Caring about people
Caring about people
An action-driven leadership for the workers
FWF audits and Corrective Action Plans
Workplace Education Programmes (WEP)
In addition to our internal monitoring, we commission external audits at our suppliers to better understand the social conditions of their workers and their internal processes. These external audits are carried out by FWF. After each audit, a detailed report is shared with the factory and our Sustainability team. If necessary, CAPs are established and continuously monitored by our local teams in collaboration with the factories. In 2023, FWF carried out three audits in our partner factories in Bangladesh. The main findings centred on ‘safe and healthy working conditions’, ‘reasonable hours of work’, and ‘payment of living wage’. The associated CAPs are either closed or ongoing, especially for long-term objectives like living wage.
Training programmes provide factory management and workers with an opportunity to openly address issues and opportunities in the workplace. Together with FWF, these programmes are organised in our partner factories. The goal is to raise awareness about labour rights and give people the knowledge and skills they need to improve their working environment and relations, from setting up an anti-harassment committee to strengthening the communication between management and the workers. In 2023, we introduced an FWF training programme called the ‘Violence and Harassment Prevention Programme’ at one of our partner factories in Bangladesh. This programme focuses on workplace harassment and establishing and supporting workplace anti-harassment committees. If needed, FWF facilitates an election for an anti-harassment committee. By June 2024, the factory had completed three courses in addition to the introductory meeting. Four more sessions are scheduled for 2024 to complete the programme.
FWF helpline
All our partner factories have their own internal mechanism for raising concerns and complaints, including workers’ committees. If workers are not comfortable with this, the FWF external helpline makes sure their issues are properly addressed by its member brands. Our Sustainability Manager in Dhaka handles complaints and discusses the root cause with suppliers until a solution is found. In 2023, we received 17 complaints through the FWF helpline. We feel that this reflects a proactive and progressive approach to improving working conditions, with workers feeling able to voice their concerns without fear. This facilitates constructive dialogue between management, workers, and us as clients, fostering a positive relationship with our manufacturing partners. As of July 2024, 12 of the complaints raised in 2023 had been closed and five are open. Some open complaints are related to the closure of one of our strategic suppliers, Dird. This affected over 13,000 employees, including around 6,500 from Dird Composite Textiles Ltd, one of our main suppliers. Since the end 2023, we continue to work with FWF and other member brands to ensure the workers will receive their legal dues.
FWF audits in Bangladesh ( 2023 ) 3
complaints resolved ( July 2024 ) 12
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