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Responsibility
Clean Clothing Campaign
The Clean Clothes Campaign is dedicated to improving working conditions and supporting
the empowerment of workers in the global garment and sportswear industries. Since 1989,
the CCC has worked to help ensure that the fundamental rights of workers are respected. We
educate and mobilise consumers, lobby companies and governments, and offer direct
solidarity support to workers as they fight for their rights and demand better working
conditions. The Clean Clothes Campaign is an alliance of organisations in 16 European
countries. Members include trade unions and NGOs covering a broad spectrum of
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perspectives and interests, such as womens rights, consumer advocacy and poverty
reduction.
These rights apply to all workers; even if they or their workplaces are not formally
recognised as such Workers have a right to know about their rights.
They are entitled to education and training in relation to these rights. The public has a right
to know where and how their garments and sports shoes are produced.
Workers themselves can and should take the lead in their own organising and
empowerment.
Workers can best assess their needs and the risks they take when asserting their rights.
Public campaigns and other initiatives to take action in cases of rights violations and the
development of strategies to address these issues must be done in consultation with
workers or their representatives.
The public can and should take action to see that workers' rights are respected.
However, the CCC does not generally endorse or promote boycotts as a tool for action. In
order to achieve and maintain workers' rights, the gender issues underlying or facilitating
rights violations must be addressed.
National governments and international authorities have an obligation to implement
legislation and sanction any failure to do so. Binding legislation should exist that meets the
standards set out in ILO conventions;
They also should implement ethical procurement policies.
The garment and sports shoe have a responsibility to ensure that good labour practices are
the norm at all levels of the industry.
Brand name garment companies and retailers should adopt a code of labour practice that
follows the standards outlined in the CCC model code, commit to implement these
standards throughout the garment production subcontracting chain, and participate in
credible, transparent and participatory multi-stakeholder verification initiatives in order to
develop, guide and oversee code implementation activities.
Brand name garment companies and retailers should actively pursue social dialogue with
trade union organizations, and sign international framework agreements to facilitate such
dialogue.
Companies must be transparent about conditions in, and the structure of, their supply
networks and regarding actions undertaken to uphold good labour standards.
Trade unions and NGOs should cooperate nationally, regionally and globally to improve
conditions in the garment and sports shoe industries and facilitate worker empowerment,
without resorting to protectionism.
CCC Activities
The Clean Clothes Campaign educates and mobilises consumers, lobbies companies and
governments, and offers direct solidarity support to workers as they fight for their rights and
demand better working conditions.
CCC Areas of Activity
Putting Pressure on Companies
Since the main demand of the Clean Clothes Campaign is that retailers live up to their
responsibility to ensure that garments are produced in decent conditions, it's important to be
clear about how CCC define good working conditions. Guiding principles for the
improvement of working conditions can be found in the basic conventions issued by the
International Labour Organisation (ILO), a United Nations body; plus the international
principles regarding fundamental rights in the workplace.
These principles are: freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, no
discrimination of any kind, no forced or slave labour, a minimum employment age of 15,
safety and health measures, a working week of 48 hours maximum and voluntary overtime of
12 hours maximum, a right to a living wage and establishment of the employment
relationship (a contract). Early on CCC partners from all over the world raised the need for a
common code to campaign around. As a result, at the European level the CCC developed a
code, called the "Code of Labour Practices for the Apparel Industry Including Sportswear".
CCC believes that direct reference to ILO standards is a crucial element of their code.
Because these standards are the result of an international consultation process, and therefore
internationally-accepted standards with agreed upon wording, the possibilities for
misinterpretation are limited. In terms of developing their code, this too was the result of a
process of international consultation. Informal meetings were organised among the Clean
Clothes Campaigns in Europe, the International Trade Union Secretariats and other NGOs
(such as the UK Fair Trade Foundation and International Restructuring Education Network
Europe (IRENE)). Partners in the South gave input on drafts of the codes (for example, Asia
Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC), Committee for Asian Women (CAW), members of the
OXFAM network, and trade union federations).
In their campaigning, CCC demand that retailers adopt the standards outlined in the Code of
Labour Practices, implement those standards and create a system to continuously monitor that
those standards are being upheld. They also ask that companies agree to a system of
independent verification.CCC believes that retailers should ensure that the clothes they sell
are made under good labour conditions. Retailers and the major garment companies do more
than just sell clothes to consumers -- they are also the buyers of these clothes in Asia or
Eastern Europe, and therefore they can and should use their power to improve labour
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conditions.
