Child labor as defined by International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions ratified by more than 120 countries is: work by children under the age of 12; work by children under the age of 15 that prevents school attendance; and work by children under the age of 18 that is hazardous to the physical or mental health of the child. Using this definition, the ILO estimates there were 246 million child laborers ages 5-17 globally in 2000, including about 110 million under the age of 12. While concerns about child labor are not new, the use of child labor in global business has increased significantly in recent years. Child labor is found in numerous contexts, including agriculture, textile and apparel
production, and domestic service, and is present in both developed and developing countries.
Company attempts to eliminate incidents of child labor have increased greatly in the past decade as eliminating child labor has increasingly been viewed as part of a complete approach to sustainable development. An ILO convention outlawing the worst forms of child labor has led the way, and industry initiatives, such as the program to eliminate child and forced labor in West African cocoa plantations, have been instrumental in addressing the problem. Other business initiatives include the broad adoption of codes of conduct governing labor practices of companies suppliers, the development of programs to provide educational opportunities for former child workers and the use of labels to certify that products are not made by children. While such efforts have contributed to the reduction of child
labor, the issue must be approached with an understanding of the complex economic factors, such as parental employment, that contribute to it, and sensitivity to the alternatives.
Companies that manufacture or source their products in countries and sectors where child labor occurs have found that addressing this issue in a responsible way can minimize the risk of negative publicity, criminal prosecution or lawsuits, enhance brand reputation, and contribute to a more stable economy.
Legal Compliance: Limits on child labor are being codified in national laws around the world. Meanwhile, new legal precedents are being set in the United States and elsewhere to allow liabilities for human rights abuses to
cross borders. While enforcement is still uneven, addressing and eliminating child labor can prevent future legal liability.
Minimize the risk and cost of negative publicity: International media reports of child labor in export industries often identify companies that allegedly employ young workers to produce their products. This has, in some cases, triggered consumer boycotts or campaigns against companies. Creating an effective strategy to enforce minimum age requirements financial and time investments, but it can also help companies avoid higher costs associated with adverse publicity.
Enhance brand reputation: According to a 1999 survey by the National Consumers League, the use of sweatshop and child labor is the top consumer concern in the United States. Fifty-five percent of adult respondents said they
would pay more for a product with a child labor-free label. These statistics indicate that companies taking a strong stand against child labor may improve their brand reputation with consumers and other stakeholders.
Address the social issues that contribute to the prevalence of child labor: Child labor is frequently found in impoverished communities where there is usually high adult unemployment, schooling is inadequate and/or prohibitively expensive for families and governments lack the resources or the will to assist children. Company efforts to address these issues can have beneficial effects on the future economic, social and political prospects of societies that improperly employ children.
Key Developments
In recent years,
eliminating child labor has become part of a broader sustainable development agenda. Under the leadership of the ILO, countries have passed new legislation to eliminate child labor, especially in its worst forms. Media and advocacy groups continue to discover cases of exploitative child labor, but businesses have responded quickly, and often collectively, to the issue. Advocacy groups, trade unions and government agencies have called for certification labels, enhanced monitoring, sanctions, boycotts and other actions to combat child labor. The following examples illustrate recent attempts both to identify and address the issue.
Legal Conventions
ILO Convention 182 which addresses the worst forms of child labor was passed in 1999 and has been ratified at an unprecedented pace, reaching 132 countries
by the beginning of 2003. The convention requires signatories to work with business groups to identify hazardous forms of child labor and introduce time-bound programs for eliminating them. The first countries to implement time-bound programs include the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nepal, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania.
Business Initiatives
Companies have adopted policies on child labor in codes of conduct that govern their labor practices and those of their suppliers. Recent industry initiatives to eliminate child labor include the End Child Labor in Tobacco Foundation (2001), the International Cocoa Initiative (2002), and the program for Social Accountability in U.S. Agriculture, which convened in 2001 to develop a child labor-free labeling program for U.S.
agriculture.
Monitoring Efforts
Companies are enhancing internal monitoring efforts to ensure that their suppliers comply with local laws and company guidelines on issues including child labor. An increasing number of nonprofit and for-profit firms are offering auditing and monitoring services to companies wishing to implement their codes of conduct.
Consumer Campaigns
Advocacy groups, including the Child Labor Committee and the International Labor Rights Fund, have helped organize consumer campaigns targeting companies that allegedly employ child labor. Activities include letter-writing campaigns to CEOs and US legislators,
demonstrations in front of stores, and boycotts.
