Independent monitoring
DressCode – an early proposal for independent monitoring
Back in the late 1990s H&M was actively working to achieve independent monitoring of working conditions in our suppliers' factories. We did this by participating, along with the Swedish Clean Clothes Campaign and the clothing companies Lindex, KappAhl and Indiska, in the “Project for Independent Monitoring of the Garment Industry”. The work was coordinated by an impartial project manager.
The intention was for the monitoring activities to be based on the code of conduct and requirements of clothing companies that had been drawn up by the project group. The code of conduct was based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the ILO’s core conventions, and imposed stricter requirements than the ILO in several areas.
H&M participated in DressCode in order to help improve conditions in the apparel industry, particularly among garment manufacturers. We also saw DressCode as an opportunity to show our customers that we are carrying on serious, long-term work in our supply chain.
Pilot studies were carried out in India, Bangladesh and China, where suppliers to the four companies were reviewed in cooperation with local organisations. After three years’ intense work, however, the project fell at the final hurdle, the reason being that the union representatives failed to back the proposal for independent monitoring. Instead they advocated global agreements between the ITGLWF (International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation) and the clothing companies. H&M came to the conclusion that continued cooperation without the involvement of the trade unions would be neither credible nor meaningful.
Although the project did not achieve its aim, it was a worthwhile learning process and resulted in greater understanding between the various interested parties. H&M continued to conduct a fruitful dialogue with several of the organisations represented in the project group even after the project ended.
An assessment of DressCode commissioned by the Swedish Consumer Agency is available in Swedish at:
http://www.konsumentverket.se/Documents/PM/dresscode_PM2003_08.pdf.