Levi Strauss has come top in an analysis of how the 25 main clothing
retail companies in Canada fare on labour standards. Levi scored 71 out
of a possible 100 points for performance across five categories: risk
management and governance, availability and quality of codes of
conduct, how ethical policies are implemented, stakeholder engagement,
and supply chain auditing and reporting.
Levi was closely followed by Nike (69) and Gap (68). Wal-Mart scored
only 30, but a number of companies fared much worse, with Polo Ralph
Lauren, Forzani, and Rietmans among the 12 companies that scored zero.
The Ethical Trading Action Group of non-governmental organizations,
unions and religious groups that carried out the analysis with the
UK-based Institute of Social and Ethical Accountability and the Maquila
Solidarity Network labour rights group, said the companies on zero ‘are
still in denial’ on labour rights and need to act immediately. By
contrast, Levi Strauss ‘admits there are serious problems and is
willing to engage with labour and NGOs’, Etag says.
It believes that even some of the companies that rated highly, such as
Gap, still have codes of conduct ‘that fall well short of ILO
standards’. Only a small number reported assigning specific
responsibility for ethical matters in their supply chain to board
members or committees.
Both public and privately held companies were analysed. With the
exception of one firm, Roots, private businesses were found to disclose
‘little or no information’ to customers about their commitment to
labour standards.
