Responsible Enterprise Assignment 2: Fashion Industry Analysis Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of responsible enterprise practices within the fashion industry, with a specific focus on Primark. It begins with an executive summary and an introduction to the background of the issue, highlighting the company's efforts to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly after the Rana Plaza collapse. The report delves into Primark's actions in the context of responsible supply chain management, emphasizing partnerships, ethical trading initiatives, and sustainable sourcing of cotton. The role of responsible marketing is then examined, discussing how Primark addresses consumer perceptions and promotes ethical and sustainable practices. The report concludes with recommendations for further improvements and a list of references.

Running head: RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
Responsible enterprise assignment 2
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
Table of Contents
1. Executive summary:...........................................................................................................1
2. Introduction and background:.............................................................................................2
3. Responsible enterprise in action:........................................................................................4
4. The role of consumer or responsible marketing:................................................................6
5. Conclusion and recommendations:.....................................................................................8
Appendix:...................................................................................................................................9
References list:.........................................................................................................................10

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
1. Executive summary:
The report addressing the responsible practice of the organization such as Primark
ascertains that the company is taking increasing effort to incorporate sustainable and socially
responsible marketing practices. It has been found that Primark being one of the fashion
retailers is entitled to address the ethical issues faced in their business operations. Such issues
are addressed by incorporating the sustainable development goals into the business practice
and functioning’s. What has made Primark more ethically and socially responsible is the
collapse of Rana Plaza as one of its suppliers used to source materials. The supply chain of
Primark has been made transparent and responsible so that all the sustainability aspects are
addressed. However, it is recommended to the organization to take and design adequate
measures for removing the scepticism of people about the incompatibility between
sustainability and fashion and make them believe that they both can coexist. Fashion retailer
should adopt appropriate measures of environmental sustainability and ethical trade for
promoting responsible marketing. It is important that the sustainable retailing is promoted
from an integrated perspective so that the trade-off between the economic, environmental and
social axes can be analysed.
2. Introduction and background:
The report is prepared to identify the particular ways that make organization more
responsible in practice. The objective is to examine and analyse the theories of sustainability
through the practical examples. In addition to this, the role of responsible marketing is
discussed by drawing on the appropriate theory and examples. The chosen organization for
analysing the theory is from the fashion industry that is Primark and one of the non-profit
organization such as Young Foundation. Every organization adopts a strategy of
sustainability for improving the trust, brand image and reputation along with the waste

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
reduction and energy usage (Camilleri 2017). Primark is an international retailer offering
beauty, latest fashion and homeware at the best value and operates in around twelve countries
across America and Europe. The reason Primark respond and aligns its operations to the
sustainable development goals of UN is to improve their supply chain and overall
performance. In addition to this, they intend to diversify and build vibrant value chain for
increasing the communities’ prosperity. Moreover, aligning with such sustainable
development gaols is also to ensure that plastic packaging is recyclable, reusable,
compostable and biodegradable (Auke and Simaens 2019).
It was in year 2013, low price aspect of the company was scrutinized due to the
collapse of the Rana Plaza where the clothes made by Primark was manufactured. This called
for the company to develop and build a team focusing on the environmental, ethical trade and
sustainable issues. Primark incorporated all the sustainable development goals in its strategy
of marketing so as to address all the ethical issues. A number of goals of UN sustainable
development gaols such as protecting the planet, ending the poverty and letting people enjoy
prosperity and peace is supported by the sustainable objectives of Primark (Primark.com
2020). The importance of engagement and collaboration is recognized by the company as a
way that helps in ensuring sustainable change and increasing leverage being affected at the
industry level.
Such goals include sanitation and clean water, responsible consumption and
production and infrastructure innovation and industry. In setting the strategy of company,
rigorous approach is taken by the company to lower the impact on the natural capital such as
global supply chain, biodiversity and water and soil. The environmental management of the
supply chain by improving the performance improvement initiatives and industry wide
monitoring. However, it is believed by the organisation that real improvement can be
generated by collaborating with the sustainable apparel coalition so that the complexities

