No two businesses affect the world in the same way. What a brand makes, how it is made, where it is sold and how it reaches you all change where its real impact sits. For a fashion label, most of it is in the fabric and the factories. For a brewery, it is water and energy.
So we start there. We build a picture of how this business actually operates, work out which sustainability issues genuinely matter for a business like it, and weight each one by how much it counts.
Then we check what the brand itself has published, issue by issue. The figure is the share of those weighted priorities it has addressed in public.
Only a brand’s own words count, so every brand is held to the same test. Where an issue shows as not found, it means we could not find it published. It does not mean the brand is not doing the work.
Our technology uses proprietary intelligence and AI to identify which impact areas are a priority for this business type, and how many have been addressed publicly. Not yet brand verified, there may be errors. Provide feedback
Products & sourcing
What is made, and who makes it
of this area addressed
publicly by New Balance
Products & sourcing makes up 41% of New Balance’s key priority areas.
What this brand has published
- New Balance uses preferred leather and polyester and a molding process that cuts waste
- New Balance publishes its supplier lists and audits its factories
- New Balance assesses new suppliers against social and environmental criteria
- New Balance takes back worn shoes in its US stores for resale or donation
- New Balance applies a restricted substances list to all its products
- New Balance uses its green leaf label to mark environmentally preferred materials
Only what the brand publishes about itself is counted, so every brand is measured the same way.
Energy & climate
Energy used and emissions created
of this area addressed
publicly by New Balance
Energy & climate makes up 21% of New Balance’s key priority areas.
What this brand has published
- New Balance sources 90% of the electricity at its own sites from renewables
- New Balance has fitted LED lighting in its US factories
Only what the brand publishes about itself is counted, so every brand is measured the same way.
Employee wellbeing
How the people here are treated
of this area addressed
publicly by New Balance
Employee wellbeing makes up 16% of New Balance’s key priority areas.
What this brand has published
- New Balance reviews pay, offers family leave and runs a four-day week at Flimby
- New Balance runs wellbeing programs, an on-site clinic and employee resource groups
- New Balance holds ISO 45001 safety certification at its Flimby factory and head office
- New Balance has binding codes of conduct for its staff and suppliers
Only what the brand publishes about itself is counted, so every brand is measured the same way.
Operational waste
Waste from running the business daily
of this area addressed
publicly by New Balance
Operational waste makes up 14% of New Balance’s key priority areas.
What this brand has published
- New Balance donates unsold surplus products to Soles4Souls
Only what the brand publishes about itself is counted, so every brand is measured the same way.
Packaging
What products are wrapped and shipped in
of this area addressed
publicly by New Balance
Packaging makes up 8% of New Balance’s key priority areas.
What this brand has published
- New Balance ships orders in recycled, right-sized boxes and recyclable paper mailers
- New Balance uses recycled paperboard shoeboxes and recycled tissue paper
Only what the brand publishes about itself is counted, so every brand is measured the same way.
Sustainability Summary
- Good On You - It's a start
- Ethical Consumer - This information is locked, visit Ethical Consumer's website
- B Corp - Not found
- Trustpilot - 1.4/5 (1,523 reviews)
- This is an unclaimed profile. New Balance has not joined Sustainability Tracker to verify their sustainability credentials. We gathered what we could from public sources.
Our goal is to help you achieve yours
New Balance shows a mixed sustainability picture. Independent ratings say it has started to act on climate, materials, worker rights, and animal welfare, but it is not seen as a leader. Good On You rates it “It’s a start,” pointing to some lower-impact materials, a science-based emissions target, and some worker protections, while also noting gaps in transparency and biodiversity action. Public review sites are much more focused on product and service complaints than sustainability, so there is limited outside evidence of strong consumer trust on ESG issues. Overall, the brand appears to have some policies and programs in place, but there is still a lot it does not publicly explain in detail. Positive Sentiment Found Positive public sentiment on sustainability is limited, but there are some clear signals. Good On You rates New Balance “It’s a start” overall, which means the brand has some policies and actions in place across planet, people, and animals, but still leaves major gaps. The rating notes that more than half of the final production stage is certified by the Fair Labor Association (FLA, a group that checks labour standards), that the brand has a code of conduct based on ILO principles, and that it uses some lower-impact and recycled materials. It also says New Balance has a science-based emissions target and trains designers on circularity. These are all signs of some structured ESG work, even if the brand is not seen as a leader. Common Criticisms: The strongest outside feedback is negative, especially on Trustpilot. New Balance’s UK Trustpilot page shows a 1.4 out of 5 rating from 1,523 reviews, and the Australian page shows 2.2 out of 5 from 8 reviews. The snippets point to complaints about product quality, including soles cracking and stitching coming apart, along with customer service issues. On the sustainability side, Good On You says the brand is only “It’s a start,” not a leader, and notes several gaps: it does not publish a full breakdown of materials, it is not on track for its science-based emissions target, and there is no evidence of action to protect biodiversity in its supply chain. That means the public record shows some progress, but also weak transparency and unfinished work.
About New Balance
- Status
- Unverified
- Website
- Visit Website
- Industry
- Apparel & Fashion
New Balance Sustainability Actions
New Balance Sustainability Commitments
2030
Science-based emissions target
New Balance has a science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its own operations and supply chain. A science-based target is a climate goal set in line with what climate science says is needed. The public material says the company is not currently on track, so the target exists but still needs stronger action to be met.
