SHEIN Slashes 884K Tons of CO₂ in 2024, Report

SHEIN goes big on impact in 2024. Global fashion retailer SHEIN has released its annual Sustainability and Social Impact Report for 2024, presenting substantial progress across environmental, social, and governance initiatives. The comprehensive report highlights the company's commitment to sustainable business practices through its evoluSHEIN roadmap, which is built on three strategic pillars: Equitable Empowerment (People), Collective Resilience (Planet), and Waste-Less Innovation (Process).

Enhanced Governance and Strategic Direction

SHEIN significantly strengthened its sustainability oversight capabilities in 2024. The company established an External ESG Advisory Board (EEAB), composed of independent experts who provide strategic guidance on ESG initiatives, policies, and practices. Additionally, SHEIN launched the SHEIN Foundation, which brings together the company's philanthropic efforts under a single formalized structure.

The company also conducted a double materiality assessment in 2024 to identify issues that stakeholders consider most impactful on financial performance, as well as those where SHEIN's operations affect the planet and communities. This assessment serves as a strategic compass for future sustainability initiatives.

People: Strengthening Supply Chain Governance

SHEIN's commitment to responsible business practices is evident in its supplier oversight. The company conducted 4,288 on-site audits on China-based suppliers and subcontractors, covering approximately 95% of SHEIN-branded products by procurement value. Audit results show significant progress, with A/B grades rising to 47% (up from 29% in 2023) and D/E grades dropping to 8% (down from 20% in 2023).

The company's investment in supplier communities reached new heights, with over $33 million invested in the Supplier Community Empowerment Program (SCEP). This program supported supplier training, upskilling, and facility upgrades, resulting in improvements at 203 factories and $648,000 in grants to 236 worker families through the SHEIN Spotlight programme.

SHEIN's approach to workplace concerns is reflected in its handling of supply chain grievances. The company processed 34 grievance cases raised by suppliers and workers in 2024, primarily involving wages and compensation disputes. All grievances were investigated and resolved within stipulated timelines, demonstrating robust grievance mechanisms.

The company continued expanding its creative partnerships, collaborating with more than 5,300 artists and designers under the SHEIN X programme and paying out over $12 million in commissions since 2021. In 2024 alone, SHEIN donated over $6.4 million to local organizations promoting women's empowerment, gender equality, youth development, and poverty alleviation.

Planet: Achieving Science-Based Decarbonization

SHEIN's environmental commitments received international recognition in 2024 when the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved the company's near-term science-based emissions reduction targets. The company's net-zero target also received SBTi approval in May 2025, establishing clear pathways for long-term environmental impact reduction.

Working with sustainability consultancy Anthesis Group, SHEIN developed a comprehensive decarbonization roadmap to guide progress toward emissions reduction targets. The company's renewable energy usage increased to 76% of electricity consumption, up from 72% in 2023.

The results were notable: SHEIN achieved emissions reductions of 884,303 metric tons of CO₂ across Scopes 1 to 3 in 2024, representing a 58% improvement from the 556,664 metric tons achieved in 2023. Transport and logistics initiatives alone contributed to an estimated reduction of 668,800 metric tons of CO₂ emissions.

Process: Innovation Driving Waste Reduction

SHEIN's manufacturing innovations delivered significant resource savings in 2024. Approximately 51% of directly sourced printed fabrics were produced using Digital Thermal Transfer Printing and Cool Transfer Denim Printing processes, saving 550,000 cubic meters of water. The company's Centre of Innovation for Garment Manufacturing (CIGM) developed more than 60 new tools for suppliers, boosting average productivity gains by over 40%.

The company's circular economy initiatives expanded significantly. SHEIN increased its use of high-quality deadstock materials by around 40% through its partnership with Aloqia, reaching 28,058 meters. This initiative saved the equivalent of over 200,000 cubic meters of water, more than 4,000 kg of chemicals, and over 42 metric tons of CO₂ emissions.

SHEIN's textile recycling efforts also advanced, with 12.1% of recycled polyester for SHEIN-branded products coming from textile-to-textile recycling. The company's research partnership with Donghua University in China made significant progress in developing commercially scalable recycled polyester fiber production.

Expanding Customer Engagement in Sustainability

The company's customer-facing sustainability initiatives gained momentum with the expansion of SHEIN Exchange, its peer-to-peer resale platform, to France, Germany, and the UK, in addition to the United States. The platform saw strong engagement with 6.78 million new users and over 297,000 pre-owned items listed by more than 148,000 unique sellers.

Looking Forward

SHEIN stated, "We believe sustainability is integral to our long-term business resilience. ", and the 2024 achievements provide a solid foundation for continued progress in the global fashion industry's sustainability transformation.