// Asos has joined forces with GoodWeave International, a non-profit organisation working to end child and forced labour
// The retailer will begin selling select products covered under the GoodWeave Standard later this year.
Asos has teamed up with GoodWeave International, a non-profit organisation working to end child, forced and bonded labour in global supply chains, to address label risks in fashion apparel and accessories suppliers in India.
The collaboration will see the online fashion giant apply GoodWeave’s approach to its Indian suppliers to strengthen its current approach to understanding and addressing child labour rights and modern slavery through auditing and local engagement.
Initially focusing on three strategic suppliers in India, the partnership will see the suppliers enrolled in the programme, with additional suppliers expected in the following months.
Each supplier will undergo audits and unannounced inspections by GoodWeave staff trained to identify potential risks and issues of forced, bonded and child labour.
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Asos will begin selling select products covered under the GoodWeave Standard later this year.
Good Weave was founded in 1994 by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi with the aim of: bringing visibility to global supply chains through deep supply chain mapping; protecting informal and marginalised workers; providing assurance that products are free of child, forced and bonded labour; and address any incidences of child and forced labour identified, as well as carry out preventative local community and workplace interventions which protect vulnerable children and workers.
Asos head of ethical trade Adil Rehman said: “There can be no place for forced, bonded or child labour in the fashion industry, but these risks are always present within complex global supply chains.
“With this new partnership with GoodWeave, we’re taking our modern slavery and ethical trade work one step further through assurance and deep supply chain mapping, helping us to ensure that workers are protected and their rights respected.”
GoodWeave chief executive Nina Smith added: “For nearly three decades GoodWeave has advanced working conditions in the rug and textiles sector, and we are proud to be launching this partnership targeted at apparel and accessories supply chains together with Asos. A number of reports indicate that child labour and modern slavery are high-risk in India’s garment industry.
“To combat this problem and meet the requirements of increased human rights due diligence legislation globally, it’s critical that fashion businesses partner with organisations like GoodWeave to prevent hidden exploitation in outsourced, subcontracted supply chains.”
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