The GoodWeave Apparel Program
Apparel companies can learn about what’s taking place beyond factory walls in hidden supply chains to address systemic issues causing child, forced and bonded labor in the ready-made garment sector in Northern India. Through a unique program that links your tier one audit system to GoodWeave’s deep supply chain due diligence, remediation and prevention process, you’ll be able to identify potential issues in your production and put in place measures to ensure your supply chain is free of all forms of worker exploitation. The end-result is a high level of assurance against child labor, protection for thousands of apparel workers, and education for their children—the best form of prevention.
Program Details
The focus is in regions of India where the rate of child labor is documented at 19% and forced labor is documented at 9% in home-based stitching communities.[i] 1) Brand engagement: As part of the program, brands share supplier lists with GoodWeave confidentially, so that overlapping supply chains in the region can be identified. Brands must also ensure relevant policies enable their suppliers to divulge outsourcing relationships without repercussions. 2) Supply chain mapping and inspections: Suppliers grant GoodWeave full access to their production sites, down to home-based workers. Where possible, GoodWeave coordinates with existing audit and compliance programs to identify gaps and avoid duplication. Then random, unannounced inspections are conducted to identify and remediate child, forced and bonded labor cases, according to the GoodWeave Standard.[ii] 3) Remediation and prevention: Comprehensive programming delivers a range of services to child labor victims, increasing school enrollment and learning outcomes for at-risk children in home-based worker communities. In tandem, piece rate and other income data are collected, aggregated and shared to advance efforts on living wages. Brands receive regular reporting on findings in their supply chain and progress in related communities.
Program Benefits
Risk mitigation, procurement and production efficiencies, as well as market advantage are among the program benefits. Participants also gain supply chain information which includes detailed knowledge of all producers, often through layers of subcontracting down to home-based units. Increasingly, consumers are demanding to know who made the goods they purchase. Policymakers are advancing a regulatory environment that is prompting companies to act against child, forced, and bonded labor. For example, the UK, Netherlands and France have put in place mandatory due diligence laws on these issues. This program is designed to help you more easily address these demands and attain your corporate social responsibility goals related to preventing and remediating child, forced and bonded labor.
GoodWeave – Bringing decades of supply chain experience
GoodWeave is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to stopping child labor in global supply chains. In support of the Sustainable Development Goals, Target 8.7, GoodWeave aims to free 30 million children from exploitation by 2025. The GoodWeave® label is currently found on carpets and home textiles, and is the best assurance consumers have that child labor was not used in the production of these products. The label is used by more than 190 brand partners in 20 countries. GoodWeave is now expanding its footprint into the fashion industry and other sectors with a high prevalence of child labor. GoodWeave is ISEAL Code Compliant. Our system has been independently evaluated against ISEAL’s Codes of Good Practice. GoodWeave undergoes third-party assessment to ensure rigor in the oversight and implementation of its supply chain inspection program.
For more information, contact: Sonny Puryear, Director, Business Engagement and Marketing sonny@goodweave.org
[i] https://blumcenter.berkeley.edu/publications/tainted-garments/
[ii] https://goodweave.org/proven-approach/standard/ https://goodweave.org/policies-and-procedures/
