Social Compliance & CSR News
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Wednesday, 17 July 2019Internment fears spark urgent fashion inquiry
XINJIANG – Fashion brand Target and Australian retailer Cotton On have opened investigations into suppliers in Xinjiang, China, after reports that detained Uyghur Muslim workers are being forced to make clothing. It’s alleged some workers are… -
Friday, 12 July 2019Bangladesh joins UN Fashion Climate Charter
DHAKA – The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA) – the trade body of apparel manufacturers in Bangladesh – has joined the UN Climate Change’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action (UNFCCC) initiative. By joining… -
Wednesday, 10 July 2019Responsible Down Standard 3.0 released
LUBBOCK – Textile Exchange has released version 3.0 of its Responsible Down Standard (RDS), representing its first substantial revision since 2014. The standard covers more than 500 million birds ensuring brand and retail partners, of which it… -
Wednesday, 03 July 2019BCI becomes latest UN fashion charter signatory
GENEVA – The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has become the latest signatory to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action; a commitment through which it will work cohesively with a growing number of brands, manufacturers and organisations… -
Tuesday, 02 July 2019UN leads push for new worker’s rights
AMSTERDAM/YAMAGUCHI – The International Labour Organization (ILO) and Fast Retailing Co. have both taken steps towards fairer workplace conditions, with ILO adopting a new convention on violence and harassment and Fast Retailing entering a global… -
Monday, 01 July 2019Switzerland moves closer to corporate human rights law
BERN – The National Council of Switzerland has taken a further step towards introducing mandatory human rights regulation for all large companies in the country, continuing a process triggered in 2016 which could eventually lead to an obligation to… -
Friday, 28 June 2019Forced labour investigation drives change
BROOKLYN – An investigation conducted into the working conditions of Malaysian garment workers by US NGO Transparentem has uncovered evidence that some employees manufacturing clothes for major retailers were working in conditions which included… -
Friday, 28 June 2019C&A Foundation kick-starts broader circular model search
ZUG – The C&A Foundation has announced a request for proposals (RFP) for both research programmes and prototype initiatives from across industry as it looks to accelerate circular business practices that will evoke positive outcomes for workers,… -
Friday, 28 June 2019Bangladesh wages war on gender inequality with digital pay
DHAKA — The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has announced that garment factory owners throughout the nation are poised to roll-out a new digital payment system to provide safety and security to female workers. The… -
Friday, 21 June 2019Nordstrom aims to empower women in fashion
SEATTLE — American department store chain Nordstrom has unveiled new human rights targets which include that, by 2023, 70 per cent of its own brand apparel, of which there are more than 40 brands, will be produced in factories that support women’s… -
Friday, 21 June 2019Ethical trade app to combat modern slavery in fashion
LONDON — Pentland Brands, which owns brands such as Speedo, Berghaus and Boxfresh, has launched a new app aimed at promoting ethical trade throughout its supply chain and ensuring all ‘factory-facing employees’ maintain human rights and labour… -
Wednesday, 19 June 2019Living wage petition urges Boohoo and Amazon to act
BRISTOL — Campaign group Labour Behind the Label has launched a petition calling on brands such as Amazon and Boohoo to deliver a living wage to workers in supply chains. -
Tuesday, 18 June 2019No child labour by 2025: a realistic goal?