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)
NGOs have played a key role in identifying child labor abuses, lobbying and advocating policy reforms, and proposing and providing services such as educational alternatives for working children. A large number of NGOs coordinated the Global March against Child Labor, comprised of marches and other events throughout the world that culminated in Geneva during the International Labour Organization's annual meeting in 1998. The coalition has since established the International Center on Child Labor and Education (ICCLE) in Washington D.C., and led an international campaign against child labor in the soccer ball industry in 2002.
Child
Participation in Eliminating Child Labor
Groups such as Child Workers in Asia, The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) and (Kids Can) Free the Children have promoted the idea of children as advocates for their rights and the rights of other children. For instance, CWC helped to create a union, Bhima Sangha, of, by and for working children in Karnataka, India. The union of 13,000 working children has been a powerful advocate for the rights of working children. It is equally concerned about improving the quality of life of the parents and communities of working children.
Labeling Programs
Labels have been created to certify products made without child labor. Some programs also raise money to fund
educational programs for former child workers. RUGMARK, an early example, has continued to expand its child labor-free labeling program for textiles in South Asia and its network of retailers in the United States.
Local Governments
Some governments in Asia and Central America, including India, Pakistan, Honduras, and Mexico, have launched initiatives to combat child labor, including raising the minimum working age, developing programs to provide schooling and other opportunities for former child workers, and improving mechanisms to enforce child labor laws. Nepal, for example, outlawed their bonded labor system and implemented an action program with the ILO that focuses on eliminating the worst forms of child labor by 2005.
External Standards
The 1999 ILO convention on child labor has encouraged countries to rewrite their labor laws and increase enforcement and other efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. At the same time, media focus on child labor in industries such as apparel and chocolate have led to industry-wide initiatives to prevent child labor. Also, general corporate responsibility standards, such as the Global Compact address the issue. The following examples are some of the most influential standards addressing child labor.
Legal Standards:
International Labour Organization (ILO): Conventions on Child Labor
The ILO has two conventions regarding child labor the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention,
1999 (No. 182), and the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).
Convention 182 ratified by at least 132 countries by 2003 commits countries to create a national time-bound plan to eliminate the worst forms of child labor among boys and girls under the age of 18. The convention defines the worst forms to include slavery, prostitution and pornography, illicit activities and hazardous work determined by governments of each country in consultation with employers and workers organizations.
The convention on the minimum age for admission to employment states, in part, that the minimum age for employment,
shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, shall not be less than 15 years. Developing countries may initially specify a minimum age of 14 years. This allows
for children in developing countries to engage in light work that is, work that is not likely to harm childrens health or development, or prejudice their attendance at school at the age of 12. While not defined explicitly, light work is generally understood to exclude industrial work. This convention also prohibits children under the age of 18 from engaging in hazardous work work that is likely to jeopardize their health, safety or morals. This convention had been ratified in 120 countries by 2003, although the United States has not ratified it.
U.S. Customs Regulations
The United States bans the import of all goods mined, produced or manufactured wholly or in part with bonded labor, but legislation in 2000 clarified the responsibility of the U.S. Customs Service to be especially vigilant in preventing imports of goods produced by bonded child labor. The Customs Service (now
part of the Department of Homeland Security) has formed a consortium of human rights groups, importers and congressional staff to help enforce the law.
European Regulations
Article 32 of the European Unions Charter of Fundamental Rights states: Prohibition of child labour and protection of young people at work: The employment of children is prohibited. The minimum age of admission to employment may not be lower than the minimum school-leaving age, without prejudice to such rules as may be more favourable to young people and except for limited derogations. Young people admitted to work must have working conditions appropriate to their age and be protected against economic exploitation and any work likely to harm their safety, health or physical, mental, moral or social development or to interfere with their education.
Multi-Stakeholder Initiative Codes:
Fair Labor Association (FLA)
The FLA grew out of a task force known as the Apparel Industry Partnership (AIP), comprised of apparel manufacturers and retailers, trade unions, and human rights, consumers and religious organizations. The groups agreed on a code of conduct defining working standards for the apparel industry in the United States and abroad, including a standard on child labor: No person shall be employed at an age younger than 15 (or 14 where the law of the country of manufacture allows) or younger than the age for completing compulsory education in the country of manufacture where such age is higher than 15. The FLA also has guidance and benchmarks for monitoring labor issues including child labor.
