A bill introduced Thursday in the New York Senate would require large fashion companies to map supply chains, disclose environmental impacts and meet greenhouse gas reduction targets.
S. 9740 would establish the “fashion environmental accountability act” and apply to companies with more than $100 million in annual gross receipts from apparel, footwear or fashion bags.
The measure would require covered companies to conduct environmental due diligence across their supply chains, including identifying risks, mitigating environmental harm and tracking results. It also mandates disclosure of suppliers across multiple production tiers over time and annual public reporting of due diligence efforts.
Companies would be required to set and report greenhouse gas emissions targets aligned with international standards and ensure periodic independent verification of disclosures.
The bill also calls for wastewater and chemical management reporting for key suppliers and requires companies to adopt remediation measures when environmental harms occur.
Enforcement would fall to the state attorney general, with civil penalties of up to $15,000 per violation per day for noncompliance. The measure would also create a fashion remediation fund to finance environmental projects benefiting affected communities.
If enacted, most provisions would take effect one year after passage.