Fair Wear Foundation stands in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of young people participating in the Global Climate Strike.

Climate change is a human rights issue. No one in the world will be spared the harmful effects of climate change, and garment workers stand to be some of those hardest hit—by way of the impact it is likely to have on their workplaces (overheating due to extreme heat); livelihoods (as resources become scarce and jobs move); and their communities (floods and draughts, food shortages, etc). 

To consider environmental activism as separate from workers human rights is folly.

We already see that environmental change is underway. If nothing changes, the industry is running headlong into shortages, competition, and collapse. Workers will experience irreparable damage to the natural resources that their communities depend on. As worker advocates this can be nothing less than alarming.

(Access the full article on thethreads.org *)

In short, we need to take action. Now. 

What is the Global Climate Strike?
Youth around the world have been striking from school on Fridays, demanding action to stop the global climate crisis. They are calling for a mass mobilisation today—three days ahead of a United Nations emergency climate summit—to move world governments to take emergency action and end the fossil fuel era.

Over 1,700 strikes are planned in more than 150 countries to disrupt business as usual, and strikers are calling on everyone to join them. On top of this, Over 1,000 websites and companies are joining the Digital Climate Strike.

This is a crucial moment for all of us to join voices and demand action to stop climate change. So stop what you are doing and join in. Together, we can make sure we’re heard.

Join the digital strike.                         Participate in the Global Climate Strike.

* thethreads.org is a new collaboration that weaves together different disciplines and points of view about what needs to happen to speed up human rights and environmental improvement in the garment industry. 

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Macron’s G7 Fashion Pact is a brave initiative. However, Fair Wear feels that the French president could have been braver still had he included labour conditions in the fashion industry too.

48 fashion companies were involved in two agreements to create more sustainable clothes the week of the 19^th of August and neither of these agreements included commitments to improve the lives of garment workers. The Fashion Pact signed at the G7 consists of 32 companies representing 150 garment brands. At the same time, in Mumbai, sixteen Indian brands signed a similar pact.

The 1.7 trillion-dollar garment industry has the potential to lift millions of garment workers out of poverty. Yet, many workers are still paid below minimum wage and are often unwilling to address their management for fear of reprisals. They are also the ones directly affected by climate change, live in the areas most polluted by the industry and have little choice but to work in factories as the ecosystems around them suffer. 

The ability of workers to earn a living wage and to have a say in the issues that affect them can only come to pass when garment brands within the Fashion Pact – and all other brands – make a real commitment to addressing human rights issues along with environmental ones. For inspiration, look at the national initiatives happening in the Netherlands and Germany that actively work towards  improving labour conditions.

The industry will not move towards its goal to be truly sustainable for the planet and people unless workers can do their jobs safely and address violations like excessive overtime, unsafe working conditions and poverty wages through trade unions or other organisations legitimately representing workers. That is what we keep working on, together with our partners, CNV Internationaal and Mondiaal FNV.

(Image: REUTERS/Charles Platiau/Pool)

‘We care about what we wear. Right? You want to look nice, feel good, be comfortable and not pay too much. Until recently, these were the only things I considered when I bought my clothes.  But there is more to it – more for us to care about.’ This is how the Tedx Talk given by FWF director Alexander Kohnstamm starts. It’s now available online.

In his talk that was recently recorded at Leiden University,  Alexander shares what can be done to promote more socially and economically sustainable business practices in the garment industry. He speaks about holding businesses ethically accountable, using market forces and economic resources to improve the quality of life in developing countries.

Check out the whole video here:

Today, the ILO (International Labour Organization) adopted a new Convention on violence and harassment in the world of work. It’s a major step towards giving workers across the world the right to a workplace free of violence and intimidation.

FWF partners FNV and CNV and Fair Wear Foundation have been lobbying and campaigning for years for an internationally binding treaty. Violence and harassment in the workplace is a persistent problem for many workers worldwide. Women in particular often have to deal with forms of violence and harassment in the workplace. This convention is a victory for the international trade union movement.

