A new report argues that supply chain audits are ineffective at improving compliance and act merely to embed an unhealthy status quo in multinational offshore sourcing.

Lingerie giant Victoria's Secret, famed for its racy bras and thongs, has pledged to trace the sources of its wood-based fabrics, joining the ranks of fashion companies addressing human rights and deforestation, its parent company said.

Home goods and apparel manufacturers: Consumers are voicing their concerns, according to the results of a cotton survey conducted by Harris Poll. With a new president focused on protecting products born in the U.S., consumers may be looking more closely at product origins, and could demand greater transparency.

One of the world's largest privately-owned corporations has taken steps to tackle deforestation in its supply chains.

When I first moved to California in 1990, I was told by Stanford's campus housing people to keep an earthquake emergency box on hand at all times. Its contents included a radio, flashlights, warm clothes, medical supplies and a few other items. Later in Boston, I stuck with the idea, but added stuff suited to hurricanes, blizzards and extreme cold. After Sept. 11, the kit got still bigger - food, water, fuel, camping supplies, even weapons. It became known as the Anarchy Closet.

Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. say they'll keep making cars in the U.K. despite Prime Minister Theresa May's plan to leave the European Union's single market, which could make exporting from British factories less lucrative.