Global ultra-fast fashion giant SHEIN has recently filed documents with the UK’s market regulator, signaling its intention to float on the London Stock Exchange. However, this move has sparked severe criticism from Amnesty International, which has raised concerns about SHEIN’s questionable labor and human rights standards. As the company prepares for its high-profile listing, scrutiny over its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices intensifies.
Subheading 1: Labor and Human Rights Concerns
SHEIN has faced allegations that workers in its supply chain receive less than 4 US cents per garment. Additionally, there are claims that the company uses cotton harvested by forced labor. Amnesty International insists that the UK authorities and the London Stock Exchange should not facilitate SHEIN’s listing until transparent and binding safeguards regarding internationally accepted human rights standards covering its entire supply chain are agreed upon and applied.
Subheading 2: Environmental Impact and Sustainability
SHEIN’s business model involves subcontracting garment manufacturing to smaller producers in China, often with little transparency or accountability regarding worker pay or conditions. The company’s garments, frequently made from synthetic fibers derived from fossil fuels, contribute to environmental degradation and rapidly accumulate in landfills, polluting communities in the Global South.
Subheading 3: A Call for Accountability
As SHEIN’s listing draws near, Amnesty International emphasizes that allowing the flotation would be a “badge of shame” for the London Stock Exchange, involved bankers, and prospective investors. The organization calls for companies to be held accountable for preventing serious environmental harms and human rights abuses throughout their operations and supply chains.