Social Accountability
8000
Social Accountability International (SAI) has developed the Social Accountability 8000 (SA 8000) global standard for ethical sourcing. SA 8000 seeks to create an auditable code of conduct that can be applied across consumer products industries. SA 8000s standard defines child labor as work performed by: any person less than 15 years of age, unless local minimum age law stipulates a higher age for work or mandatory schooling, in which case the higher age would apply. If, however, local minimum age law is set at 14 years of age in accordance with developing country exceptions under ILO Convention 138, the lower age will apply. The SA 8000 standard further requires that companies provide support and actions to ensure the safety, health, education, and development of children who have been subjected to child labour
and are dismissed.
Ethical Trading Initiative
The base code
agreed to by members of the U.K.-based Ethical Trading Initiative is based on ILO conventions. The section on child labor reads: CHILD LABOUR SHALL NOT BE USED. There shall be no new recruitment of child labour. Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child; child and child labour being defined in the appendices. Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions. These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards.
Industry-Specific / Trade Association Initiatives
Worldwide Responsible Apparel
Production (WRAP)
The WRAP Principles developed by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), an organization representing over 700 manufacturers have been endorsed by groups representing apparel manufacturers from 18 countries around the world, most recently Guatemala, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. The WRAP Certification program has certified over 400 factories. The WRAP Principles prohibit child labor: Manufacturers of Sewn Products will not hire any employee under the age of 14, or under the age interfering with compulsory schooling, or under the minimum age established by law, whichever is greater.
General Voluntary Principles / Guidelines
United Nations Global Compact
The nine principles of the Global Compact include a principle in support of the effective abolition of child
labour. The Global Compact advises:
Although children enjoy the same human rights as adults, their lack of knowledge, experience and power means that they also have distinct rights by virtue of their age. These rights include protection from economic exploitation and work that may be dangerous to their health or morals and that may hinder their development. This does not mean that children should not be allowed to work, rather that there are standards that distinguish what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable work for children at different ages and stages of their development.
Employers should not use child labour in ways that are socially unacceptable and that lead to a child losing his or her educational opportunities. The complexity of the issue of child labour means that companies need to address the
issue sensitively, and not take action which may force working children into more exploitative forms of work. Nevertheless, as Principle 5 states, the goal of all companies should be the abolition of child labour within their sphere of influence.
Global Reporting Initiative
The GRI has a reporting indicator on child labor, asking for a Description of policy excluding child labour as defined by the ILO Convention 138 and extent to which this policy is visibly stated and applied, as well as description of procedures/ programmes to address this issue, including monitoring systems and results of monitoring.
The GRI also produced draft technical guidelines on the issue of child labor in May 2002.
Global
Sullivan Principles
Although the Global Sullivan Principles do not directly address child labor, companies that endorse the principles commit to operate without unacceptable worker treatment such as the exploitation of children, physical punishment, female abuse, involuntary servitude, or other forms of abuse.
Implementation Steps
Companies concerned about eliminating the use of child labor in their manufacturing and operations can consider undertaking the following measures.
Adopt or adapt a child labor policy/code of conduct: Codes of conduct are statements of company policy on labor standards to which employees and/or suppliers must adhere. While codes vary across companies, they usually set a minimum age for employment using
ILO Convention No. 138 and 182, local laws, or other standards as a benchmark. (See Sample Policies for sample child labor provisions.)
Ensure that suppliers and employees understand code provisions: This can include: 1) contractually requiring compliance with child labor standards; 2) communicating to employees and suppliers the meanings and importance of policies; 3) posting the code of conduct in relevant languages in visible places in workplaces; and 4) providing training on how to discern instances of child labor in the workplace and what to do if it is discovered and management practices to ensure sustainable compliance.
Monitor compliance with the code of conduct: This may include internal audits and visits by company staff, external audits conducted by external or independent firms hired by the
company, and independent monitoring by NGOs or others.
Contribute to efforts to provide services to working children: Two issues greatly affect the likelihood of child labor: educational opportunities for children and job opportunities for parents. Companies that address these issues can help reduce the instance of child labor. Businesses can make financial and other contributions to provide educational opportunities, health services, or recreational activities available to children, or compensate their families for deferred earnings while their children attend school.
