and standards for materials, sourcing, and certifications, including actions that address deforestation, high-impact fibres or materials, and other resource and waste risks in the homeware supply chain. |
Resources and waste | Electrical and electronic | How retailers manage environmental impacts linked to electrical and electronic products. We look at product standards, repairability or circularity initiatives, e-waste management, and policies addressing high-risk materials and responsible sourcing in electronics supply chains. |
Resources and waste | Other consumer goods | How retailers manage environmental impacts for other consumer goods outside the main product categories. We look for relevant product standards, certifications, sourcing policies, and actions that reduce resource use, waste, packaging, deforestation, biodiversity loss, or other category-specific risks. |
Climate change | CDP Climate disclosure | Whether retailers disclose to CDP Climate when requested, and what their latest CDP Climate score is. |
Climate change | Climate change measurement | Whether and how retailers measure greenhouse gas emissions across their direct operations and value chain. We look at coverage of scope 1, scope 2, and relevant scope 3 categories, including purchased goods and services, transportation, distribution, and the tools or standards used for measurement and reporting. |
Climate change | Climate change reduction | The actions retailers take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their direct operations and supply chains. We look at renewable energy use, supplier renewable energy requirements or support, transport initiatives, employee and customer travel measures, and other credible steps to reduce climate impact. |
Climate change | Climate change targets | The retailer’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. We reward retailers with current, ambitious targets that cover direct operations and supply chain emissions, particularly approved Science Based Targets, and targets that clearly specify scope, type, and coverage. |
Climate change | Climate change progress v target | Whether retailers report progress against their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. We look for transparent updates showing whether the retailer is on track, behind, or has met its targets, because setting a target is only meaningful if progress is measured and disclosed. |
Citizenship | Environmental citizenship | The actions retailers take as corporate citizens to address environmental harm related to their field of business, including innovation, advocacy, and remediation of negative incidents. |
People
Area | Issue | Summary |
Direct operations risk | Labour risk | The labour risk profile of the retailer’s direct operations, including where its retail outlets and offices are located and the nature of its retail business. Retailers with operations concentrated in lower-risk countries are assessed differently from those with greater exposure to medium- or high-risk labour contexts. |
Direct operations risk | Human rights and Codes of Conduct | The retailer’s human rights policies for direct operations and its expectations of brands and suppliers. We look for policies aligned with the UN Guiding Principles and ILO fundamental labour standards, coverage of all worker types, supplier Codes of Conduct, supplier acceptance, and actions to promote fair labour practices across the products sold. |
Direct operations risk | Gender, diversity, and inclusion | How retailers address gender equity, diversity, inclusion, and discrimination in direct operations and the supply chain. We consider policy coverage and implementation, inclusive recruitment, pay equity analysis, progress against goals, ownership or leadership diversity, and initiatives supporting women’s empowerment among suppliers or brands. |
Direct operations risk | Wellbeing | How retailers support worker wellbeing in their direct operations. We look at benefits that go beyond legal requirements, such as health insurance, leave, flexibility, and other support for non-executive workers, as well as training and professional development opportunities. |
Direct operations risk | Worker empowerment | Whether workers in the retailer’s direct operations have meaningful collective voice and representation. We assess union membership or collective bargaining coverage, how often the retailer negotiates with democratically elected worker representatives, and whether negotiation outcomes are disclosed and implemented. |
Assurance | Auditing | How retailers audit and monitor labour conditions in their direct operations and supply chain. We look at the scope, frequency, and independence of audits or assessments, as well as whether the retailer uses findings to identify labour risks and drive improvements among brands, suppliers, or its own operations. |
Assurance | Labour risk | How retailers identify and manage labour rights risks across the products they sell and the suppliers they work with. We look at whether the retailer assesses country, sector, product, and supplier risks, and whether it applies stronger due diligence where risks are higher. |
Assurance | Grievance mechanisms | Whether workers in direct operations and supply chains have access to effective grievance mechanisms. We look for accessible, confidential, and worker-trusted channels, protection from retaliation, coverage of different worker groups, and evidence that grievances are resolved and used to improve conditions. |
Assurance | Positive labour conditions | Whether retailers can demonstrate positive labour conditions or improvements in direct operations and supply chains. We look for evidence such as verified improvements, remediation outcomes, worker support initiatives, and supplier or brand programs that improve labour rights beyond minimum compliance. |
