Our experience pioneering a new

approach:

homework, child labour and multi-

stakeholder solutions

Liz KirkHead of Projects, ETI Give Children a Chance Conference, Copenhagen, 12 Dec 2006

What is the Ethical Trading Initiative?

ETI is a tripartite alliance of companies, NGOs

and trade unions committed to working together

to identify, promote and implement good labour

practice.

section

aAbout ETI

Who are our members

• 39 corporate members (retailers/suppliers)Combined turnover of £100 billion+ on textiles, clothing, homewares, food and electronics

• 16 NGO members Plus partner organisations

• 3 international trade union secretariatsUK TUC and affiliate networks

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aAbout ETI

Non-governmental organisations

• Africa Now

• Anti-Slavery International

• Care International UK

• CAFOD

• Central American Women’s Network

• Christian Aid

• Fairtrade Foundation

• Homeworkers Worldwide

• National Group on Homeworking

• Oxfam

• Quaker Peace & Social Witness

• Save the Children

• Traidcraft Exchange

• TWIN

• Women Working Worldwide

• Women in the Informal Economy Globalising & Organising (WIEGO)

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aAbout ETI

ETI’s Base Code

• Employment is freely chosen

• Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining

• Working conditions are safe and hygienic

• Child labour shall not be used

• Living wages are paid

• Working hours are not excessive

• No discrimination is practised

• Regular employment is provided

• No harsh or inhumane treatment

section

aAbout ETI

Specifically, on child labour:

• There shall be no new recruitment of child labour

• Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child…to education

• Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions

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bchild labour & companies

Shifting attitudes

• Mid 90s - child labour as the lens through which companies engage on labour rights

• Danger level attached to this issue means a zero tolerance approach often taken

• Last 1 - 2 years, seen a more responsible approach emerging

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bchild labour & companies

The ‘disincentives’ to responsibility:

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bchild labour & companies

How to change the climate?

• Need to educate the media & consumer

• NGO community to start rewarding risk-takers

• Build up the business case

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bchild labour & companies

A new approach:homework, child labour & multi-stakeholder solutions

• ETI homeworker guidelines - a generic practical document for all players in global supply chains

• Product of 4 years of work in UK & India between 2 m-s groups

• first ever attempt to promote and guide responsible corporate practice in the area of homeworking.

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cETI’s experience

Homeworker supply chains:

Simple Complex

(Agent)

HW

Exporter

Retailer

HW

Contractor

Exporter

(Agent)

Retailer

HW

Sub-sub-contractor

Sub-contractor

Contractor

Exporter

(Agent)

Retailer

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cETI’s experience

Guidelines...

• they reflect our members´ collective experience that the entire industry - not just retailers but also suppliers, TUs and NGOs - must play a part in improving the conditions of these workers.

• Relevant to you because homeworking is likely to involve child labour

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cETI’s experience

Structure & contents of the GLs

• Overview of homeworking & examples of responses to HW globally

• Principles: individual v.s collaborative action

• Chapter for retailers, chapter for suppliers

• Chapter for TUs and NGOs

• Toolkit

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cETI’s experience

In India: setting up multi-stakeholder agencies to implement• Now, converted to a multi-stakeholder agency, to oversee

implementation in other local areas of collaborative

actions in the guidelines.

• Motivated by conviction will be more effective implementing

these collectively,.

• Gap, Monsoon, Next, their exporters (Aesthetics, Nandeetas,

Chelsea Mills), HMS, SEWA, CEC

• Will oversee set-up of regional implementing agencies.

The National Group and the Bareilly Group

National Homework GroupOversees Bareilly Group set-up Monitors actions of members & BHG Refines GLs Identifies next area for Regional HG

Bareilly Homework Group

•State & industry specific (Uttar Pradesh fabric embellishment industry)

•Implementing ‘joint’ actions (e.g.welfare fund set-up)

•May become permanent

•Multi-partite: brings in state gov (labour dep.)

•Set-up now beginning

The Bareilly Homeworkers Group (BHG)

• Set up in September 2006

• Membership - Eight contractors, One NGO

• Extensive research into HWs issues and suggestions...

Possible labour issues & solutions HWs were consulted on in Bareilly:

IRREGULAR WORK

LOW PIECE RATES

PAYMENT SYSTEMS

HEALTH & SAFETY

BARGAINING POWER

SOCIAL SECURITY

CHILD HOMEWORKERSHHOMEWORKERS

EDUCATION

INSURANCE

SAVINGS & CREDIT SCHEMES(SHGs)

HEALTH & SAFETY TRAINING

QUALITY TRAINING

PRODUCTIVITY TRAINING

SKILL DIVERSIFICATIONTRAINING

RECORD KEEPING TRAINING

…and homeworkers’ priorities:

OVERALL REACTIONS OPTIONS

Extremely Beneficial 1.0 Education2.0 Insurance3.0 Record Keeping Training

Very Beneficial o Skill Diversification Trainingo Savings & Credit Schemes

Beneficial Quality Training Health & Safety Training

Not Very Beneficial Productivity Training

Next steps for BHG

• Linking with NCLP schools

• HWs training on H&S, quality and record keeping

• Social insurance

• Future strategy

Lessons:

• Collaboration in complex supply chains works best

• Companies NEED assistance of non-profit groups to reach this group

• Children’s education was workers’ No 1 priority: - use collective weight of group on gov

• Child labour best dealt with through a multi-stakeholder approach

Ethical Trading Initiative

Cromwell House14 Fulwood PlaceLondon WC1V 6HZUnited Kingdom

t +44 (0) 20 7404 1463f +44 (0) 20 7831 7852eti@eti.org.ukwww.ethicaltrade.org

UK Homeworker group members at 06:

Body Shop International CommunityBoots Trade Union CongressGap IncMadison Hosiery Homeworkers WorldwideMonsoon / Accessorize National Group on HomeworkingNext plc Oxfam GBSainsburys Supermarkets Traidcraft

WIEGO