Consumers: Raising Awareness and Pressing for Change
Above all the Clean Clothes Campaign is a consumer campaign - its strength comes from
consumer power. The purchasing power of consumers is being mobilized on the issue of
working conditions in the garment industry. Information on working conditions in the
garment industry is distributed via newsletters, the Internet, and in the form of research
publications. Consumers are not only interested in the quality of the products they purchase,
but also the work behind the brand names; the social and environmental conditions under
which these items were produced.CCC have found this to be the case in their own contact
with people, and there are consumer studies that have been carried out in Europe and the U.S.
that also support this claim. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that garment manufacturers are
more and more concerned about how consumers perceive their company.
The Clean Clothes Campaign tries to involve all sorts of consumer groups (ranging from
young consumer groups to rural women's associations) by organising different forms of
education and actions. One form of action is organising consumers to send postcards to
companies with questions about their working conditions. In most of the European countries
these cards have been sent out, in some countries these initiatives have involved more than
100,000 consumers. In any correspondence with companies, consumers demand
improvements in working conditions; they don't call for boycotts. Companies should be
pressured to use their influence to improve working conditions, and should not be allowed to
cut their orders and run away from the attention that factories with labour problems are
receiving. This message -- of labour rights and responsibilities -- is what CCC try to spread
among consumers.
Raising awareness among young consumers is one of the specific goals of many of the CCC
consumer campaigns. They look at new ways to reach young people on items that concern
them. Actions for youth connected to major sporting events, such as the World Cup and the
Olympics, are regularly formulated. Rallies and demonstrations by young people are also
organised in many of the Clean Clothes countries. Educational campaigns, such as a slide
presentation are done through the school system. In the Netherlands, together with one of the
trade union federations, the CCC targeted 1300 schools to use this slide presentation to
inform young people about working conditions in sports shoe factories. By using school
lessons CCC not only reach a new segment of the public throughout the country, they are
raising awareness amongst new generations.
Legal Possibilities
The Clean Clothes Campaign also pursues legal possibilities for challenging the bad working
conditions in the garment industry. In 1998 the CCC organised the International Forum on
Clean Clothes, held in Brussels. At that time cases against seven major garment companies -Adidas, C&A, Disney, H&M, Levi Strauss, Nike and Otto Versand -- were presented before
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the Permanent Peoples Tribunal. These cases included testimony from workers and
researchers regarding working conditions in factories that produce for each of these brands.
One of the goals of this initiative was to work out a legal approach at two levels: the
consumers' right to be informed of the working conditions under which the clothes they buy
are produced; and the liability of the distributors and the clothing companies at every stage of
production. To get a sense of what CCC mean by legal challenges from the perspective of
consumer law there is example of the case filed against Nike in the State of California in the
United States, where consumer protection laws exist that are intended to protect consumers
from false advertising. These laws are being used to raise the issue of bad working conditions
as evidence of false advertising, on the part of a multinational company that claims to take
steps to ensure that good working conditions are the norm in the factories that produce their
products. Following this international forum, a Legal Working Group was formed within the
Clean Clothes Campaign, which is made up of members from each of the national campaigns.
This group now focuses on following up on these legal initiatives.
Solidarity Work
The CCC works to develop links with organisations in countries where garments are
produced. This is done through exchange programs. For example, in 1997 CCC began a
research project and exchange program with NGOs and trade unions in Central and Eastern
Europe. This focused on Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania (a report on the field research on
garment factories in those countries is available in English from the CCC). At the moment a
new exchange program with Latin American organisations is being developed. CCC
solidarity activities also take the form of international seminars. For example, the
International Workshop of Independent Monitoring of Codes of Conduct, held in Belgium in
May 1998, where participants, mostly from countries where garments are produced, explored
the possibilities and limitations for NGOs, worker's support centre, and trade unions at the
local level to get involved in the implementation and verification of the monitoring process in
the garment industry. Also in September 2004 an international seminar is being held to set an
agenda for action for campaigning on informal labour in the garment industry. Together with
representatives from countries with a large amount of informal garment labour, strategies are
developed to improve their working conditions.
Urgent appeals
An urgent appeal is a rapid response to a request for support from workers in the garment
industry whose rights are being infringed. Through an urgent appeal, CCC works with and
pressures the different parties involved. Those are often fashion brands, buying from the
factory where worker's rights are violated, or the factory managements, investors, UN bodies
and governments. CCC urges them to take positive action and end the labour rights
violations. Other activities involve writing letters of solidarity to workers and their
organisations, launching global petitions, social media campaigns and street actions. Most of
the cases in which CCC takes action are related to violations of core labour standards on
freedom of association, the right to organise, collectively bargain, occupational health and
safety, payment and contracts and gender discrimination
The CCC recognises that workers rights must take into account the vital role women play in
households and communities around the world to support and care for others; unpaid work
that they do in addition to their role as paid workers.
