Best & Less Sustainability Profile

Best & Less is a clothing and homewares retailer with some public sustainability and responsibility information, but the third-party picture is mixed. Independent ratings show weak environmental disclosure, while some supply-chain and packaging work is recognised by outside assessors. The company is also linked to a few older labour and compliance concerns, plus a recent spam fine. On the positive side, it has signed the International Accord for garment worker safety and has reported packaging and renewable electricity actions through third-party frameworks. Overall, the available evidence suggests some progress, but not a strong sustainability record.

Positive Sentiment Found
Public third-party coverage gives Best & Less a few clear positives on sustainability and responsibility. Good On You lists the brand with an overall rating of “Not good enough,” but the company still appears in outside assessments that note some progress in transparency and supply-chain action. Fashion Revolution’s 2023 Fashion Transparency Index gave brands owned by the company 76 out of 100, which suggests it publishes a relatively detailed set of supplier lists, policies, and future goals compared with many peers. APCO also gave it a packaging performance level of 3 out of 5, showing some progress on packaging management. Greenpeace’s Reenergise campaign says the company has committed to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and has already signed a power purchase agreement and invested in on-site solar.

Common Criticisms:
The negative picture is stronger than the positive one. Good On You rates Best & Less “Not good enough,” with a very poor environment score of 1 out of 5, which points to weak public evidence on environmental performance. Independent sources also mention older labour concerns in the garment supply chain, including reports of exploitative conditions in Bangladesh and India, though some of these are dated. Ethical.org.au also records a 2023 ACMA fine of $1.3 million for spam rule breaches after more than 200,000 messages were sent to people who had unsubscribed, which raises compliance concerns. The same source notes a 2024 Plastic Promises Scorecard grade of F, suggesting poor action on plastic packaging. Overall, the available evidence shows gaps in environmental performance, supply-chain assurance, and corporate compliance.