Fair Wear and the International Apparel Federation United in Their Commitment to Fostering a Culture of Shared Responsibility within the Global Garment Industry

“Together, we strive to create more equitable sourcing relationships, where both buyers and suppliers approach negotiations from a position of mutual respect and equal footing. Also, we connect the environmental context to the social narrative, since these are heavily related. Improving human rights have a direct, positive effect on the environmental issues in the garment sector.

We promote a unified narrative around Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD), empowering manufacturers in production countries to leverage HRDD in their favor when negotiating better sourcing and purchasing practices. To support this, we have organized capacity-building events and training for suppliers and business associations, focusing on the implications of European legislation and HRDD in general and its impact on manufacturers, as well as on legislative requirements concerning brand-supplier contracts and responsible purchasing practices. Our goal is to equip business associations and their members with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively engage with buyers during negotiations, driving more sustainable and fair practices across the supply chain. Our next event will be the Board of Directors online training on 9 December. We have invited members of the Board of Directors of business associations across the STAR network, IAF-members and the network of Fair Wear. Together with Inditex, legal advisors and Fair Wear’s expert on EU legislation and its implications, the event aims to activate the business associations to have a good understanding of their role in HRDD, and share practical information on what they can do to prepare and use HRDD to lever their partnership with the buyers.”