|
Garments without Guilt is an initiative of the Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka to assure the industry’s commitment to ethical working conditions. This initiative gives certified companies the ability to promote themselves internationally as responsible businesses and helps to re-assure buyers about conditions in Sri Lanka.
The Charter was developed after consultation with a number of interested stakeholders and reflects the key issues of interest to those bodies and their own networks.
The Charter includes requirements that factories must be:
- Free of Child Labor
- Free of Forced Labor
- Free of Discrimination
- Free of Sweatshop Practices
- Providing limits on working hours within those prescribed by the law
- Guaranteeing workers the right to Freedom of Association
- Requiring that workers receive all legally required pay and benefits
- Ensuring that workplaces are safe, with specific requirement for the management of these issues
- Have responsible Environmental Practices
Companies wishing to become certificated need to implement appropriate systems to mange these issues and in particular to ensure that they are maintaining accurate records; conducting Internal Audits and have appointed an In-house Compliance Executive.
They may then apply to SGS Lanka, who operate as the monitor for this programs, for an audit to assess their compliance with these requirement.
The audit length varies from 1 to 3 days depending on the number of employees and is conducted by appropriately trained and qualified local auditors who assess compliance based on management interviews; document review; on-site observations and extensive interviews with workers both on a one-to-one basis and in focus groups. At the conclusion of the audit SGS Lanka will provide a comprehensive report to the facility and to JAAF with a clear statement on the compliance statement. If non-compliances have been fund the facility will be allowed time to implement corrective actions and undergo a follow-up audit. Once a fully compliant status is reached and the company has satisfied Jag’s requirements they can apply to JAAF for the issue of a certificate to the program.
For more information contact:
|
