TLDR: Brands only have the power that people give them. I honestly think brands are given too much credit when it comes to what they do. Yes, at the end of the day, they have the power to manufacture what they sell, and they are responsible for how they do it. In fact, if they use any illegal or immoral means to produce what they sell, they should be held accountable to the highest degree. But that's not the case for all brands. For example, there are government regulations to brands in line when it comes to producing waste that affects environmental health. The regulations may not be as tight as the public wants them to be, but brands could and have pushed to loosen regulations with the argument that the regulations prevent efficient production. When it comes to employees, brands can shrug off employee complaints because they know the employee will probably stay because the employee needs the job. In essence, to some degree, brands gain their power from the consumers they sell to or the people that help the company run. Without consumer or employee support, a company would definitely go down.