Workers Rights And Labor Compliance In Global Supply Chains

This book provides insight into the potential for the market to protect and improve labour standards and working conditions in global apparel supply chains. It examines the possibilities and limitations of market approaches to securing social compliance in global manufacturing industries. It does so by tracing the historic origins of social labelling both in trade union and consumer constituencies, considering industry and consumer perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of social labelling, comparing efforts to develop and implement labelling initiatives in various countries, and locating social labelling within contemporary debates and controversies about the implications of globalization for workers worldwide. Scholars and students of globalisation, development, corporate social responsibility, human geography, labour and industrial relations, business ethics, consumer behaviour and fashion will find its contents of relevance. CSR practitioners in the clothing and other industries will also find this useful in developing policy with respect to supply chain assurance.

The authors examine developments in labor standards in global supply chains over the past thirty years, analyzing factors that create challenges and opportunities for improving working conditions. They illustrate the complex dynamics within and among key groups, including brands, suppliers, governments, workers and consumers.

Der Autor wählt einen Multi-Stakeholder-Ansatz, um das Thema Arbeitsrechte in globalen Lieferketten zu untersuchen. Er analysiert potenzielle Ursachen für die Verletzung von Arbeitsrechten und schlägt dann einen neuartigen, partizipatorischen arbeitnehmerseitigen Ansatz zur Messung dieser Arbeitsrechtsverletzungen vor. Anschließend wird anhand von drei Fallstudien aus China, Bangladesch und Jordanien diskutiert, wie ArbeiterInnen und deren RepräsentantInnen die Verletzung von Rechten in einem kompetitiven Umfeld beseitigen und die Rechte von ArbeiterInnen und ArbeitnehmerInnen stärken können.

This book showcases the inequalities experienced between the Global North and the Global South by exploring the production and distribution model of goods and services worldwide through an analysis of why the structure, framework, and interconnectedness of global supply chains increases the persistence of worker rights’ violations. The narrative explains the power relationships between multinational corporations, their subcontractors, governments, non-governmental organizations, labor unions, and workers. The text focuses primarily on competition between workers in the Global South and the Global North who are compelled to work in global supply chains for their survival and takes a macro-look at how global supply chains operate, how they are governed, who invests and why, and who wins and who loses. From the workers’ perspective, the text highlights the millions of low-wage workers who suffer exploitation and abuse at the hands of greedy multi-national corporations who are able to distance themselves from any liability for workers’ welfare through an institutional system created by national/state governments, trade agreements, and tax and investment strategies which protect property rights over workers’ rights. The fragile plight of workers crescendos through examples of exploitation and abuse in the fishing, mining, apparel, electronic and manufacturing industries, focusing events of workplace disasters, and slave-like working conditions, then climaxes by providing strategies to help strengthen workers through legislative and policy initiatives, collective action, and social and public pressure.

"This book outlines the major problems in corporate voluntary regulation of labor standards in global supply chains, and shows the progress such regulation has made thus far in improving the lives of workers in the global supply chain. It then presents pathways by which private regulation can be improved"--Provided by publisher.

At the start of the 21st century manufacturing is in the midst of a major transformation, with goods moving from factories in São Paulo, Ho Chi Minh and Guanzhou to the shelves of stores in New York, Hamburg and Sydney. As production of goods has become increasingly global, with an impact on workers and societies around the world, the ILO has sought to answer the challenging question: how best to implement voluntary corporate initiatives in value chains that stretch around the globe from a constantly changing supply base of factories both large and small? In order to address growing pressures from stakeholders, a number of global companies have adopted codes of conduct with the aim of influencing the practices of their suppliers in less-developed countries and providing a baseline of expected standards. Typically, codes of conduct draw on international labour standards, setting guidelines on a range of issues, including child labour, forced labour, wages and benefits, working hours, disciplinary practices, the right to freedom of association, health and safety, and environmental practices. Notwithstanding the array of initiatives that has emerged, anecdotal evidence suggests that, in many cases, managers both at the company and supplier level have struggled and continue to struggle with the issue of how to implement their codes of conduct. Based on interviews with hundreds of managers, activists, government officials, factory workers and workers' representatives, Implementing Codes of Conduct represents the most extensive research conducted to date into the emerging nature of corporate social responsibility and global supply chains. Its objective is to provide useful examples and lessons learned to companies, policy-makers and others interested in implementing their own code of conduct or who are actively involved in this field. This book has broad implications for firms that are serious about seeing the social and environmental objectives expressed in their corporate codes become a reality at the supplier level – implications that stretch from the boardroom to the factory floor. The book presents a model that maps a route from the creation of a vision to its implementation at the operational level. Based on research conducted in the sports footwear, apparel and retail sectors, this book provides a detailed account of the approaches currently used by leading brands and retailers and practical suggestions for other companies to follow in addressing social pressures. Given an increasingly clear link between corporate social responsibility and profits, this book serves as an invaluable tool in assisting those interested in balancing the complex demands of society and competitive concerns.

Closely based on background studies commisiioned together with Oxfam's partners in 12 countries [acknowledgements].