Femnet e.V.

Corporate Responsibility (CSR) & Supply Chain Act

Multi-stakeholder partnership to implement due diligence obligations in the textile sector of Bangladesh

The textile and clothing sector is associated with high risks for the violation of recognised human rights and environmental damage. Brand companies play a decisive role with their purchasing practices, as they have been obliged to carry out reliable risk analyses since the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) came into force. Together with other NGOs, FEMNET is committed to ensuring that the perspective of rights holders is taken into account in the fulfilment of these due diligence obligations.

The German organisations FEMNET, SÜDWIND, INKOTA-netzwerk and HEJSupport are cooperating with the local organisations Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) and Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) in Bangladesh to support companies in fulfilling their due diligence obligations in the textile supply chain and protecting workers and their environment.

In order to adequately address existing risks and shortcomings and prevent violations, an evidence-based approach that includes the perspective of rights holders and is regularly updated is key.

This is achieved through two monitoring methods implemented in this project, initially focusing on the Savar sub-district in Dhaka, Bangladesh, but scalable:

 

Worker-based Monitoring (WBM)

Representative surveys of workers outside the factories are used to collect and evaluate reliable data on working conditions. These are compared with Bangladeshi labour law and international labour standards, clearly prepared online and updated annually. Trade unions can use the data in negotiations to improve production conditions.

Community-based Monitoring (CBM)

Negative environmental impacts in communities near the textile industry are recorded, documented and collected in a database together with the residents. These cases are forwarded to local authorities so that they can take action to improve. Additional samples record the effects of certain chemicals on the environment and humans.

The data collected in this way can serve as a valid and up-to-date inventory for the brand companies and be used for their risk analysis required by the LkSG. Problems can thus be identified at an early stage and resolved together in exchange with factory management and rights holders.

In addition, a publicly available list of violations of the law and evidence-based incidents in production countries is part of the project. On the so-called Incidents website, labor rights violations are collected and listed in detail in order to make incidents transparent and to be able to track the actions of the companies.

Our goals

1. Establish sustainable structures that establish a regular dialogue between local project partners, communities, trade unions, companies and authorities on the basis of the results of both monitoring procedures.
2. This is intended to... a.) the working conditions in the factories are sustainably improved.b.) Reduce existing health and environmental hazards for workers and residents.
3. Strengthening and supplementing already established dialogue structures (such as the Textiles Partnership and other multi-stakeholder initiatives) through the Incidents website and promoting community and worker-based monitoring as best practice models.
4. Conducting a joint pilot project involving trade unions, local communities, factory management and international brands to develop and implement countermeasures to identified labour rights violations and environmental pollution.

Activities and Measures

Activities in Bangladesh

Using worker and community-based monitoring , both human rights violations (WBM) and environmental damage (CBM) are recorded on an evidence-based basis with the direct involvement of rights holders, considered coherently and used for successful negotiations and the establishment of sustainable dialogue structures.

Local trade unions and NGOs are empowered to independently collect and evaluate data based on the WBM approach and to negotiate with factory owners on this basis.

Representatives of municipalities are trained to recognise the extent of environmental damage on the basis of the data acquired with the CBM approach and to use it for negotiations with factories or the relevant authorities.

In a dialogue platform consisting of all relevant stakeholders, joint countermeasures to mitigate ecological and human rights risks in the sub-district of Savar (Dhaka) are discussed and finally implemented as part of a pilot project.

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Activities in Germany

The results of both monitoring procedures will be introduced in various political contexts in Germany, shared with relevant stakeholders in the Textiles Partnership and beyond in other MSIs, and companies will be persuaded to participate in the pilot project.

On the Textile-Incidents.info website  , labour rights violations and environmental damage from production countries are researched in detail and prepared for public viewing. In addition to the results of the monitoring procedures, the website thus creates a basis for argumentation for the need for improved due diligence obligations (e.g. with regard to purchasing practices, complaint mechanisms and remedies, etc.) of companies.

In the monthly Textile Insight News Update , interested parties are informed about current developments and progress in the areas of labour rights and environmental problems in Bangladesh and beyond.

In cooperation with BILS and other local stakeholders, a study is being carried out that shows the impact of social and environmental certifications.