From 2023 to March 2024, Fair Wear ran a pilot of the HRDD Academy with brands from Fair Wear's member base and other brands and stakeholders in the industry.
This pilot phase is said to have enabled brands to co-design the platform, ensuring a hands-on approach that works for them. Fair Wear believes the HRDD Academy offers brands the support and tools they need to get to grips with evolving industry standards on HRDD.
According to Rachel Chuang of the fashion brand Ganni, Fair Wear has always been a visionary in improving labour conditions in the garment industry.
"We join the HRDD Academy to deepen our understanding of HRDD and living wage contexts. The HRDD Academy provides brands with comprehensive guides and practical tools to enhance their due diligence efforts," Chuang added.
Markus Reisegger-Huber of Löffler GmbH added: "The structure and sequence of the programmes are very clear and logically designed, which makes it very user-friendly."
What the HRDD Academy offers
The HRDD Academy has been described as a tailored, interactive platform that equips brands to implement responsible business practices across their supply chains.
Key features include:
- self-paced learning: pathways based on industry needs and gaps
- expert guidance: on a range of topics from living wage to gender equity developed through Fair Wear’s experience in garment supply chains
- action-oriented tools – such as risk scoping: to support brands conduct and manage their HRDD processes effectively
- collaborative networking opportunities: be part of a community and connect with other brands to work on actions together
The HRDD Academy is open professional from all garment and footwear brands.
In May, Fair Wear announced it would use fellow non-profit Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) data to promote human rights due diligence (HRDD) and eliminate audit duplication.
