Diesel
Clothing
CEO and owner Renzo Rosso founded Diesel in 1978. Diesel makes modish men's and women's casual wear, sportswear and kids' clothes. Its name is licensed to makers of jewellery, watches, leather goods (handbags, wallets), eyewear, fragrances and footwear. Diesel's products are sold in more than 80 countries.

Overall

Owned ITA
Rating F
About the Ratings

Company Ownership

Diesel SpA
ITA
OTB SpA
owns 100% of Diesel SpA
ITA
Holding company
Owned by Renzo Rosso, founder of fashion label Diesel. OTB (Only the Brave) is a holding company incorporating Diesel, 55DSL, Staff International and controlling stakes in Maison Martin Margiela and Viktor and Rolf. OTB has a foundation aimed at ending world poverty.

Company Assessment

(Last updated Aug 2024)
Diesel SpA
Criticism
Animal Testing
This company appears on PETA's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, USA) 'Companies That Do Test On Animals' list, signifying that they manufacture products that are tested on animals at some stage of development.
Source: PETA (2022)
18/100 in What Fuels Fashion?
What Fuels Fashion? is a single-issue, special edition of the Fashion Transparency Index. The 2024 report ranked 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers according to their level of disclosure on climate and energy-related data in their own operations and supply chains. Brands owned by this company scored 18%. The average score was 18% and the highest score was 75%.
19/100 in Fashion Transparency Index
The 2023 Fashion Transparency Index reviewed 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers and ranked them according to how much they disclose about their human rights and environmental policies, practices and impacts. Brands owned by this company scored 19%, signifying it is doing a bit more than the others when it comes to having policies and commitments in place and auditing and reporting activities, but could be doing more. The average score was 26% and the highest score was 83%.
Information
No Detox commitment
Greenpeace launched their Detox Campaign in 2011 to expose the direct links between global clothing brands, their suppliers and toxic water pollution around the world. As a result, many companies have joined Greenpeace's Detox Program, which requires companies to adopt a credible, individual and public commitment to phase out the use and release of all toxic chemicals from their global supply chain and products, by 1 January 2020. This company is yet to make a commitment despite pressure from Greenpeace.
Sandblasting
This company claims they will soon stop ordering for sandblasted jeans, but haven't publicly banned it yet. Sandblasting is a dangerous and deadly process which involves workers firing sand at jeans under high pressure. It has been known to kill workers within months as the inhalation of large amounts of silica dust generated during sandblasting causes silicosis, a potentially lethal pulmonary disease.
Worker exploitation in India
Maid in India', a 2012 report by two Dutch NGOs (SOMO and ICN) revealed how workers in the South Indian garment and textile industry continue to suffer exploitative working conditions while making garments for Western brands. While some recent improvements have been made, thousands of girls work under recruitment and employment schemes that amount to bonded labour. This company was shown to be sourcing from one or more of the four garment manufacturers investigated, and failed to respond to a review request. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: SOMO (2012)
Breaching advertising codes
This company has been criticised for offensive advertising. In 2011 the Advertising Standards Bureau upheld complaints about a billboard by this company on the grounds that it breached advertising codes. The ad was subsequently discontinued or modified.
Fur free
This company has announced that they don't sell animal fur or are phasing in a fur-free policy.
Better Cotton Initiative member
This company is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, a voluntary program which encourages the adoption of better management practices in cotton cultivation to achieve measurable reductions in key environmental impacts, while improving social and economic benefits for cotton farmers, small and large, worldwide.
Controversial marketing
Diesel's controversial 2007 "Global Warming Ready" advertising campaign, which supposedly was supposed to raise awareness on the problem of global warming, depicts the global warming as opportunity for young and fabulous to continue their glamorous lifestyles. Opinions on the purpose of this campaign varied from shocking but educational to trivializing and harmful.
BHRRC company profile
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre digital platform presents news and allegations relating to the human rights impact of over 20,000 companies. Their enhanced Company Dashboards also include financial information, key data points based on corporate policies, and scores from prominent civil society benchmarks. Follow the link and use the search function to view this company's dashboard.
OTB SpA
Criticism
0% in Sustainable Cotton Ranking
The 2020 Sustainable Cotton Ranking, published by WWF, Solidaridad and the Pesticide Action Network UK analysed the 77 largest cotton users among international apparel brands and retailers, reviewing their policies, actual uptake of more sustainable cotton and transparency in their supply chains. According to the report, this company is "not yet started" with a score of 0%. The average score was 18.2% and the highest score was 79.2%.
Information
Zero discharge of hazardous chemicals
In 2011, a group of major apparel and footwear brands and retailers, including this company, made a shared commitment to help lead the industry towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020. It includes specific commitments and timelines to realize this shared goal.
Source: ZDHC (2023)
Only the Brave Foundation
This not-for-profit organization was founded in Italy in 2008. It is the foundation of the Only The Brave Group. The foundation came to life with the purpose of redressing the balance of disadvantaged young people in its local region in North East Italy. As the foundation developed, the main focus shifted to Africa.
Leather Working Group member
This company is a member of the Leather Working Group, a multi-stakeholder group who's objective is to develop and maintain a protocol that assesses the compliance and environmental performance of tanners and promotes sustainable and appropriate environmental business practices within the leather industry.
The Fashion Pact member
This company is a member of The Fashion Pact, a global initiative of companies in the fashion and textile industry (ready-to-wear, sport, lifestyle and luxury) including their suppliers and distributors, all committed to a common core of key environmental goals in three areas: stopping global warming, restoring biodiversity and protecting the oceans.
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Company Details

Type:
Private company

Contact Details

Address:
Molvena, Vicenza, Italy
Website:
www.diesel.com

Products / Brands

Diesel
Diesel Denim
Diesel Womens Fashion
Diesel Menswear (casual)

Other related products

L'Oreal Australia / Diesel (brand owner)
Diesel Fragrances