Clarks qZERO®
Sustainability Score
United Kingdom Born in the heart of Somerset in 1825, Clarks has walked a unique path that blends heritage craftsmanship with a spirit of innovation. For nearly two centuries, the brand has been shaping how the world moves, creating shoes that reflect care, comfort and timeless style. Each pair tells a story of deep-rooted values, where tradition meets thoughtful design and modern technology.
Today, Clarks is committed to honouring the planet and its people. Through responsible sourcing, considered material choices and ongoing community initiatives, Clarks champions a future where every step leaves a lighter mark. Their "Made to Last" promise reflects a genuine effort to create longer-lasting products while nurturing positive change within the footwear industry. From the cobbled streets of Somerset to cities across the globe, Clarks continues to walk the talk — crafting quality with purpose and a vision for a more responsible tomorrow.
Clarks business sustainability position is in line with average compared to other companies in the Clothing, Shoes & Accessories.
Clarks positioning within the Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
Clarks reflects many of the same challenges and areas of progress seen across the footwear and accessories sector. The brand has taken steps to improve materials, product design, and supply chain oversight, which places it broadly in line with industry expectations.
Where Clarks can go further is in making its impact easier to understand. Clear, evidence-based information about materials, product life, and supply chain conditions helps shoppers make confident choices. This matters because many environmental claims across the market can be unclear or difficult to compare, and stronger transparency builds trust.
There is also an opportunity to deepen action on social topics, including worker wellbeing and visibility across the supply chain. These areas are increasingly important for customers who want to know not just what a product is made from, but how it was made.
Looking ahead, Clarks can strengthen its position by focusing on longer-lasting products, responsible material sourcing, and open, verifiable communication. By doing so, the brand can help shoppers choose footwear that supports a more thoughtful and responsible way of buying and wearing.
This balanced approach reflects today’s expectations: practical improvements, clear information, and real progress that are understandable and trustworthy.
Clarks brings expertly crafted footwear to life for women, men, and children worldwide. From iconic silhouettes like the Desert Boot and Wallabee to contemporary sneakers, sandals, loafers, and accessories, Clarks designs combine everyday comfort with timeless appeal. Each collection blends craftsmanship, quality materials, and innovative design, offering versatile styles that move easily from work to weekend.
Clarks believes that sustainability should be accessible, not exclusive. By designing products with longevity in mind, selecting more responsible materials, and optimising production methods, Clarks reduces waste and extends the life of each shoe. Their approach allows customers to invest in well-made, enduring footwear at fair prices, creating a balance where style, durability and responsible choices can go hand in hand without compromise.
Clarks focuses on creating everyday footwear made with care for people, materials, and how products are used over time. Its approach centres on improving how shoes are designed, sourced, and produced, with a growing use of responsibly sourced leather and lower-impact materials where available.
The brand is working to reduce waste across its operations and supply chain, including steps to improve packaging and use resources more efficiently. Designing products to last longer is also an important part of this approach, helping customers wear their shoes for longer and reducing the need for frequent replacement.
Clarks also places importance on the people behind its products. It works with suppliers to support fair working conditions and clearer visibility across its supply chain. This helps build a better understanding of where products come from and how they are made.
To support trust, Clarks shares information about its progress and policies, helping customers make more informed choices. Clear and honest communication is increasingly important, as shoppers look for information they can rely on when choosing more responsible products.
Overall, Clarks shows steady progress in key areas, with opportunities to go further through more detailed reporting, stronger visibility across its supply chain, and continued focus on long-lasting design. This balanced approach helps customers choose footwear that fits both their lifestyle and their values.
Clarks shows early progress in how it selects and uses materials, which is an important step for a footwear brand where most impact sits in the supply chain. The use of responsibly sourced leather and growing attention to lower-impact materials give the brand a clear starting point for reducing its overall resource impact.
At the same time, there are areas where further progress is needed. Energy use and emissions across production and transport remain key challenges, as they do across the wider footwear industry. Continued action in these areas will be important for reducing overall impact and improving long-term resilience.
There is also an opportunity to strengthen how waste and chemicals are managed, particularly in processes such as tanning and finishing. Protecting water, soil, and surrounding ecosystems is an important part of responsible production, and clearer actions in this area would help build confidence.
Nature-related impacts, including land use and links to deforestation, are another area where more detailed information and action would be valuable. As customers become more aware of how materials are sourced, greater transparency can help support informed choices.
