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ASOS partners with GoodWeave to address forced labour in fashion

Chloe Burney
02 February 2023

ASOS has joined forces with GoodWeave International, a non-profit organisation working to end child and forced labour. The partnership will see ASOS apply GoodWeave’s approach to its Indian suppliers.

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.

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:

1. Bringing visibility to global supply chains
2. Protecting informal and marginalised workers
3. Providing assurance that products are free of child, forced and bonded labour
4. Remediating any incidences of child and forced labour identified

Nina Smith, CEO at GoodWeave International, commented: "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."

Rather than focusing on the final-stage manufacturing facility, the non-profit organisation works to trace back each stage of a product’s manufacturing journey, from subcontractors to home-based workers.

Adil Rehman, Head of Ethical Trade at ASOS, 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."

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