ASOS teams up with GoodWeave to address labour rights in fashion supply chains
ASOS is teaming up with GoodWeave, a non-profit organisation working to end child, forced and bonded labour in global supply chains, on the launch of a new partnership focused on fashion suppliers in India.
The collaboration will see ASOS apply GoodWeave’s approach in assessing key suppliers based in the country.
ASOS said three suppliers will initially be enrolled in the programme with others to follow in the months ahead. Each supplier will undergo audits and unannounced inspections by dedicated GoodWeave staff who have been trained to identify potential risks and issues of forced, bonded and child labour.
ASOS is planning to begin selling select products covered under the GoodWeave Standard in late 2023.
The fashion retailer said the new assessments will strengthen its current approach to understanding and addressing risks of child labour and modern slavery through auditing and local engagement. It also builds on its other NGO partnerships working in the space, including The Centre for Child Rights and Business in China.
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.”
