Stakeholders & Partners
At Gildan, we believe that a key step towards achieving our corporate citizenship goals is to adopt a structured approach to engaging and involving stakeholders whose contributions and perspectives allow us to collaborate and learn from one another in the pursuit of concrete, viable solutions.
The goal we share with our stakeholders is to work toward improving the lives of workers producing our products, ensuring an ethical and stimulating work environment, and respecting and enhancing the local communities in which we operate. To engage in dialogue, share ideas and build consensus, we invite groups representing workers and factories, students, colleges, trade unions, academia, governments, local communities and consumers to communicate with us.
This can be done through a variety of methods, including face-to-face meetings, focus groups or round tables facilitated by external independent facilitators, workshops and seminars, confidential questionnaires, and anonymous feedback. Our belief is that engagement should be mutually beneficial and transparent, that the focus should be on common ground and creative solutions, and that the outcome should lead to real value for both the company and its stakeholders.
Gildan has been affiliated and/or dialoguing with the following organizations chosen for their pertinence to our Company.
Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production (WRAP)
All of Gildan’s mature sewing facilities are certified with the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) or are currently in the process of being re-certified. The four contractor sewing facilities producing for Gildan in Haiti are also WRAP certified.
WRAP is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and certification of lawful, humane and ethical manufacturing throughout the world. WRAP promotes a code of conduct that ensures that core labour concepts are understood and practiced on the shop floor and by management. WRAP relies upon independent, third-party monitors to certify that factories are in compliance with WRAP's Code of Conduct.
Read more about WRAP.
Fair Labor Association (FLA)
Gildan's labour compliance program was accredited by the Fair Labor Association (FLA) on June 13, 2007. The Company was the first vertically-integrated basic activewear apparel manufacturer to receive accreditation.
The FLA is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization whose goal is to promote adherence to international labour standards and improve working conditions worldwide. It represents a multi-stakeholder coalition of companies, universities and non-governmental organizations committed to a rigorous program of code of conduct implementation, monitoring and remediation in order to bring manufacturing sites into compliance with FLA standards.
Gildan is proud to have received such accreditation from the FLA. The FLA's method of annual public reporting, its strict Workplace Code of Conduct, and the fact it employs internal and external independent audits were all key elements that prompted Gildan to seek FLA membership in 2004.
Click here (pdf - 30.3Kb) to read the press release announcing the accreditation from the FLA.
Better Work
Gildan has been participating in the International Labour Organization’s Better Work Programme through its contractors in Haiti. This program is a unique partnership program developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Launched in February 2007, the program aims to improve compliance with labour standards and competitiveness in global supply chains. It is offered in specific countries, where the ILO and IFC work together to mobilize necessary resources for projects specific to each country.
Carbon Disclosure Project
Gildan has also been participating in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) since 2008. The CDP works with organizations worldwide to drive transparency and effectiveness of reporting processes with regards to international disclosures of corporate greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies.
LBG Canada
In January 2011, Gildan completed the process to become part of LBG (London Benchmarking Group) Canada. LBG Canada is a network of companies setting the highest standard in community investment in Canada. Through an annual assessment, companies adopt a recognized global approach to value community investments and report results with greater credibility and confidence. By gaining insights and tools, professionals advise on how to maximize the impact of investments and demonstrate the strength of community partnerships, to ultimately achieve measurable success.
LBG Canada’s experts will support Gildan in reviewing and updating our Community Investment and Involvement (CII) program, as well as our Employee Volunteering program.
Maquila Solidarity Network
The Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) is a labour and women's rights advocacy organization that promotes solidarity with grassroots groups in Mexico, Central America and Asia, and works to improve conditions in maquiladora factories and export processing zones.
Through dialogue with MSN, we have applied their input in the development of a remediation plan following the closure in 2004 of our El Progreso plant in Honduras. We continue to remain in dialogue with MSN regarding our corporate social responsibility practices.
Click here to access MSN website.
Worker Rights Consortium
The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) is a non-profit organization created by college and university administrations, students and labor rights experts. The WRC's purpose is to assist in the enforcement of manufacturing Codes of Conduct adopted by colleges and universities.
In January of 2005, Gildan collaborated with WRC in order to fully comply with the different codes of conduct it subscribes to, including the U.S. university and colleges codes of conduct, and to achieve a successful resolution of the outstanding issues with the organization. The first step in this process was the conclusion of an agreement with WRC regarding the granting of first-hire opportunities to former El Progreso employees at a new plant which Gildan was building in Choloma, Honduras.
Click here (pdf - 90.7Kb) to read a copy of this agreement
Click here (pdf - 70.3Kb) to read WRC's statement to its members
Since then, Gildan has been collaborating with the WRC on other situations, primarily related to freedom of association.
Others
- Adozona
- Anitec
- Asociacion
Hondurena de Maquiladores
- Asociacion
Nacional de Industriales
- Cámara
de Comercio e Industrias de Choloma
- Fundharse
- UNIRSE
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