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Fair Wear Foundation
Fair Wear Foundation
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Introduction
Fair Wear Foundation is a European multi-stakeholder initiative working to
improve workplace conditions in the garment and textile industry. [1] It is
an independent, non-profit organisation that works with companies and
factories to improve labour conditions for garment workers.
Fair Wear Foundations 80 member companies represent over 120 brands,
and are based in seven European countries; member products are sold in
over 20,000 retail outlets in more than 80 countries around the world. Fair
Wear Foundation is active in 15 production countries in Asia, Europe and
Africa. [2]
History
Fair Wear Foundation was founded in 1999. When garment production in
The Netherlands had by then been displaced to low-wage countries, after
some years of campaigning against poor labour conditions in low-wage
countries, the union FNV and the CCC contacted the employers
organisations and proposed a joint initiative to improve labour condition in
the garment sector.
The founders designed the Code of Labour Practices for the Garment
Industry. They based the code on the international standards included in
International Labour Organization conventions, with guidance from the
model codes of the International Clean Clothes Campaign and the ICFTU
(the international umbrella organisation of trade unions, of which the FNV
is a member).
In the period 19992002, the Foundation carried out pilot projects on the
implementation of the code of labour practices with four Dutch
companies. These experiences led to the determination of a standard
procedure.
Building up membership among companies was the next step. The first
group of 11 members was announced to the public in March 2003. This
group comprised partly fashion producers and partly producers of
industrial work wear. [3]
Organisation
It organisational structure consists of a tripartite (multi-stakeholder)
board, in which business associations, trade unions and (labour) NGOs are
equally represented. Based in Amsterdam, Fair Wear Foundation works
internationally with companies all over Europe and in production countries
worldwide. [4]
How It Works
Companies that produce and distribute products of which the main
manufacturing process is sewing join Fair Wear Foundation and, depending
on the direct influence they have with garment factories, become a Fair
Wear Foundation affiliate or Fair Wear Foundation ambassador. Both
affiliates and ambassadors of Fair Wear Foundation work towards
improving the labour conditions in factories and workshops where the
cut-make-trim stage takes place, all over the world. The basis of the
collaboration between Fair Wear Foundation and a member is the Code of
Labour Practices. Eight labour standards form the core of the Code of
Labour Practices. Members of Fair Wear Foundation must comply with this
Code of Labour Practices. [6]
[7]
Guiding Principles
[8]
Labour Standards
Fair Wear Foundation developed a strong code and matching pragmatic
approach for members. The basis of the collaboration between Fair Wear
Foundation and a member is the Code of Labour Practices. The core of this
code is made up from eight labour standards derived from ILO
Conventions and the UNs Declaration on Human Rights. This means the
Fair Wear Foundation Code of Labour Practices is based on internationally
recognised standards which have been set through tripartite negotiation.
[10]
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Approach
The Fair Wear Foundation approach brings together the key components
needed for sustainable change. Companies work step-by-step to improve
conditions in their supply chains. It means cooperation is ensured among
a slew of stakeholders, and accountability among all of the organisation.
[19]
Focus
Focus is restricted to those phases of production where sewing is the main
manufacturing process. Since, these are among the most labour-intensive
phases of the production process, it is also the stage of production where
many labour problems are found, and so, effective remedies can positively
impact the lives of millions of workers.
It means that the staff should have advanced and specialised knowledge
of industry practice and trends. It enables Fair Wear Foundation to
concentrate on building strong working relationships with local and
international stakeholders who, specialise in garments and textiles. [20]
Multi-Stakeholder DNA
Fair Wear Foundation joins together business associations, trade
unions, and NGOs as equal partners at every level of Fair Wear
Foundation activity from decision-making at the Board level to
workplace verification and code implementation. Each stakeholder
group has an important role to play in improving working
conditions, and the impact is that much greater when they all work
together.
Fair Wear Foundation gives significant time and resources in
relationship-building with local partners in production countries
because the effectiveness and value of Fair Wear Foundations
system ultimately relies on local stakeholders capacity to effect
change locally.