Living wage | Living wage methodology | Whether retailers use a recognised living wage definition and methodology. We reward retailers that rely on credible benchmarks, such as the Global Living Wage Coalition or equivalent approaches, rather than vague or self-defined wage claims. |
Living wage | Living wage outcomes | Whether retailers ensure living wages are paid to workers in their direct operations and influence wage improvements in their supply chains. We look at coverage across non-executive, contracted, and supplier workers, as well as public commitments and concrete initiatives to improve wages. |
Collaboration | Multi-stakeholder initiatives | Whether retailers participate in credible multi-stakeholder initiatives that support labour rights. We consider memberships or collaborations such as the Ethical Trading Initiative, UN Global Compact, Responsible Business Alliance, or similar initiatives that require action, accountability, or shared standards. |
Sourcing | Fashion | How retailers manage labour risks in the fashion products they sell. We look at whether brands or suppliers promote fair labour practices, whether the retailer has policies addressing high-risk sourcing (eg links to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region), and whether it supports small-scale farmers or vulnerable groups in fashion supply chains. |
Sourcing | Homeware | How retailers manage labour risks in the homeware products they sell. We consider policies addressing high-risk sourcing, including links to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and actions or collaborations that support small-scale farmers and improve labour conditions in homeware supply chains. |
Sourcing | Cosmetics and personal care | How retailers manage labour and human rights risks in cosmetics and personal care supply chains. We look at responsible mica policies, supplier requirements, and actions or collaborations that support small-scale farmers and vulnerable workers linked to ingredients or materials used in these products. |
Sourcing | Food and beverage | How retailers manage labour risks in food and beverage supply chains. We consider recognised labour certifications, due diligence for labour abuse risks, and actions or collaborations with brands and suppliers to support small-scale farmers and improve conditions in agricultural supply chains. |
Sourcing | Electrical and electronic | How retailers manage labour and human rights risks in electrical and electronic supply chains, especially high-risk or conflict minerals such as tin, tungsten, tantalum, gold, and cobalt. We look for responsible minerals policies, supplier requirements, and credible due diligence aligned with recognised standards. |
Sourcing | Other consumer goods | How retailers manage labour risks in other consumer goods supply chains. We look for actions or collaborations with brands and suppliers that support small-scale farmers, vulnerable workers, and better labour conditions in product categories not covered elsewhere. |
Citizenship | Labour citizenship | How retailers act as labour rights citizens beyond their own operations. We consider advocacy, participation in initiatives, support for worker organisations or labour causes, and whether the retailer has been linked to major labour rights incidents and taken credible remediation, compensation, and prevention steps. |
Animals
Area | Issue | Summary |
Animal-derived materials | Range and materials | Whether the retailer sells products containing animal-derived materials or ingredients, and whether its range is vegan or free from animal-derived inputs. This establishes which animal welfare questions apply across food, cosmetics, fashion, homeware, and other consumer goods. |
Animal-derived materials | Food and beverage | How retailers manage animal welfare in food and beverage products. We look at the proportion of animal-derived ingredients or materials covered by recognised animal welfare certifications, the availability and certification of vegan products, and whether the retailer sells high- or extreme-risk animal-derived materials. |
Animal-derived materials | Fashion | How retailers manage animal welfare in fashion products. We consider the proportion of animal-derived materials that are recycled or certified to third-party animal welfare standards, the share of products clearly labelled vegan, and whether high- or extreme-risk animal-derived materials are sold. |
Animal-derived materials | Homeware | How retailers manage animal welfare in homeware products. We look at whether animal-derived materials are recycled or certified to third-party welfare standards, whether products are clearly labelled vegan, and whether high- or extreme-risk animal-derived materials are present. |
Animal-derived materials | Cosmetics and personal care | How retailers manage animal welfare in cosmetics and personal care products. We assess animal-derived ingredients, the proportion certified to third-party welfare standards, the availability of vegan products, and whether products are certified cruelty-free or not tested on animals. |
Animal-derived materials | Other consumer goods | How retailers manage animal welfare risks in other consumer goods. We look at animal-derived materials or ingredients, third-party animal welfare certification, vegan labelling, and whether products contain high- or extreme-risk animal-derived materials. |
Welfare and commitments | Commitment to elimination | Whether retailers have made a public commitment to eliminate products containing animal-derived ingredients or materials. We reward clear, time-bound commitments that apply across relevant product categories and signal a shift away from animal-derived inputs. |
Citizenship | Animal citizenship | How retailers act as advocates for animal protection beyond their product range. We consider support for animal causes, partnerships or advocacy, and whether the retailer has been involved in animal rights scandals and taken credible steps to remediate and prevent recurrence. |