The fifteen largest fashion companies are falling short when it comes to meeting the social and environmental targets of the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement.

Brands were scored out of 100 in their progress towards meeting 16 targets relating to emissions, waste, workers¢¥ rights, water, and materials. Companies ranked based on transparency of their practices and the average score for the 15 big companies was 36 points. On average, waste and workers¢¥ rights were the companies¢¥ biggest downfalls.

The fashion industry is under increasing pressure from consumers and governments to clean up its act, and according to statistics, it is responsible for at least 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. According to reports, more than 70% of consumers regard sustainability when making a purchase.

Difficult words: fall short (to fail to meet an expectation or standard), downfall (something that causes a loss of power or status), transparency (how much a company tells about how they work), sustainability (the idea that things should be produced in ways that do not damage the environment).