GENEVA — At the 108th session of the International Labour Conference, Guy Ryder, director general of the ILO (International Labour Organization), has called on a plethora of industries to collaborate in order to “accelerate the pace of progress”… -
Friday, 14 June 2019Walmart and HanesBrands support National Parks
WINSTON-SALEM —US apparel firm HanesBrands has launched a new collection of T-shirts in support of the National Park Foundation. The garments will be available online and in select Walmart stores located nearby nine of the United States’ most… -
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
32 major fashion brands fail on living wage
BRISTOL – A report by non-profit Labour behind the Label has revealed that out of 32 fashion brands surveyed, a staggering 31 can show no evidence of a living wage being paid to any of the workers who make their goods; with outlier Gucci paying… -
Friday, 07 June 2019Big-name brands back Cambodia contract ruling
PHNOM PENH – H&M, Levi’s and Gap have come out in support of an arbitration council ruling in Cambodia, which states that a factory suppling the three brands must give permanent contracts to the 408 workers which it previously employed on a… -
Friday, 07 June 2019Ethiopia cotton collaboration strives for sustainability
UTRECHT — Solidaridad has teamed up with Cotton made in Africa, Danish Ethical Trading Initiative and MVO Nederland to establish a new project aimed at promoting a sustainable value chain for Ethiopian cotton on its journey to European consumers.… -
Thursday, 06 June 2019SLCP tool to minimise social audit duplication
AMSTERDAM — The Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) has announced the launch of an industry tool designed to replace existing social and labor audits in the sizeable apparel industries of China, India, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. SLCP signatories,… -
Wednesday, 05 June 2019Trudeau Foundation backs indigenous fashion research
TORONTO — Research being undertaken by a PhD student into the economic and social relationships between Indigenous peoples and the fashion industry has been selected as one of 20 studies receive support from the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. -
Monday, 03 June 2019US retailer fined for child labour, illegal wages
SALT LAKE CITY – The US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has ordered a Utah-based clothing retailer to pay US$84,048 in back wages, liquidated damages, and penalties to resolve violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)… -
Friday, 31 May 2019Child labour an ‘extreme risk’ in China, India
BATH — New research into the prevalence of child labour has categorised several textile-producing powerhouse nations as being at either high or extreme risk of facilitating the practice within supply chains. Report authors Verisk Maplecroft… -
Thursday, 30 May 2019Levi Strauss extends vulnerable communities support
SAN FRANCISCO — The Levi Strauss Foundation has committed one million dollars to a Rapid Response Fund — supporting organisations that protect highly vulnerable communities — for the third year in a row. The Foundation cites the current political… -
Thursday, 30 May 2019Fashion brands ‘falling short’ on living wage pledges
SHEFFIELD — A report published by academics at the University of Sheffield suggests that while many big name fashion brands are committing to headline-grabbing wage pledges they are currently failing to meet these targets. It is alleged that many… -
Wednesday, 29 May 2019Cambodian workers fear unemployment amid EU sanctions
PHNOM PENH — As the European Union is said to have instigated a process to suspend its ‘Everything But Arms’ (EBA) trade agreement with Cambodia, fear is spreading among the nation’s garment workers that their livelihoods could be at risk. Research… -
Tuesday, 28 May 2019Netherlands pledges €35 million to end child labour
THE HAGUE — An alliance between Stop Child Labour, UNICEF Netherlands and Save the Children Netherlands has received €35 million support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to aid a new project seeking to eradicate child labour. The… -
Friday, 24 May 2019Inditex extends displaced migrant support
ARTEIXO — Spanish fashion conglomerate Inditex, the parent company of brands such as Zara and Bershka, has announced the signing of a deal with Universidad Pontificia Comillas to renew the collaborative Chair for Refugees project, aimed at… -
Thursday, 23 May 2019Are banks ignoring ethical fashion?
More and more banks are exerting pressure on the businesses they finance to pursue more environmentally-conscious projects. Is it time this approach was also applied to the welfare and employment rights of workers? -
Wednesday, 22 May 2019Big Closets Small Planet: H&M climate positive by 2040?
WAKEFIELD – Series Two of the Big Closets Small Planet podcast, run in partnership between Ecotextile News and the Sustainable Fashion Academy (SFA), is now in full swing. Innovation in Climate Action is this week’s focus. More specifically, host… -
Monday, 20 May 2019PVH strategy to change one million lives in fashion?
NEW YORK — PVH Corporation, the company which owns Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and several other of the most recognisable brands in fashion, has launched the latest incarnation of its Corporate Responsibility strategy, Forward Fashion. Published… -
Monday, 20 May 2019Bangladesh Accord breakthrough: transition deal struck
DHAKA — After months of prolonged delays and frustration, a deal has now been agreed between the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh garment employers’ association (BGMEA) to ensure a transition period of almost one… -
Monday, 20 May 2019Romanian garment workers ‘paid 14% of living wage’
DRESDEN — Apparel sector campaign group Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has published a new report claiming that garment workers in Romania are frequently denied acceptable working conditions and paid below the legal minimum wage — equating to as… -
