Purchasing practices and working conditions in global supply chains: Global Survey results The International Labour Organization (ILO) and its constituents, at the 10thSession of the International Labour Conference (ILC), discussed the need to further assess working conditions deficits as well as governance issues that may hinder the achievement of decent work in global supply chains. Specifically, the Conference asked the ILO to “take a proactive role in generating and making accessible reliable data on decent work in global supply chains” and to “carry out research to better understand how supply chains work in practice and what their impact is on decent work and fundamental rights”. The Inclusive Labour Markets, Labour Relations and Working Conditions branch took action to contribute to fill this gap by carrying out a Global Survey on purchasing practices and working conditions in collaboration with the joint Ethical Trading Initiatives. This Global Survey is strong in terms of number of workers covered. Since the average number of workers in the surveyed companies was 1,026, the sample covers nearly 1.5 million workers. Finally, this study is able to analyse purchasing practices and working conditions by firm size. We have identified 5 major business practices between the buyers and the suppliers that may influence wages and working conditions: Contracts clauses, technical specifications, order placement (and lead times), prices and market power, and requests for social standards. While many of these areas are heavily promoted by the buyers’ policies, we also find that the profile of the suppliers may also play an important role when explaining the working environment and working conditions. Mehr Details
Shopping aid: Fair Kitas – Fair textiles Whether rain jacket, sweater or mud pants: Finding fair clothing and shoes isn't that hard. You just need to know how. This shopping aid is intended as an easy-to-understand orientation: for all those who want to practice fair shopping. Mehr Details
Ministry of Textiles: Annual Report The Indian textile industry is one of the largest in the world with a large unmatched raw material base and manufacturing strength across the value chain. It is the 2nd largest producer of MMF Fibre after China. India is the 6th largest exporter of Textiles & Apparel in the world. India’s textiles and clothing industry is one of the mainstays of the national economy. The share of textile and apparel (T&A) including handicrafts in India’s total exports stands at a significant 11.8% in 2019-20. India has a share of 5% of the global trade in textiles and apparel. The uniqueness of the industry lies in its strength both in the hand-woven sector as well as in the capital intensive mill sector. The report gives insights into the textile and garment industry in India and data of its economic development. Mehr Details
River Blue The ‘River Blue’ documentation addresses the environmental pollution associated with the production of textiles and clothing. Chemical manufacturing processes and the disposal of toxic waste are polluting rivers in many parts of Asia and affecting the lives of people and animals who rely on these waters to survive. RiverBlue draws attention to the destruction of some of the most important rivers in the world through the production of our clothing. At the same time, the documentation is looking for answers on how the textile industry and clothing companies can act environmentally and responsibly. Mehr Details
Between law and reality – freedom of association and collective bargaining This study introduces the emergence and content of two core labour standards, No 87 and No 98, and explains the supervisory system by which the ILO verifies compliance with these conventions. Using the example of China and Bangladesh, the study illustrates what the anchoring of freedom of association and collective bargaining in national law looks like today, almost 70 years after the adoption of the conventions, and what it looks like in reality. "There are blatant shortcomings in the implementation of the conventions in both countries", says the author of the study, SÜDWIND employee Sabine Ferenschild. “In China, workers have no right at all to form or join a trade union of their choice. Although this right exists in Bangladesh, it is subject to high hurdles under national legislation. In view of the fact that not all ILO member states have yet ratified Core Labour Standards No 87 and No 98, the study formulates a final call for the ILO to launch an offensive to further ratify these important conventions. However, the author also stresses that ‘in the context of the implementation of corporate due diligence obligations, the task of companies is to make the implementation of the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining in subcontracting companies a criterion for the award of contracts’. Mehr Details
