In January 2026, the Business and Human Rights Centre invited top twenty-four international apparel brands to complete a survey regarding their purchasing practices and the measures they have taken to support suppliers and garment workers in Sri Lanka, following the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which devastated Sri Lanka in November 2025. Eight brands responded to the questions in our survey (ASDA, Hugo Boss, Marks & Spencer, Matalan, Next, Tesco, Victoria's Secret, Primark) while 16 brands (Blaklader, Calzedonia, Chico's, Carter's, Decathlon, Eddie Bauer, Levi Strauss/Gap, Lidl, LL Bean, Lululemon, Nike, Patagonia, Pierre Cardin, PVH and Walmart) did not.

For brands' responses and key findings, please see below.

The impact of Cyclone Ditwah on garment workers in Sri Lanka

In late November 2025, Cyclone Ditwah caused severe flooding across large parts of Sri Lanka, resulting in widespread damage to communities, infrastructure, and livelihoods. It is estimated that more than 1,150 people were killed and at least 367 others remain missing. The cyclone also disrupted internet access and damaged critical transport infrastructure, leaving many people unable to contact family members or access essential services. Thousands of people were displaced, and hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed.

Sri Lanka is a key sourcing country for the global apparel industry, employing thousands of workers in export-oriented garment factories supplying international brands. Following Cyclone Ditwah, concerns have emerged regarding apparel buyers’ responses to the crisis, including risks of unfair purchasing practices such as penalties for delayed deliveries, pressure to lower prices, or the transfer of orders to other countries. Local media report that at least 15 large garment factories across Sri Lanka have been disrupted, and it is estimated that around 20 percent of workers in flood-affected areas remain unable to return to work, underscoring the human cost of the disruption.

Sri Lankan labour rights organisations the Business & Human Rights Centre engaged with reported that migrant workers, constituting a large proportion of the garment factory workforce in Free Trade Zones (FTZ), were denied basic assistance, due to having no permanent and registered address in the local area.

They also disputed suppliers’ claims that workers had received adequate post-cyclone support, including compensation, sanitation assistance, and food packages. In one case, 18 workers whose homes were destroyed requested financial support from their factory to rebuild. Rather than providing direct assistance, management suggested that fellow workers contribute a portion of their wages to fund the reconstruction.

Workers and labour rights advocates have called on fashion brands to ensure continued income protection and safe working conditions during the recovery period.

Outreach to brands

The Business and Human Rights Centre invited 24 of the top global fashion brands sourcing from Sri Lanka to provide information on their purchasing practices and whether any changes have been made since the 26th November Cyclone. These brands are: Asda, Blaklader, Calzedonia, Chico's, Carter's, Decathlon, Eddie Bauer, Hugo Boss, Levi Strauss, Lidl, LL Bean, Lucky Brand, Lululemon, Marks & Spencer, Matalan, Next, Nike Patagonia, Pierre Cardin, Primark, PVH, Tesco, Victoria's Secret and Walmart.

Of these brands, only seven (29%) responded to questions in the survey (Hugo Boss, Marks & Spencer, Matalan, Next, Tesco and Victoria's Secret), with all except Tesco responding to the survey in full.

Key findings:

Support re. delivery delays caused by floods:

• Five (71%) brands that responded reported they had directed their sourcing teams to accommodate delivery delays and waived penalties for delivery delays or chargebacks, while all brands stated they had not imposed any penalties or chargebacks on suppliers due to delays linked to the flooding.
• Two (29%) brands that responded stated they had directed their sourcing team to not seek price concessions from suppliers in the affected region on new orders
• Six (86%) brands that responded confirmed they had not transferred orders from their suppliers in Sri Lanka to other apparel producing countries

Financial support:

• No brands stated they had provided financial support to suppliers, including: direct financial assistance, accelerated payments on recent orders, improved payment terms on new orders or no-interest financing.
• Four (57%) brands that responded confirmed long-term sourcing relationships with supplier in Sri Lanka

Support for workers

• 67% of brands that responded stated they had been in contact with factories to ensure workers received their full wages during factory closures.
• Only Marks & Spencer reported they had provided financial support to affected workers, reporting they established a dedicated fund where employees in our supply chain whose houses were completely damaged could apply for grants to rebuild and refurbish their new homes.
• Only Marks & Spencer reported it had engaged with workers to understand their experiences and what they need
• Four (57%) brands that responded reported engaging with suppliers to ensure factory conditions were safe for workers to return to.

In times of crisis, particularly climate related disasters that disrupt production and devastate communities, the protection of workers’ rights must come first. Livelihood security, wage continuity, safe working and living conditions, and access to emergency support are not secondary considerations. They are fundamental labour rights.

Purchasing practices sit at the centre of this reality. Pricing, payment terms, order stability and flexibility during disruption directly influence whether suppliers are able to continue paying wages, avoid layoffs, maintain housing and sanitation services, and provide meaningful support to affected workers. These commercial decisions are therefore inseparable from workers’ rights outcomes.

For this reason, transparency in purchasing practices is essential. Clear commitments on fair pricing, responsible adjustments to orders, and timely payments during periods of disruption help ensure that the burden of climate shocks does not fall disproportionately on workers. As climate events become more frequent and severe, protecting labour rights must be embedded within brands’ commercial strategies, not treated as an add on to environmental ambition.