Femnet e.V.

Gender Equality in Global Supply Chains

In order to achieve equality between women and men in all areas of life globally, future policies, whether at international, European or national level, should urgently address the structural disadvantage of women in global value chains. A gender-responsive supply chain law is the first step. A fundamental perspective aimed at reducing discrimination is needed.

Date of publication: 06 /2020

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"Transparency in the fashion industry"

FEMNET has published the most important results of a new study in German

Textile companies have made great progress in recent years in disclosing information about their supply chains. This is shown in a report published in December 2019 by an alliance of trade unions, human rights groups and labour rights initiatives, including the Clean Clothes Campaign.
The short version has been translated into German by FEMNET. The report is an update of the 2017 company survey.

‘Figure leaf of the fashion industry: How social audits protect companies and leave workers in the lurch’

Social audits are designed to monitor and ensure compliance with human rights at work. However, as a control tool, this approach has failed. This is documented in the report ‘FIG LEAF FOR FASHION - How social auditing protects brands and fails workers’ of the Clean Clothes Campaign: The multi-billion-dollar, private-sector certification and audit industry systematically protects the reputation and profits of the contracting companies instead of the rights of workers.

The Impact of Purchasing Practices on Working Conditions in the Indian Textile Sector

Summary of the study by Mark Anner, ed.: Alliance for Sustainable Textiles, 2020

Original study: Predatory purchasing practices in global apparel supply chains and the employment relations squeeze in the Indian garment export industry
Mark Anner in International Labour Review, Vol. 158 (2019), No. 4

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Fire at the Tazreen Factory - An Example of the Failure of Voluntary Measures

In this compact fact sheet, Gisela Burckhardt, FEMNET e.V., illustrates what measures the Federal Government would have to take to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in order to prevent such serious human rights violations from taking place in the textile industry.

There are further profiles of other branches of the company, which represent the need for action and implementation steps, to be found on the
CorA website.

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Todschick - Noble labels, cheap fashion - inhumanely produced

It is a fatal error: When we buy branded fashion, we believe that the higher price is justified by better quality – also in terms of production conditions. No textile workers in Bangladesh will die for the precious stamps ... Wrong! Expensive fashion labels have their goods manufactured under the same pathetic conditions as textile discounters. Most importantly, cheap, even if it costs lives. A book about the clothing industry after ‘Rana Plaza’ and the dark secret of fine fashion brands. Prosecution and hope at the same time, because we can force companies to act responsibly ...

• Book announcement
• contents (PDF file)

240 pages · flap brochure
B 12,99 [D] / B 13,40 [A] / CHF 18,90 (received. UK price)
ISBN 978-3-453-60322-6

The book is also available as an e-book.

Myth CSR - Corporate Responsibility and Regulatory Gaps
(2011 edition)

The 250-page anthology on the myth of CSR deals with the question of corporate responsibility between voluntariness and regulation in global supply chains.

The volume shows the gaps in the state protection obligation in Germany/Europe and asks about the effect of CSR measures by companies on working conditions. The topic of transparency and reporting obligations of companies is also explained in several articles. In the last chapter, based on the analysis prepared, the demands on the Federal Government are presented so that companies fulfil their duty of care and the state fulfils its duty of protection.

Year of publication: 2011

Reference: Published in: Horlemann Verlag 2011 ⁇ Euro 14,90 ISBN 978-3-89502-325-5 www.horlemann.de
or free of charge as PDF download (Study as a complete publication and the summary ):

With its latest study, our partner organisation Cividep offers a comprehensive insight into the challenges and solutions of grievance mechanisms in the Indian garment industry. The focus is particularly on the role that multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) such as the Textiles Partnership can play in effectively supporting local mechanisms. In addition to the presentation of the numerous existing, but mostly non-functioning complaint options, as well as an overview of existing "back-up" approaches, the study therefore also formulates demands and recommendations for all stakeholders of an MSI.

In the first half of 2023, FEMNET and ECCHR, together with the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), one of Pakistan's most important trade union organizations, investigated the extent to which companies covered by the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG) comply with labour rights in Pakistan.

The research has revealed that a large proportion of workers in textile factories in Pakistan's Sindh province do not receive the statutory minimum wage, which was increased in the summer of 2022. Many workers are also exposed to numerous other labor rights violations, especially with regard to working hours, vacation and sick pay, overtime pay as well as registration and contributions to social security and pension insurance.

Publication date: 12/2023