Pay a wage that meets families basic needs: Most parents of working children would prefer not to send their children to work, but cannot afford not to. Paying adult workers enough to afford day care services or such necessities as school uniforms
for their children allows companies to help prevent child labor.
Reduce the use of subcontractors: Small subcontracting shops are more likely to employ children than large facilities, and are more difficult to monitor. Companies can consider consolidating their sourcing to a smaller number of suppliers where possible, and impress upon their prime contractors that subcontracting without explicit approval from the company will not be tolerated.
Develop techniques to validate workers ages: Employers should keep age documentation such as birth certificates for all workers on hand. Where this is not available, other methods may help ensure a worker under the minimum age is not employed including dental, medical or religious records.
Leadership Examples
These leadership practices have been chosen as illustrative examples addressing child labor. They are intended to represent innovation, higher than average commitment, unusual industry practice or a comprehensive approach to this issue. Periodically, the examples listed may be changed. If you wish to share information about your company's leadership practices or policies, please contact editor@bsr.org and provide the relevant information.
Cocoa and Chocolate Industry
In July 2002, major chocolate companies, labour unions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the ILO established the International Cocoa Initiative to confront the use of abusive child labor and
forced labor in West Africa, where much of the worlds cocoa is grown. The initiative, funded by industry and US government agencies, was developed to support field projects and act as a clearinghouse for best practices that help eliminate abusive child and forced labour in the growing of cocoa, develop a joint action program of research, information exchange and action to enforce internationally-recognized abusive child and forced labour standards in the growing of cocoa, and help determine the most appropriate, practical and independent means of monitoring and public reporting in compliance with these labour standards. In 2001, the industry endorsed an International Protocol and signed a Joint Statement laying out a date-specific timetable to ensure that cocoa is grown without abusive child or forced labour practices. The Protocol has followed industry efforts already underway to gain a better understanding of the issue and to develop solutions.
Sialkot Soccer Ball Program
In 1996, when the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) launched a campaign against child labor in soccer ball production in the Sialkot region of Pakistan, 7,000 children 17 percent of the regions soccer ball workforce were sewing soccer balls full time. Beginning in 1997, more than 50 sporting good brands including adidas, Nike and Reebok local manufacturers (almost 100 by mid-2002) and the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) joined with several international organizations to eliminate child labor in Pakistans soccer industry. Under the program, the brands agree to buy soccer balls only from manufacturers certified as child labor free by independent monitors from the International Labour Organizations IPEC. As of April 2002, IPEC was monitoring over 2,600 factories, covering almost
95 percent of Sialkots soccer ball production, and had found zero instances of child labor in the previous nine months. The companies also fund social programs for former child workers and their families, including non-formal education centers and micro credit. A Reebok facility in the region uses external monitoring to ensure the no worker is less than 15 years old. Reebok also supports child-focused initiatives in the region, such as a school for former child workers through its Educational Assistance to Pakistan (REAP) program. Nike has several factories in the same area that offer child and health care facilities and employment to adult family members of former children workers. The Sialkot program has become a model for Pakistans carpet industry and the soccer ball industry in India.
Sample Policies
Nike
Inc. (Code of Conduct)
The contractor does not employ any person below the age of 18 to produce footwear. The contractor does not employ any person below the age of 16 to produce apparel, accessories or equipment. If at the time Nike production begins, the contractor employs people of the legal working age who are at least 15, that employment may continue, but the contractor will not hire any person going forward who is younger than the Nike or legal age limit, whichever is higher. To further ensure these age standards are complied with, the contractor does not use any form of homework for Nike production.
Mattel, Inc. (Global Manufacturing Principles, January 2001)
Age Requirements
- No one under the age of 16 will be employed. If the local law requires a higher minimum age, we will comply with the local law.
- In cases where employees are hired between 16 and 18 special considerations must include annual physicals and will exclude hazardous duties.
- A system must be in place to detect forged and false identity documents.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (from 2001 Report on Vendor Standards)
Wal-Mart does not tolerate the use of child labor in the manufacture of the products it sells.
Wal-Mart will not accept products from suppliers who use, in any manner, child labor in the manufacture of their products.
Suppliers must assure that their factories, or the factories of their direct or indirect subcontractors, do not employ persons younger than 15 years of age, or 14 where the laws of the country allow.