Overall, Clarks has a solid base to build from, especially through its materials strategy. By expanding its focus on energy use, waste, and nature protection, and by sharing clear, evidence-based updates, the brand can continue to reduce its environmental impact in a way that customers can understand and trust.
Creating a welcoming and respectful environment is part of who they are at Clarks. The brand places great importance on ensuring that everyone, from employees to partners, feels valued, supported, and heard. Clarks is proud to encourage a culture of embracing different backgrounds, experiences and ideas. At the same time, there is an opportunity to build even stronger connections across their supplier network. By deepening collaboration and shared values with suppliers, Clarks can continue to strengthen responsible practices across the entire journey of their products. Their social commitment reflects a thoughtful and growing dedication to positive change, from the inside out.
Clarks shows a clear focus on running its business responsibly and transparently. It shares information about its policies and standards, helping customers understand how decisions are made and what sits behind its products. This openness is an important part of building trust, especially at a time when shoppers are seeking clear, reliable information.
The brand has systems in place to guide its relationships with suppliers, including expectations for ethical practices and product standards. This creates a foundation for responsible sourcing, although consistency across a global supply chain remains an ongoing task that requires regular monitoring and improvement.
There is an opportunity for Clarks to go further in preparing for future challenges, such as supply disruptions, resource pressures, and changing customer expectations. Strengthening long-term planning and risk awareness can help the business stay resilient while continuing to improve product quality.
Clear communication will also play an important role. As new expectations emerge around how brands talk about their impact, it is increasingly important that information is specific, evidence-based, and easy to understand, so customers can make confident choices.
Overall, Clarks has strong foundations in transparency and responsible business conduct. By building on this with deeper supply chain visibility and forward-looking planning, the brand can continue to strengthen trust and accountability.
Clarks’ unique strength lies in its fusion of craftsmanship, comfort and conscious innovation. Every design is shaped by nearly 200 years of shoemaking expertise, ensuring superior fit and enduring quality. What sets Clarks apart is their clear focus on creating "Made to Last" shoes — made thoughtfully, with an eye on reducing environmental impact. Through timeless design, responsible sourcing, and a commitment to prolonging product life, Clarks offers consumers more than style — they provide a meaningful choice that supports everyday comfort and a more responsible future.
Clarks offers a thoughtful starting point for shoppers looking for more responsible footwear. The brand shows clear intent through its choice of materials, its work with suppliers, and the way it shares information about how products are made. It sits in a space where meaningful steps are visible, with further progress still to come.
For customers, this means you can expect a brand that is paying attention to how shoes are made and to their impact, while continuing to improve how this is measured and communicated. This balanced position reflects the wider footwear industry, where change is happening, but not always at the same pace across all areas.
Clarks has the opportunity to build on its foundations by increasing product durability, expanding the use of lower-impact materials, and sharing clearer, evidence-based updates. Greater visibility across its supply chain and more detailed product information will help customers understand the full story behind each pair of shoes.
Every purchase is a small step. By choosing carefully and looking for clear information, you help support brands that are improving how products are made — and encourage better standards across the industry.
Understanding certifications can help you see how a brand’s claims are supported by recognised standards. These certifications are set by independent organisations and often focus on specific areas, such as materials, production processes, or responsible sourcing. Below is a clear, easy-to-read overview of the key sustainability-related certifications linked to Clarks and its supply chain, based on publicly available information.
The Leather Working Group is a globally recognised standard focused on improving environmental practices in leather production. It assesses tanneries on areas such as water use, energy efficiency, and chemical management.
Clarks works with tanneries that are audited and rated by the Leather Working Group, helping to support more responsible leather sourcing across its products.
The FSC certification ensures that materials such as paper and cardboard come from responsibly managed forests. It helps protect wildlife, support local communities, and promote sustainable forestry practices.
Clarks uses FSC-certified materials in parts of its packaging, helping to reduce the impact of packaging on forests and ecosystems.
The Global Recycled Standard verifies the presence of recycled materials in products and tracks them through the supply chain. It also includes criteria for environmental and social practices.
Clarks uses recycled materials in selected products, where these may be supported by recognised standards such as GRS.
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certifies that textiles have been tested for harmful substances, helping to ensure that materials are safer for human health.
Some textile components used in footwear can be sourced from suppliers meeting OEKO-TEX® standards.
Certifications and standards can evolve over time as brands update their materials, suppliers, and processes. For the most up-to-date information, it is always worth checking Clarks’ latest sustainability pages and product details. Looking for clear certification names, scope, and relevance to the product you are buying will help you make more confident and informed choices.
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