What should a brand do when its supply chain violates human rights or labour standards?

When this happens, it’s the brand’s cue to take responsibility and make changes.

You’ve seen the newspaper headlines: [Well-known brand] Under Scrutiny for Worker Conditions.

What follows is a statement from the brand spokesperson:“We halted production as soon as we found out what was happening at the factory. In other words: Workers lost their jobs and the brand made no effort to improve conditions. Such results do not empower workers to self-advocate if it means they risk losing their job altogether.

Following violations of human rights and labour standards, it is critical that brands commit to improve working conditions with their supplier. By developing a long-term plan, the supplier has time to make changes and involve workers (as well as local and international organisations) in the process.