refers to a brand’s proper disclosure of the manufacturing systems of a business, therefore allowing retailers full access to understanding the sustainable processes of a brand. Brands that are fully transparent usually have certifications from environmental agencies to attest to their transparency. 

Transparency is the window that allows consumers to understand and evaluate a brand’s core message. This concept should remain a key component of any company that prides themselves on sustainability, since it ensures that the brand continues to prioritize accountability with their environmental, economic, and social footprints, while also emphasizing honesty within their consumer and production relations. Transparency can also apply to the factory production and working conditions of laborers, which is another crucial aspect in understanding the social impact of a business. 

Companies that hold themselves accountable for their environmental and social impacts are also more likely to disclose and reach the sustainable initiatives and goals that they set for themselves. Company transparency manifests in online publications of the business’s annual sustainability impact reports, factory codes of conduct, or other documents that reveal details of the environmental, economic, and social footprints of the brand. For brands that engage in higher levels of transparency, reports and statements are usually published on their home website for online customers to view and analyze. 

The more a company reveals to its consumers, the more the consumers learn to trust the company, generating a sense of loyalty and commitment, since buyers have the choice to be fully aware of what causes they are supporting by purchasing from a company. Companies that emphasize transparency also appeal better to the consumer since there is no ambiguous terminology or unverified claims used for marketing strategies. 

LEARN MORE: Transparency in Consumerism