Rihanna's Savage x Fenty under fire for neglecting worker and environmental standards

The "Remake's Fashion Accountability Report" shatters any illusions. According to it, working conditions at Savage x Fenty rank below those at Shein. The company, established and endorsed by Rihanna, is facing a long list of accusations.

One may imagine that Savage x Fenty would earn top scores in every survey. The brand is endorsed by one of the most significant contemporary music stars—Rihanna, who is acknowledged for being not only a remarkable singer but also a businesswoman, owning, among others, Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty. However, the "Remake Fashion Accountability Report 2022" paints a slightly different picture.

In compiling the report, Remake considers several components: identifiability, wages and wellbeing, trade practices, raw materials, environmental justice, and management. Each category is scored out of eight to 42 points, allowing a maximum total of 150 points. How did Rihanna's brand perform?

Savage x Fenty secured a dismal four points—not in each category, but in aggregate. The company is among the worst-rated brands, with only Mothercare, AllBirds, the URBN group, TJX - the owner of Tj Maxx and Marshall's, Sears, Forever 21, JcPenney, Abercrombie & Fitch, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, and Ross Dress For Less scoring even lower. Even Shein, a contentious company, outperformed Savage x Fenty, winning eight points. The average score in the report, is 14 points.

Remake gave Rihanna's brand points only in the "management" category. Out of a potential 42 points, Savage x Fenty bagged just four. All other categories landed a zero. The comprehensive 43-page report scrutinizes Savage x Fenty's operations extensively. The awarded points were in recognition of the company's management and leadership reflecting the demographics of the region.

In its report summary, Remake wrote: "Savage X Fenty is among the lowest-rated companies in this year's report. Despite being founded by billionaire entrepreneur Rihanna, and being respected for inclusivity in sizing and gender, and aligning with popular culture, the brand has achieved very low scores due to complete lack of transparency in every rating category. The company overlooks industry standards in terms of social and environmental accountability, only noting on their website that products are 'imported'."

"Shockingly, Savage X Fenty does not possess a Supplier Code of Conduct, which would delineate guidelines for factory compliance with international labor standards, particularly about workers' health and safety. Mainly reliant on petroleum-based synthetic materials, the lingerie brand has a small selection of items made from REPREVE recycled fibers, and lacks clear goals for increasing less environmentally harmful fibers. Given the ongoing growth and lack of transparency in the supply chain, Savage X Fenty may join the worst offenders of human rights and planetary boundaries in the industry."

The practices of the Savage x Fenty company neglect the environment and disregard its workers. There is no available information on working conditions or the treatment of the singer's employees. The alarming number of zeros in the report contradicts the belief that since Rihanna herself makes vast sums of money, her employees wouldn't have much to complain about. However, it appears that even working for Shein offers a better arrangement than for the American superstar.