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
facing the suppliers is reduced. Some of the example of engagement and collaboration
include joining of German partnership for sustainable textiles and becoming a member of
advisory panel for promoting a responsible supply chain. Company also takes efforts in
considering and accounting all the ethical issues by embedding the practice of ethical trade
into the operations of company (Sanclemente 2017). Sustainable sourcing of cotton forms the
long term ambition of the company as it helps in introducing transparency in the supply chain
along with reducing the environmental footprints. Furthermore, company also makes
investment in innovation and infrastructure for promoting the growth and development of the
business. Both environmental and economic challenges is addressed by bringing the
technological progress such as promoting the efficiency of energy and providing and creating
new jobs (Ashby et al. 2017). It is identified from the report that Primark has made good
progress towards the achievement of sustainable development goals.
3. Responsible enterprise in action:
In this section, the factor making the organization more responsible in practice is
discussed with respect to responsible supply chain. Supply chain is the strategic, systematic
and coordination of business functions with the objective of improving the long term
performance of the company. The theory says that the sustainable supply chain management
is the management of capital flow, information, material along with the objectives of
dimensions of supply chain. Some elements of managing supply chain involves monitoring,
audit, partnership, setting expectations, capability and remediation (Fourali 2016).
Partnership is about deeply engaging with the suppliers so that the cause of poor performance
is addressed. One factor to the sustainability and establishment of an ethical supply chain is
partnership. Primark closely in partnership for sustainable textiles that brings together the
experts from textile and clothing industries alongside the trade union and retailers in

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
Bangladesh. Such partnership is committed to achieve an ecological, social and bringing
economic improvement in the textile supply chain (Di Benedetto 2017). In addition to this, it
is since 2008, Primark has been a member of ethical trading initiatives. Primark also work in
partner with Elevate that helps in contacting the sourcing countries for carrying out social
audits of factories.
It is important for the manufacturing industry to commit to meet the standards that is
internationally recognized. The team of environmental sustainability and ethical trade has
experts that helps in monitoring compliance. No factories are owned by the company and the
suppliers are chosen selectively. A significant expansion of sustainable cotton programme is
announced by Primark that plans to train the farmers with the sustainable farming methods.
Such expansion marks an important measure taken by retailer so that the effect of operations
on the environment can be minimized and the sustainably sourced cotton can be brought to
the customers at the affordable prices (Macchion et al. 2018). Environmentally responsible
and orderly housekeeping is done by Primark for supporting the producers in improving the
housekeeping practices in their supply chain using the online supplier portal of Primark. In all
the stores of Germany, the company successfully rolled out the initiatives of “Primark care”
that with the help of sustainability efforts helps in highlighting the products having
sustainable features.
Primark also takes effort to monitor the sustainability performance of its suppliers by
tracking the production of cotton from the field of cotton to the retailers and manufacturers of
garments. The program was expanded in Pakistan so as to cover additional 20000 farmers
over the course of year 2018. Adoption of such approach helps in ensuring that the supply
chain is traced fully at all stages and the program is continually increased so that the volume
of sustainable cotton can be increased. Young Foundation conducts the roll out of structural
integrity program is completed successfully in year 2018 so that all the production sites in

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
Pakistan can be covered. Monitoring of Tier 1 and tier 2 production sites in Bangladesh is
done using the structural safety program of Primark.
When it comes to set the expectations, the sustainability expectations of the company
is communicated to the suppliers and all such expectation is incorporated into the supplier’s
contract and code of conduct. The supplier code of conduct of Primark is designed to ensure
that the representatives as well as suppliers adheres to the standards and values. Verification
of such adherence to the code by suppliers is done through the audit system that helps in
meeting the standard of code of conduct by establishing strong working relationship. A
module of online training has been developed country wide to develop the tool to train people
and accelerate raising of awareness (Kong and Ko 2017).
Improvement in the supply chain forming an element of remediation and capability
building requires Primark to make such chain flexible that would help in manufacturing
variety of products for multiple marketing. In order to further facilitate the international
growth of the company, major improvements have been introduced in the supply chain of the
company. Steps have been taken to increase the transparency of the supply chain by tracing
the production of cotton from the farm to the manufacturing sites and then to retail (Yang et
al. 2017). All such measures taken by the organization to improve their supply chain marks
the increasing responsible aspect in practice.
4. The role of consumer or responsible marketing:
Responsible market is defined as the marketing concept or the philosophy where the
organization should account for the factors while marketing that is in the best interest of the
society so that the desired products are manufactured and produced ardently. The decisions of
responsible marketing is determined by the organizational and individual factors and it is
important to establish a relationship between the social responsibility and perceived role of