The CCC aims to help women garment workers raise their voices and achieve positive
change in their lives.
With the aim of improving conditions for garment workers and supporting their
empowerment, the CCC campaigns for the full implementation of human rights and ILO
labour standards in the garment and sportswear supply chain, especially those of freedom of
association and freedom from discrimination, and strives to make consumers aware of the
conditions in which their clothes and sports shoes are made and the role of women workers in
the production process.
To make these commitments a reality the CCC will:
Take gender perspectives into account in all its work and address issues influenced by
gender.
Include gender considerations in all its activities, particularly policy and campaign work,
and highlight gender discrimination experienced by women workers.
Work to make the experiences, needs, and struggles of women workers at all levels of
garment production visible, particularly those at the bottom of supply chains, such as
home-based workers, and push for recognition of their status as workers.
Pursue complementary legal and campaign strategies to expand the rights of women
working in the garment industry.
Monitor global social and economic trends, as well as supply chain practices, and raise
awareness of their impact on women working in the garment industry.
Engage with NGOs, the media and research communities to focus attention on the
working conditions of women working in the garment and sportswear industry.
Urge companies and supply chain employers to ensure that all garment workers can access
their human and legal rights, particularly womens rights to Decent Work and equal pay.
Press the international and policy communities, as well as national governments, to take
greater account of the importance of Decent Work and international labour standards in
programmes aiming to economically empower women in garment producing countries.
Promote understanding and learning on gender issues so that policy and priorities reflect
the commitment to make the world a better place for women working in the garment and
sportswear value chain.
well as the benefits of ethical consumerism and slow fashion which values quality of
production over quantity.
Provide resources to assist the CCC network and other stakeholders to develop effective
strategies to challenge gender inequality.
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Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) alongside workers and trade unions in Bangladesh and
around the world launched a major campaign calling on all clothing brands that source from
Bangladesh to immediately pay into the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund, which is collecting
voluntary donations on behalf of the Rana Plaza Arrangement, and is overseen by the
International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The Pay Up! Campaign comes just two months before the first anniversary of the
catastrophic collapse of Rana Plaza, which killed 1,138 people and injured over 2,000 more.
The campaign aims to ensure that come April 24th the survivors and victims families are not
still waiting for compensation. Clean Clothes Campaign is calling on major international
brands Benetton, KiK and Children's Place, who all had orders at one of the five factories
in Rana Plaza at the time of the collapse or in the recent past, to make significant
contributions in order to ensure payments can begin.
US$40 million is required to ensure all those injured and the families of those killed are fairly
compensated for loss of income and medical expenses. The fund is open to all companies,
donors and individuals who wish to express their solidarity and compassion. To date clothing
brands El Corte Ingles, Mascot, Mango, Inditex and Loblaw have all publicly committed to
the Donor Trust Fund.
Numerous reports over the past ten months have highlighted the ongoing plight of the
victims of Rana Plaza and their families. We therefore welcome these initial
contributions." says Ineke Zeldenrust of the Clean Clothes Campaign.
"Compensation efforts to date have been completely haphazard, unequal, unpredictable and
non-transparent, and have left large groups of victims with nothing. The Arrangement has set
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up the entire operational structure, which will put an end to this unpredictability quickly and
completely. All that is needed is for companies to pay up. The collapse of Rana Plaza is
symptomatic of an industry wide problem, and we encourage the entire industry to make
generous contributions." adds Zeldenrust.
Nearly all the victims of the Rana Plaza collapse were garment workers who had been
ordered back into the unsafe building by factory bosses. Shila Begum a sewing operator in
one of the factories who was trapped when the building collapsed described the decision to
go in. No one wanted to enter the building that day [but] I still went back in. If enough
people hit you, you do what they say. You could see the tension in people's eyes. Shortly
after arriving at her machine the electricity went off and the generator switched on The floor
gave way... my hand got stuck and I thought I would die After being trapped for most of the
day under the building Shila was eventually rescued, but her crush injuries were such that she
had to have a hysterectomy, and her arm is in constant pain and she is unable to work. The
trauma of the day remains with her. I don't know if I will ever be able to step into a factory
again.
In Dhaka, garment workers and their unions will be creating a human chain, and holding a
press conference demanding the early settlement of the compensation claims. Hameeda
Hossein of SNF (the Bangladesh Worker's Safety Forum) says "After the Rana building
collapsed the whole world watched for weeks while the injured and dead were pulled out of
the ruins. Now is the time for all of us to act and ensure US$40 million is donated before
April 24th".