‘This worldwide convention is of great importance for this sector where violence and intimidation are common. It means that ultimately all clothing brands must take action against violence in factories, in addition to the small group of precursors who are already doing that.’ – FWF director Alexander Kohnstamm

The end of a long road
In 2017, the ILO presented the first contours of a treaty. Last year was the first round of negotiations during the ILO Conference. There was resistance along the way, but the lobby of FNV, CNV and Fair Wear Foundation strongly contributed  to this  historic treaty.

The ILO treaty
The ILO is a United Nations agency that brings together governments, employer and worker organisations to set labor standards and promote decent work for all. Once an ILO Convention is passed, all ILO member states must submit the Convention to their national authority to consider ratification.. States who ratify the Convention will need to ensure that their national legislation is in conformity with the Convention’s minimum standards.

In the Convention, new international agreements have been made to protect workers against violence and harassment in the world of work. Member states that ratify the treaty must prohibit violence and harassment in their national law. In many countries, this is not yet the case. In the adopted Convention, it has been established that domestic violence has an impact on the workplace and that employers should recognize the effects and mitigate its impact in the world of work . The treaty also gives workers in the informal sector, such as domestic workers, the right to protection.

Strong support
FWF will -together with its partners – continue to work on preventing and ending violence and harassment in garment factories. Last week, FWF together with trade unions FNV and CNV Internationaal presented their joint manifesto to members of the Dutch parliament, encouraging the Dutch ILO delegation to strongly support the new ILO Convention. Read more about FWF activities on this portal.

On 10 June, the 108^th International Labour Conference will commence in Geneva. There, a historic vote will take place on the first ever international standard on violence and harassment in the world of work. What does  this mean for the work of FWF?

1. What is the ILC?

ILC stands for International Labour Conference. This is where the member states of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) meet. Over 5000 delegates from 187 countries will descend on Geneva, Switzerland from 10-21 June. Here, conventions are adopted, resolutions are passed and social and labour questions of importance to the entire world are discussed freely.

2. Why is there so much  fuss about the new labour Convention?

At the end of the conference, the member states will vote on the first ever international standard on violence and harassment in the world of work, so this Convention is pretty unique and historic.

3. Why do we need this Convention?

Gender-based violence remains one of the most tolerated violations of workers’ human rights. According to statistics, 35% of women—818 million women globally—over the age of 15 have experienced sexual or physical violence at home, in their communities or in the workplace. Yet there is currently no international law that sets a minimum standard to eradicate violence and harassment in the world of work. 

4. How does the vote relate to the work of FWF?

Violence and harassment against women and men is especially prevalent in the garment industry, which employs a high number of women, often in lower-paid, lower-power positions. In research conducted by FWF among garment workers, the most frequent type of harassment mentioned was non-verbal, such as staring, whistling and winking. Around one in ten of all interviewed women stated that they had received sexually explicit remarks, had been physical assaulted (touching or groping breasts or other body parts) or had been stalked.

5. How can this Convention help garment workers?

If a Convention is passed, all ILO member states must submit the Convention to their national authority for consideration of ratification. States who ratify the Convention will need to ensure that their national legislation is in conformity with the Convention’s minimum standards. This means that national lobbying and advocacy activities will need to go well beyond the ILC 2019 to see the successful implementation of this standard in the workplace.

FWF will -together with its partners – continue to work on preventing and ending violence and harassment in garment factories. Last week, FWF together with trade unions FNV and CNV Internationaal presented their joint manifesto to members of the Dutch parliament, encouraging the Dutch ILO delegation to strongly support the new ILO Convention to end violence and harassment in the world of work. Read more about FWF activities on this portal.

Today, FWF together with trade unions FNV and CNV Internationaal presented their joint manifesto to members of the Dutch parliament, encouraging the Dutch ILO delegation to strongly support the new ILO Convention to end violence and harassment in the world of work.

