Printer-friendly versionSend to friend

The Netherlands-based Clean Clothes Campaign, a consortium of European trade unions and human rights and development organizations, drafted a code of conduct regarding labor rights specifically related to the garment industry that it is promoting to the business community. The Clean Clothes Campaign distributes information on working conditions in the garment industry in order to encourage consumer action on behalf of workers’ rights.  The CCC was formed in the Netherlands in 1990 as a result of the increased awareness of poor working conditions in factories worldwide.  The CCC’s goal is to target the garment and sportswear industries in an attempt the change these situations.  In order to achieve this goal the CCC has begun to rely on consumer power.  

The CCC distributes its information through newsletters, the Internet and research publications.  Through consumer studies done in the U.S. and Europe it has become clear that consumers are not only interested in the quality of the products they purchase but also the work behind the brand names.  Therefore, companies are more and more concerned about how consumers perceive their company.

The CCC uses the principles set out by the International Labor Organization (ILO) as a guideline for their own agenda.  Using these principles, the CCC has created its own “Code of Labor Practices for the Apparel Industry Including Sportswear”.   The Code of Labor Practices addresses the following issues:

• freedom of association for workers
• the right to bargain collectively
• no discrimination of any kind
• no forced or slave labor
• a minimum employment age of 15
• safety and health measures
• a working week of 48 hours maximum and voluntary overtime of 12 hours maximum
• a right to a living wage
• establishment of the employment relationship (contract)

The CCC asks retailers to adopt the standards outlined in the Code of Labor Practices.  In addition, it asks companies to implement the above standards and create a monitoring system to ensure that these standards are being met.  

The CCC chooses major retailers and brands as the focus for their campaigns because they represent the strongest presence in the garment and sportswear and therefore set the standards for that industry.  The CCC believes that by focusing on these few companies they will create change in many others.

The code is the CCC’s tool to get companies to follow international labor standards and is a clear way to communicate the standards that the CCC would like to see implemented.  They believe that it is an effective way to raise awareness, pressure companies and to open the doors for further laws to be passed.

Summary completed on August 1, 2001.