The collaboration formalised through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), states that New Look and the ITF will work together “to improve the safety, resilience and sustainability of transport supply chains, the public they serve, and the transport workers that keep them moving”.

Key aspects of the partnership:

1. New Look will conduct human rights due diligence (HRDD) in its transport supply chain, consulting with the ITF to ensure environmental and social sustainability, as well as good governance in both directly operated and subcontracted transport operations.
2. New Look will advance freedom of association for its supply chain transport workers by, among other elements, ensuring the ITF’s affiliate trade unions have the right to organise and enter the premises of supply chain logistics providers.
3. The ITF and its affiliated trade unions will conduct joint training sessions for New Look and its suppliers as needed.
4. New Look has committed to providing or cooperating in remediation efforts when appropriate, through collective bargaining with the ITF and/or respective affiliated trade unions in the concerned jurisdictions.

New Look sources from 19 countries worldwide, using sea, road and – to a lesser extent - air transport to bring products to the UK and Ireland.

The company has pledged to respect all internationally recognised human rights as standards for its supply chain transport and logistics operations. This includes adhering to the ILO's fundamental principles and rights at work, as well as other relevant ILO instruments and codes of practice.

The HRDD process will align with several international guidelines:

• United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
• International Labor Organisation Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy
• OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct

Sue Fairley, New Look's senior head of ESG, quality and sourcing said: “Formalising our relationship with ITF offers New Look an informed, practical partnership to help us remain vigilant and diligent in our commitment to uphold human rights, be aware of vulnerable workers and make sure there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of our operations, which includes transport and logistics.”

ITF general secretary Stephen Cotton commended New Look's proactive approach and added: “A responsible business taking the initiative to work with trade unions to promote decent work in its supply chain is an example of how things should be done – and we applaud New Look for this.”

Back in April, New Look was granted approval for its emissions targets across Scope 1, 2 and 3 from the international climate action group Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).