New research names and shames the UK’s least ethical companies

06 January 2010

If you care about what the brands you buy get up to while your back is turned you will be interested to read the 8th annual edition of The Good Shopping Guide. It reveals a gulf in corporate social responsibility standards in UK brands. The good news is there are plenty of companies, from New Look to Green People doing amazing work.

The research covers everything from cars to coffee and uses criteria including:

armaments involvement
animal welfare
boycott calls
carbon emissions
child labour
corporate corruption
environmental impact
ethical accreditation
fair and un-fair trade
human rights abuse
nuclear power
political donations
pollution
rainforest timber
third world debt

The Good Shopping Guide’s top 50 ethical brands:

New Look Group Plc; Natural by Nature Oils; Good Energy Group Plc; Seasalt Ltd; Charity Bank; Brother UK Ltd; People Tree; Caurnie Soap Co; Medivac Healthcare Ltd (vacuum cleaners); C Mobile Ltd; Woodex Ltd (Osmo eco paints); House of Goodness (Atmos boilers); Triodos Bank; Ecology BS; Honest Cosmetics; Green People Company (skincare); The Little Pet Food Company (Lily’s Kitchen); Monsoon Plc; Suma Wholefoods; The Village Bakery; Doves Farm; Redwood Wholefood Company (Vegi-Deli); Bio-D Co Ltd; Kingfisher plc (B&Q); Faith Products (Clear Spring); Casio Computer Co Ltd; Ecos Paints; GoinGreen (cars); Bskyb (Amstrad); Clipper Teas; Cafedirect; Essential Care; Aromatherapy Direct; Bodywise UK Ltd (Natracare); Hoover; Organico Realfoods Ltd; Food Brands Group; Equal Exchange (coffee); Cafédirect; Traidcraft Plc (chocolate); Highland Spring Ltd; McBride (Surcare washing up liquid); Premier Foods (Quorn & Cauldron foods);
Hain Celestial Group (Linda McCartney); Rainbow Wholefood; Natural Organic Soap; Groupe SEB (kettles); Premier Foods Plc; Ecover.

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