Fair Wear and SLCP have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to achieve their shared and overarching goal of improving working conditions in supply chains.
The MoU will mean the two organisations will work together on data convergence, policy engagement and industry engagement.
The collaboration on data convergence aims to eliminate the unnecessary duplication of assessments as SLCP data will be used as a source for facility level information in Fair Wear’s HRDD Facilitation Hub to inform Fair Wear member brands’ HRDD implementation. It also hopes to anonymise and aggregate SLCP data to feed into Fair Wear’s country risk scoping tool.
The two organisations will also align on policy engagement to drive effective implementation of regulatory frameworks and will strive for joined-up policy positions and increased engagement with key stakeholders.
Fair Wear and SLCP also see opportunities for leveraging their joint impact
to push for systemic change across the industry.
Fair Wear executive director Alexander Kohnstamm described the MoU as an "important step towards industry-wide alignment on what constitutes
impactful HRDD implementation".
He said: "This is critical for ensuring that the new European legislation delivers results for garment workers. I'm excited for SLCP and Fair Wear to team up for that effort.”
Fair Wear and SLCP explained that a joint recognition of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct as the leading HRDD framework underpins their new and strengthened partnership as well as their shared belief that there is a need for a smart mix approach on HRDD in supply chains.
Both organisations agree on the urgency of converging assessments and the sharing of data to avoid duplication and focus resources on improvement programmes.
Equally, both believe in the importance of information that is locally owned, driven and actionable, in a system where workers, manufacturers, and their representatives can hold brands accountable.
SLCP CEO Janet Mensink said: “We are thrilled to be taking the collaboration between Fair Wear and SLCP to the next level with this new agreement. In particular, the use of SLCP data in the Fair Wear HRDD Hub is a breakthrough development in the pursuit of convergence and one that I believe can be a leading example of the way in which data can be shared effectively to reduce duplication and drive improvements to working conditions.”
In an exclusive interview with Just Style Kohnstamm explained how his organisation will act as a support system for brands that need to prepare for the new the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.
