A new report by the University of Massachusetts Amherst in collaboration with Students for International Labor Solidarity, released in December 2024, alleges “serious and pervasive” labour rights abuses in the supply chain of REI, a US outdoor retailer.

The report alleges “systemic human rights abuses” in factories in Asia and Central America from which REI sources. Abuses include forced labour, forced overtime, discrimination against pregnant and postpartum women, poverty wages, precarious contracts, and intimidation for workers who try to join unions.

“It is hard to cover my family’s expenses with the wages that I earn. We can’t buy all the food we need and sometimes we miss a payment of our utility bills. I don’t have enough to buy clothes and shoes…The money is never enough.” 35-year-old woman who works at a factory producing garments for REI

The article also highlights transparency issues with REI. It says that while the company acknowledged widespread and worsening violations, it provided “no transparency as to specific countries or factory names” and did not report on successfully securing remedy for impacted workers.

In response to the report, REI told WWD: “we operate a large, complex global supply chain and are deeply committed to holding all our supply partners to the highest standards of accountability. When possible, issues arise, as they sometimes do in such an intricate network, we act swiftly and decisively to address them and ensure alignment with our values and expectations. We are also engaged in advocacy efforts aimed at preventing any of these practices at a systemic level (...)”.