The Rana Plaza Arrangement is a groundbreaking collaborative framework to ensure that the
losses of the survivors and victims can be paid. The operational structure has been developed
by the former Executive Head of the United Nations Compensation Commission, working
with the Bangladesh Ministry of Labour and ILO experts. Some of the most credible labourand civil society organisations will be involved in the claims processing and post-award
services and counselling. Medical assessments will be undertaken by qualified local doctors
at the Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP). A team of independent local and
international claims commissioners has been identified to determine the awards. The German
development agency GIZ has agreed to undertake the administrative costs of the operation.
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taken out and assets being sold, workers held a months lasting vigil in front of the
factory building, facing a lot of intimidation and threats.
To prevent the factory's equipment being removed and sold, and assets being stripped, the
workers started a 24 hour vigil and protest camp in front of the factory that lasted for
months.
CCC supported the workers by calling upon H&M, one of the factories main buyers, to
initiate an investigation into the case and the suppliers, to acknowledge and take
responsibility for Kingsland employees and workers within the H&M supply chain and to
advocate with all relevant parties to ensure full payment in accordance with the
Cambodian Labour Law as well as Article 1 of H&Ms Code of Conduct.
Then CCC started a public campaign to increase pressure on H&M.
After months of struggle by the workers, and through the support of an extensive
international. Solidarity network, a historic settlement with Wal-Mart and H&M was
reached in March 2013.
On Labour Day - May 1 workers and campaigners across Asia took to the streets calling
for a living wage as part of the traditional Labour Day celebrations. In six Asian countries,
more than 60.000 workers participated in actions.
In October, CCC partners launched the campaign across high streets and shopping centres
in 15 European countries challenging consumers to take action and join workers in the call
for a living wage. More than 50,000 people signed the living wage petition, as well as
participating in activities, workshops and events.
There is still much to be done, a recent minimum wage raise in Bangladesh falls a long
way short of a living wage, and companies like H&M still have a long way to go before
their roadmap for a living wage actually becomes a reality for workers.
CCC and partners will be building on the campaign over the coming years.
In the immediate aftermath of the collapse over 1,2 million people signed a petition for
the implementation of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety.
Clean Clothes Campaign and our partners worked hard to turn the public horror at the
collapse of the building into public pressure which saw 160 plus companies sign up to the
Accord by the end of 2013.
2013 also saw our first annual review of urgent appeal cases we had worked on with the
launch of The Facts Behind Fashion
Clean Clothes Campaign also held campaigning events across Europe during the Pay a
living Wage action week.
Financially CCC remained a healthy organisation. At the end of the financial year the result
was -10.616 and the assets stand at 186.299. These assets serve as a continuity reserve, to
cover potential financial shortages. The board has fixed the desired continuity reserve at the
amount needed to pay staff costs and bureau costs during six months. In 2013 this amount
was fixed at 308.857. Fixing this desired reserve simultaneously creates a ceiling for the
reserves.
The costs of raising funds in 2013 ( 30.866) consisted mainly of staff costs: SKC/CCC
raises its funds almost completely by applying for subsidies. The staff time is spent writing
the applications.
Expenditures for the objectives in 2013 were 93.5%.
CCC does not invest its assets in stocks, bonds or other risk-bearing financial instruments.
CCC strives to do its banking in a sustainable and responsible manner. Assets not
immediately needed are deposited in its directly accessible ASN savings account.
All of CCC/SKCs employees receive the same salary, regardless of age, seniority or position
within the organisation. The gross monthly salary for all employees in 2013 was 2.784 for a
36-hour work-week (2012: 2,743).
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Throughout 2013 the Future Structure team worked to consolidate feedback from network
partners and associates a consultation process was carried out and a proposal drafted for
the Future Structure of the Clean Clothes Campaign.
Amongst others, proposals were made to create national and regional CCC coalitions and
offices anywhere in the world, to create a formal strategy development process and put in
place decision-making, monitoring and evaluation, conflict resolution and accountability
systems.
The proposal was circulated to partners, allies and the European CCC for feedback
towards the end of 2013.
In 2014, the feedback from this consultation will be incorporated into a new proposal and
a plan will be made to begin implementing a new structure for the network.
Bibliography
http://www.cleanclothes.org/news/2012/01/12/just-pay-it-wage-compensation-forindonesian-nike-workers
http://www.cleanclothes.org/about/annual-reports/2013
http://www.cleanclothes.org/livingwage
http://www.tacticalmediafiles.net/articles/3328/Introduction-to-the-Clean-ClothesCampaign;jsessionid=16243C8E8F8C26540A99471677FAA129
http://www.cleanclothes.org/news/press-releases/2014/time-for-clothing-brands-to-pay-up
http://www.cleanclothes.org/ranaplaza/who-needs-to-pay-up
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