Fair Wear Foundation involves local stakeholders in every aspect of
its work from auditing to remediation and complaints handling to
development of Fair Wear Foundations overarching country
strategy. [22]
Multi-level Verification
Fair Wear Foundations verification system exists at three levels. Fair Wear
Foundation verifies at factory level and implements a complaints
procedure in all countries where it is active to serve as a safety net.
Finally, Fair Wear Foundation also verifies at the company level to check
whether companies implement the Fair Wear Foundation Code of Labour
Practices in their management systems effectively. [23]
Transparency
For full accountability in supply chains, transparency is necessary at three
key levels: the workplace, the company, and the organization. [24]
1. Fair Wear Foundation makes aggregate data available on Fair Wear
Foundation verification audits public.
2. Fair Wear Foundation conducts brand performance checks,
reviewing each affiliated companys management systems and
performance in fulfilling Fair Wear Foundation requirements. Reports
are available online.
3. Fair Wear Foundation commits to keep local stakeholders aware of
developments at Fair Wear Foundation that pertain to them, makes
Cooperation
Fair Wear Foundation cooperates with a range of stakeholders and other
organisations in order to develop sustainable systems for good workplace
conditions. FAIR WEAR FOUNDATION plays an active role in convening the
Jo-In Platform, which assembles the heads of leading Code initiatives
internationally (i.e. Clean Clothes Campaign, Ethical Trading Initiative, Fair
Labour Association, Social Accountability International, and Worker Rights
Consortium). The goal is to harmonise workplace Codes globally and to
collaborate for improved implementation on challenging issues like living
wage and hours work.
Fair Wear Foundation has also developed working partnerships with FLO
International (now called Fairtrade International), United Nations Women,
the European Outdoor Group, and other organizations. Fair Wear
Foundation looks to such collaborative projects to pilot new approaches
and/or to have a greater, more sustainable impact on workplace standards
implementation. [25]
Social Dialogue
Fair Wear Foundation realises good labour conditions by: stimulating sound
industrial relations worldwide and, wherever possible, harmonising policies
and methods. [26]
that will help garment brands and factories to gradually improve workers
wages. It is an innovative online tool that helps brands, factories, trade
unions and NGOs to work towards living wages for garment and other
workers. The Fair Wear Foundation Wage Ladder was made possible by the
support of Dutch trade union CNV International and the Dutch ministry of
foreign affairs. [27]
References
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Wear_Foundation
2. http://www.fairwear.org/22/about/
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Wear_Foundation
4. http://www.fairwear.org/512/about/organisation/
5. http://www.fairwear.org/595/about/faq/
6. http://www.fairwear.org/22/about/
7. http://www.fairwear.org/585/about/membership-types/
8. http://www.fairwear.org/22/about/
9. http://www.fairwear.org/22/about/
10 .http://www.fairwear.org/488/labour-standards/1.-employment-is-freelychosen/
11. http://www.fairwear.org/488/labour-standards/1.-employment-is-freelychosen/
12. http://www.fairwear.org/490/labour-standards/2.-there-is-nodiscrimination-in-employment/
13. http://www.fairwear.org/492/labour-standards/3.-no-exploitation-ofchild-labour/
14. http://www.fairwear.org/494/labour-standards/4.-freedom-ofassociation-and-the-right-to-collective-bargaining/
15. http://www.fairwear.org/496/labour-standards/5.-payment-of-livingwage/
16. http://www.fairwear.org/498/labour-standards/6.-no-excessive-workinghours/
17. http://www.fairwear.org/500/labour-standards/7.-safe-and-healthyworking-conditions/
18. http://www.fairwear.org/502/labour-standards/8.-legally-bindingemployment-relationship/
19. http://www.fairwear.org/510/about/approach/
20. http://www.fairwear.org/510/about/approach/
21. http://www.fairwear.org/510/about/approach/
22. http://www.fairwear.org/510/about/approach/
23. http://www.fairwear.org/510/about/approach/
24. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Wear_Foundation
25. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Wear_Foundation
26. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Wear_Foundation
27. http://www.fairwear.org/563/wageladder/