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With regard to the textile industry, hardly any topic has caused as much turmoil in recent weeks as the Green button – ‘What does the Green Button bring?’, ‘What is the first state seal for sustainable textiles?’, ‘The Green Button – a first step in the right direction?’ are just a few titles of the numerous media reports devoted to the question of the content and effectiveness of the state metaseal of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

FEMNET has also addressed this question – as part of a symposium for teachers from universities and colleges, we were able to invite four experts to discuss different perspectives on the Green Button on 11 October 2019.

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© Initiative Supply Chain Act

The German government must legally oblige German companies to comply with human rights and environmental standards worldwide. This is called for by a broad alliance of 64 civil society organisations, including FEMNET and the CorA Corporate Responsibility Network, on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the devastating fire disaster at the Ali Enterprises textile factory in Pakistan.

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As a new state meta-seal for eco-socially produced clothing, the ‘Green Button’ is intended to give consumers more orientation in the cash jungle in the future. The pilot phase is scheduled to start in September 2019. However, FEMNET and the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) warn against misleading statements.

The label suggests a completely fair and sustainable product through its addition ‘social & ecological – state-certified’. However, it does not cover the entire supply chain, but initially only refers to clothing and wet processes (washing, dyeing). This means that the often bad working conditions, for example in cotton cultivation or in spinning mills, are not checked. However, this is not made clear to consumers.

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On the occasion of the World Economic Forum in Davos, more than 150 European non-governmental organisations, including the CorA network, are launching a petition against Investor State Dispute Settlements (ISDS) and for a binding UN agreement on business and human rights (UN-Treaty).

In doing so, they call on the EU and its Member States to withdraw from trade and investment agreements containing special rights of action and to refrain from concluding such agreements with special rights of action in the future. They also call for legal possibilities to hold corporations accountable for human rights violations.

The petition seeks to build pressure on the EU and its Member States to push for a binding UN agreement on business and human rights (Binding Treaty).

Europe-wide petition ‘Protecting human rights – stopping corporate lawsuits’: www.stopisds.org/de

German Value Chain Act to make global supply chains more sustainable

Bangladesh textile factory. Photo: © FEMNETBangladesh textile factory. Photo: © FEMNET

Bonn. Many German companies benefit from legal loopholes in order to have their goods produced cheaply abroad. To date, they have only been required voluntarily to take action against human rights violations against their suppliers. This should change in the future: According to media information, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has drafted a value chain law, which is to be published soon. Violations should be punishable by imprisonment and fines.

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Seven years is not enough: No justice for Ali Enterprises textile workers and their families

Photo: © medico international/Holger PriedemuthPhoto: © medico international/Holger PriedemuthDortmund. The Regional Court of Dortmund made a very disappointing decision on 10 January 2019: The case of the factory fire at the Pakistani supplier of the German textile company KiK from Septmeber 2012 will not be negotiated – due to statutory limitation periods. The plaintiffs were four members of the Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affectees Association. With this decision, the company avoids any responsibility towards the workers who produce its goods.

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Signatures handed over to Primark in Bonn on 03.02.2018. Photo: ©FEMNET e.V.Signatures handed over to Primark in Bonn on 03.02.2018. Photo:© FEMNET e.V.70,000 people ask Armani and Primark to reveal where they have their clothes made

On February 3, 2018, FEMNET together with other activists handed over a golden gift box with 70,000 signatures to the low-cost manufacturer Primark in its branch in Cologne. We pointed out that Primark should be transparent about its supply chain and disclose the names of its suppliers. There were also actions in other cities in Germany, Europe and even Hong Kong.

This action was a complete success! On February 7, 2018, three working days after our promotion, Primark published its supplier list. We note: Public pressure is working! Thank you to all who have supported us in this.

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