The three organisations – who work together in the Strategic Partnership for Garment Supply Chain Transformation – submitted the joint manifesto to the Dutch parliament’s Commission of Social Affairs and Employment. They called on the Dutch government to work together with Dutch trade unions on an effective international treaty against violence and harassment in the world of work.

Next week, during the International Labour Conference, discussions will start around an international treaty to end violence and harassment. Speaking in the Dutch House of Representatives this afternoon, FWF director Alexander Kohnstamm highlighted the importance of the convention for the garment sector. ‘The 130 FWF member brands stand for responsible business in the clothing sector. A global Convention means that every brand must act against violence in the workplace.’

Join us at Copenhagen Fashion Summit!

We’re happy to be one of the exhibitors at this week’s Copenhagen Fashion Summit’s Innovation Forum. Find us at our booth together with our member brands, Nudie Jeans and Suitsupply.

The Innovation Forum offers sustainable solutions, which are designed to help small and large fashion businesses speed up or embark on their first steps towards a sustainability journey. Each of the solutions presented at the Innovation Forum will address one or more of the priorities in the CEO Agenda 2019. This agenda defines the top sustainability priorities for industry executives to take action on.

This year’s edition of Copenhagen Fashion Summit will mark the event’s 10th anniversary and will take place on 15-16 May 2019 at the Copenhagen Concert Hall. The Summit is organised by Global Fashion Agenda, a forum on fashion sustainability working to mobilise the global fashion system to change the way we produce, market and consume fashion.

We are happy to welcome elkline to Fair Wear Foundation!

The German fashion brand elkline aims to implement sustainable improvements and social standards through FWF membership. ‘It is our highest requirement to produce elkline products under the best possible ecological and social-human conditions’, says elkline CEO Stephan Knüppel. ‘The safety and well-being of all employees and those who produce for elkline in the most diverse production sites in the world is of particular concern to us. With the support of Fair Wear Foundation, we can work together with our suppliers to sustainably improve the working conditions in the factories.’

The first Brand Performance Checks for elkline will occur after one year of membership, and will be published on the company’s brand page.

We’re searching for an HR Advisor to join our organisation.

The HR Advisor will deliver HR services contributing to organisational effectiveness by providing advice and support to FWF’s Management Team, individual supervisors and all other employees. The HR Advisor is active on a strategic, tactic and operational level. The services include the provision of coaching, training and advice regarding workload, in line with legal requirements, organisational standards and current best practices.

You can read the full details of this vacancy here. If you’re interested in applying, please send your CV with a cover letter to [email protected] no later than 19 May.

We will be interviewing candidates towards the end of May and beginning of June.

AMSTERDAM – During Fashion Revolution Week, FWF challenges all fashion lovers to share their #ClothesWithIntention. FWF hopes to get more people to share their sustainable fashion story.

Fashion Revolution Day (24 April) commemorates the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh. During Fashion Revolution Week, hundreds of events take place around the world in the name of ethical clothing. By using the hashtag #ClothesWithIntention this week, everyone can participate in a social media challenge that has the potential to contribute to a bigger wave of social change for garment workers.

How can you take part?
Wear a shirt, pants or an entire outfit from your wardrobe that you’ve chosen with care and that somehow represents sustainable fashion. Take a cool photo and share it! Tell the world: why is this garment in your closet and what about it is sustainable.

Since Rana Plaza, the awareness of unfair clothing production has grown considerably among consumers. Everyone who buys clothes plays an important role in the transformation of the industry. Consumers can demand that brands be transparent about where their clothing is made and what they’re doing to improve working conditions. Brand openness can help consumers to make more informed choices. It also becomes easier to support brands that invest more in sustainability.

Date: 22nd – 28th April 2019

Locations:

Fair Wear Foundation Facebook page

FWF Twitter page

FWF Instagram

Go-to text: ‘I stand with the workers who made these clothes.’

Call to action: ‘What’s your sustainable fashion story?’

Hashtags: #FairToWear #WhoMadeMyClothes #ClothesWithIntention