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
ethics in achieving the performance of business. Social marketing being the modern approach
to marketing requires the marketer to use the insights and skills that helps them in
progressing toward the social goods as such concept direct the marketers towards the
improvement of the social environment. The shortcomings of traditional marketing is
addressed by the social conscious marketing as it follows the principle of responsibility and
mindfulness. Some aspects of social marketing includes innovation, customer orientation,
impact on society, product value and mission sense. Companies using the strategy of social
and responsible market would be able to gain the trust of consumers and thereby benefiting in
the long run (Mahmood and Kess 2018).
Primark is known for its high value offering and low price and has extended its reach to
US and across Europe which implies its retail success. Despite the fact, the pre fixed notion
of customers that the fast fashion is not ethically made ad hence is not sustainable, company
is struggling to overcome such perception of customer. A wakening call to Primark was given
by the tragic collapse of Rana Plaza that required them to protect their vulnerable supply
chain. This was so because the products were sourced by the company from one of the
suppliers of Rana Plaza and this called them to review their corporate social responsibility
and ethical facets and bring an improvement (Primark.a.bigcontent.io 2020). Concerning the
commitment to produce responsible fashion, Primark became vocal about their sustainability
measures due to the increasing interest of consumers in the ethical and sustainable practices.
Company trade and act ethically due to its growing retail business and interacting with the
global supply chain. In light of responsible marketing, 11000 female cotton farmers is India is
supported by Primark by expanding the sustainable cotton programme and working closely
with the self-employed women association and cotton connect. In the collapse of Rana Plaza,
Primark was the first company to provide food aid and financial support to the families and
victims of factory as the retailer pledged to provide the workers with long and short term

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
financial compensation. Primark works continuously with the non-profit organization and
local partners and securing their families by offering financial support and offering financial
guidance (Primark.com 2020). Furthermore, in order to assess the structural integrity of the
factories from where the products are sourced, a programme of structural survey is also
tightened by Primark for enhancing its responsible marketing strategy. A team of eighty
experts is hired by Primark who are dedicated towards the ethical fashion, sustainability and
worker training who all are the part of ethical trading team. Such team helps in sourcing the
materials ethically located in India, China, Turkey and Bangladesh. The difference made to
the society by Primark can be assessed from the wide range of activities combined with the
decentralized structure (Carrigan and Bosangit 2016). Therefore, it can be inferred from the
analysis of the case of Primark that company acts and makes responsible fashion.
5. Conclusion and recommendations:
The growing complexity of the fashion industry requires the player to be more
responsive and flexible when it comes to promote responsible marketing. Much attention has
been gained by the business practitioners and researchers about the sustainability in the
fashion industry. One of the vital part of supply chain is retailing and this requires the retailer
to make their supply chain more transparent and responsive so that the needs of customers.
The sustainability crisis faced by the companies operating in the fashion industry should
adopt appropriate measures of environmental sustainability and ethical trade. Fashion
industry is facing the challenge of enabling the mass to enjoy them fashion in a sustainable
manner. One important facts that is crucial for the retailer to address is the perception of the
consumers regarding the incompatibility between sustainability and fashion as it creates
mistrust and confusion. The sceptical of the sustainable claims made by the retailers should
be addressed. In this regard, it is required by the fashion retailers to develop and take actions

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
that would help in building sustainability into the retailing. Retailers should develop an
agenda providing directives for management on sustainable retailing so that the visibility and
availability of the sustainability products can be increased and thereby transparency and
information in retail is promoted (James and Montgomery 2017).
The traditional method seems to provide no subsidy to increase the life cycle of
products and reduce the revenue obtained from the selling of newer goods. Consequently the
world market is engaged into taking effective measures in reducing the consumer waste
which can be obtained by hiking the price of the raw materials and metals. One must
understand the concept of responsible enterprise by acknowledging and having a proper
understanding and implementing those strategies towards addressing those challenges. So,
companies must also start promoting the business goals by while keeping in mind the societal
and the environmental goal. An awareness regarding the carbon dioxide price and the effect
of carbon dioxide in our day to day life activities must be created. One must also try to reduce
the emission of the harmful carbon dioxide gas by limiting the number of automobiles on the
roads and reducing deforestation which is considered as one of the most primary reason in
jeopardizing our very own existence (Cleff et al. 2018).
For some responsible corporations such as Young foundation, it is important to have
business relationships merged with the ethical principles so that the superior economic
performances can be achieved. Moreover, a part of the budget of the business should be
allocated towards the social issues favouring the vulnerable section of society and natural
environment. This in turn would help in supporting the development of principles of financial
stewardship and making the organization socially responsible (Oxborrow et al. 2017).

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
Appendix:
I gratefully acknowledge the carbon literacy session for making me understand the
concept and the growing importance of sustainability. Until I undertook the session of carbon
literacy, I realised the importance and impact of such literacy on me and the world
surrounding me. An insight into such program make me more inclined towards evaluating the
sustainable facts which should be accounted by individual and organization as a whole. Such
session has provided me with the opportunity of taking my career as trainer for addressing the
sustainability issue due to the considerable changes brought into my life after gaining such
insights. The session has directed me in developing a pathway of career.