Wednesday, 15 May 2019Podcast: mobile banking to save the planet
WAKEFIELD – In the third podcast of our new series, Mike Schragger speaks to Johan Pihl and Jacob Odqvist of Doconomy, who have developed a ‘mobile banking service for everyday climate action’ which they say makes it easier for consumers to join the… -
Wednesday, 01 May 2019Race to the Top showcases Vietnamese ‘sustainable’ improvements
HANOI – Vietnam’s Race to the Top programme, designed to scale ‘sustainable’ manufacturing practices in the nation’s apparel & footwear industry, has released a report detailing the results from an impact assessment the initiative’s first graduate… -
Friday, 26 April 2019Columbia Sportswear makes water donation pledge
PORTLAND — Columbia Sportswear has launched a new donation programme to drive support for non-profit Planet Water Foundation and counteract the water-intensive practices at certain stages of the apparel supply chain. -
Friday, 26 April 2019Timberland CSR report demonstrates mixed progress
STRATHAM – Outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland has released its 2018 corporate social responsibility report, which highlights the company’s commitment to ‘sustainable’ practices. In 2018, 75 per cent of all cotton used in Timberland apparel was… -
Wednesday, 24 April 2019Tapestry Inc. unveils new 2025 CSR goals
NEW YORK — Tapestry Inc., the organisation behind brands such as Coach, Kate Spade New York and Stuart Weitzman, has published its 2018 Corporate Responsibility Report, in which the company has unveiled a series of targets it aims to achieve by… -
Tuesday, 23 April 2019Tufts student venture offers healthcare to female workers
BOSTON — The winner of a first-place prize at this year’s New Ventures Competition is a healthcare-focused project seeking to give women working in the Bangladesh garment sector access to transformative medical care. Each year, the competition run… -
Thursday, 18 April 2019Risky business: Cross-sector benchmarks offer fresh insight
LONDON – S&P Global Ratings has debuted its ESG Evaluation and Risk Atlas, a new framework and tool which seek to benchmark cross-sector organisations – helping firms contextualise progress comparative to counterparts in other industries. The… -
Thursday, 18 April 2019HSBC and Walmart establish green finance deal
HONG KONG – A partnership struck between global bank HSBC and US retail giant Walmart will see the latter’s suppliers offered financial incentives for meeting or exceeding sustainability targets. The Sustainable Supply Chain Finance Programme looks… -
Wednesday, 17 April 2019'Excessive overtime' essential to equal living wage
WASHINGTON – A study undertaken by the Fair Labor Association (FLA) suggests that in the absence of a nationally-adopted living wage, Vietnamese garment workers are forced to accept excessive overtime simply to survive. The quantity of hours many… -
Tuesday, 16 April 2019Unions react to further Bangladesh Accord delay
DHAKA – Following yet another delay to a conclusive decision on the future of the Accord, unions representing workers in Bangladesh have once again called for the extension of the regulatory body’s tenure in the nation’s garment sector. -
Friday, 12 April 2019Retailer demands garment industry regulation
HAMBURG – German retailer Tchibo has called on the country’s government to regulate the garment industry and enforce better working conditions, as it continues to pursue a fully ‘sustainable’ production chain. -
Thursday, 11 April 2019Mills Fabrica partners with H&M Global Change Award
HONG KONG – The Mills Fabrica – a programme dedicated to supporting technology and style start-ups – has announced a partnership with the H&M Foundation’s Global Change Award (GCA), which aims to accelerate the shift from a linear to circular… -
Monday, 08 April 2019Industry bodies share “deep concern” with Cambodia PM
PHNOM PENH – The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), Fair Labor Association (FLA) and six other apparel industry organisations have written to the Prime Minister of Cambodia urging action to tackle what is described as the “labour and… -
Friday, 05 April 2019H&M accused of living wage “empty promises and bogus claims”
AMSTERDAM — Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) has alleged that Swedish fashion retailer H&M has failed to meet its promise of implementing a living wage for 850,000 workers in its supply chain and that the company has “put a lot of effort in trying to… -
Thursday, 04 April 2019Report examines garment sector labour conditions in Vietnam
HANOI — A new study undertaken by Anti-Slavery International has explored the labour conditions facing workers in the export-oriented textile and garment industries of Vietnam, alongside the risk of rights violations such as forced labour, child… -
Wednesday, 03 April 2019Could an end to the Accord lead to a sourcing shift?
AMSTERDAM – As yet another key date in the future of the Bangladesh Accord approaches, Clean Clothes Campaign has collated responses from brands and retailers urging an extension of the regulatory body’s operations. One such statement from Norwegian… -
Monday, 01 April 2019Lenzing launches Earth Month campaign
NEW YORK – Lenzing Group has announced the launch of its 2019 Earth Month campaign, entitled From Trees, For Trees. The company’s Tencel brand, along with seven of its US retail partners, including Bn3th, BleuSalt, Triarchy Denim, Boyish Jeans,… -
Wednesday, 27 March 2019Nike gets FLA tick for re-accreditation
WASHINGTON – The Fair Labor Association (FLA) has announced the social compliance programme of Nike has been granted re-accreditation by its board of directors - marking the third successful accreditation achieved by the Beaverton-based sporting… -
Wednesday, 27 March 2019ASOS back at House of Lords for Modern Slavery forum
LONDON - Online fashion retailer ASOS will today return to the House of Lords to co-host a second Modern Slavery forum with Baroness Lola Young, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion. This comes almost…
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