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
References list:
Ashby, A., Smith, M.H. and Shand, R., 2017. Embedding sustainability in clothing supply
chain strategies. Sustainability in Fashion and Textiles: Values, Design, Production and
Consumption.
Auke, E. and Simaens, A., 2019. Corporate responsibility in the fast fashion industry: how
media pressure affected corporate disclosure following the collapse of Rana
Plaza. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 23(4),
pp.356-382.
Bandyopadhyay, C. and Ray, S., 2019. Responsible marketing: can social enterprises show
the way?. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 31(2), pp.164-183.
Camilleri, M.A., 2017. Corporate sustainability and responsibility: creating value for
business, society and the environment. Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social
Responsibility, 2(1), pp.59-74.
Carrigan, M. and Bosangit, C., 2016. The challenges of responsible marketing and
consumption. In Ethics and Morality in Consumption (pp. 107-126). Routledge.
Cleff, T., van Driel, G., Mildner, L.M. and Walter, N., 2018. Corporate Social Responsibility
in the Fashion Industry: How Eco-Innovations Can Lead to a (More) Sustainable Business
Model in the Fashion Industry. In New Developments in Eco-Innovation Research (pp. 257-
275). Springer, Cham.
Di Benedetto, C.A., 2017. Corporate social responsibility as an emerging business model in
fashion marketing. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 8(4), pp.251-265.

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
Fourali, C., 2016. From Commercial to Socially Responsible Marketing. In The Promise of
Social Marketing (pp. 21-36). Routledge.
James, A.M. and Montgomery, B., 2017. Connectivity, Understanding and Empathy: How a
Lack of Consumer Knowledge of the Fashion Supply Chain Is Influencing Socially
Responsible Fashion Purchasing. In Textiles and Clothing Sustainability (pp. 61-95).
Springer, Singapore.
Kong, H.M. and Ko, E., 2017, July. UNDERSTANDING FASHION CONSUMER’S
INFORMATION ADOPTION AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS OF SUSTAINABLE
FASHION PRODUCTS IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM: A CROSS-CULTURAL
STUDY BETWEEN SOUTH KOREA AND CHINA. In 2017 Global Fashion Management
Conference at Vienna (pp. 382-384).
Macchion, L., Da Giau, A., Caniato, F., Caridi, M., Danese, P., Rinaldi, R. and Vinelli, A.,
2018. Strategic approaches to sustainability in fashion supply chain management. Production
Planning & Control, 29(1), pp.9-28.
Mahmood, S. and Kess, P., 2018. A Conceptual Model for Sustainable Supply Chain
Operation in Fashion Industry. Management, 16, p.18.
Mandal, K. and Banerjee, S., 2019. Responsible Marketing and Its Impact on Business
Performance: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 31(2),
pp.115-138.
Moretto, A., Macchion, L., Lion, A., Caniato, F., Danese, P. and Vinelli, A., 2018. Designing
a roadmap towards a sustainable supply chain: A focus on the fashion industry. Journal of
cleaner production, 193, pp.169-184.

RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE ASSIGNMENT 2
Oxborrow, L., Goworek, H., Claxton, S., Cooper, T.H., Hill, H. and McLaren, A., 2017, July.
Managing sustainability in the fashion business: exploring challenges in product development
for clothing longevity. In 2017 Global Fashion Management Conference at Vienna (pp. 376-
381).
Primark.a.bigcontent.io., 2020. [online] Available at:
https://primark.a.bigcontent.io/v1/static/Primark-Detox-Environmental-Performance-Report-
2018 [Accessed 29 Mar. 2020].
Primark.com., 2020. Primark Cares | Primark UK. [online] Available at:
https://www.primark.com/en/our-ethics [Accessed 29 Mar. 2020].
Sanclemente-Téllez, J.C., 2017. Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Moving between broadening the concept of marketing and social factors as a marketing
strategy. Spanish journal of marketing-ESIC, 21, pp.4-25.
The Young Foundation., 2020. Home - The Young Foundation - A leading independent
centre for disruptive social innovation. [online] Available at: https://youngfoundation.org/
[Accessed 29 Mar. 2020].
Yang, S., Song, Y. and Tong, S., 2017. Sustainable retailing in the fashion industry: A
systematic literature review. Sustainability, 9(7), p.1266.