If egregious violations are noted - those relating to child labor, human rights abuses, discrimination, or unsafe working conditions - for which there may be extenuating circumstances (e.g., worker-falsified documents, required additional overtime), the factory is assessed as pending fail. The factory has 10 days to demonstrate that the extenuating circumstances that existed are being addressed. No merchandise may be shipped from factories with an assessment of pending fail. A full
re-inspection must be completed within 30 days, even if the factory has demonstrated that extenuating circumstances existed.
A supplier factory is failed when egregious violations are noted and no extenuating circumstances can be documented at the time of the audit. Wal-Mart will not accept products made in factories that fail inspection, or are assessed as pending fail. Should a supplier again place Wal-Mart purchase orders in another failing, or pending fail factory, all orders for merchandise through that supplier in that country are canceled. Wal-Mart will terminate the relationship with a supplier on a global basis on the third such occurrence.
Procter & Gamble
Child Labor And Worker
Exploitation Policy: P&G does not use child or forced labor in any of our global operations or facilities. We do not tolerate unacceptable worker treatment such as the exploitation of children, physical punishment or abuse, or involuntary servitude. We expect our suppliers and contractors with whom we do business to uphold the same standards. Should a pattern of violation of these principles become known to the Company and not be corrected; we will discontinue the business relationship. For purposes of implementing the above policy, we will employ the following definitions:
CHILD LABOR:
We will look first to the sovereign laws of the country in which we are doing business. In the absence of any national or local law, we will define child as less than 15 years of age. If local minimum-age law is set below 15 years of age but is in accordance with International Labor
Organization (ILO) Convention 138, the lower age will apply.
FORCED LABOR is any work or service extracted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which said person has not offered himself voluntarily.
SUPPLIER or CONTRACTOR is someone who has a direct business or contractual relationship with P&G. We will urge our suppliers and contractors to promote the application of these principles by those with whom they do business.
Nestlé (from The Nestlé Sustainability Review, May 2002)
Nestlé is against all forms of exploitation of children. The company does not provide employment to young people before
they would have completed their compulsory education and expects its business partners and industrial suppliers to apply the same standards. In all countries where we operate, the Head of Human Resources has confirmed that our practices comply with our Principles on human resources and the workplace and child labour. Nestlé abides by national laws in all countries where it operates, and Nestlé complies with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as ILO Conventions 138 and 182.
Even though we do not own agricultural land, and raw materials are primarily bought from processors or traders, we are currently working with the UK, US and Côte dIvoire governments, NGOs, process traders and other chocolate manufacturers to assess and eliminate forced child labour in cocoa farming where it may exist.
Nestlé offers its co-operation with the relevant United Nations agencies, governments and the business community in their efforts to deal with the problem of child labour. These efforts include the encouragement of universal primary education and all aspects of development.
Royal Dutch/ Shell Group (The Shell Report 2002)
We go to great lengths to prevent the use of child labour and discourage its use by suppliers or contractors. Our primer Business and Child Labour provides guidance to Shell managers, including practical examples of how Shell companies are addressing this issue. Every Shell employee is above the legal age of employment and in 120 countries, Shell companies have a procedure to prevent the use of child labour in their operations. The youngest Shell
employee is 14 and works part-time (Saturdays and school holidays) in a retail station in the Netherlands. We also attempt to screen our contractors and suppliers in those countries where children are known to work. In 2002, screening has increased.
Awards / Recognition
At this time, BSR is not aware of any awards given to companies specifically for their initiatives on child labor. However, Social Accountability International has used child labor as one of the criteria for its Corporate Conscience Awards to evaluate efforts to eliminate sweatshop conditions and recognize companies that are effective and innovative in doing so.
Abrinq Foundation for Childrens Rights
As part
of their Child-Friendly Company Program confers a Seal of Certification to companies in Brazil that undertake the following actions to end child labor: commit themselves not to employ child labor; promote among their suppliers laws forbidding child labor; and to support actions in favor of children (nursery schools, schools, sports activities or health initiatives, etc.). These companies can than use this seal on its marketing material and advertisements as Child Friendly. By 1997, 902 companies had been certified, benefiting 361,986 children. Contact Abrinq at http://www.fundabrinq.org.br/
Resources
The following list is not comprehensive. It is an illustrative
group of the many nonprofit, public sector and/or academic resources working with the private sector to address child labor. The resources identified below have been included because they provide information or support that is relevant to companies, and they are national or international in scope. Periodically, the examples listed may be changed. At this time, the list does not include for-profit resources. If you would like to provide information about additional helping resources that meet our criteria, please contact editor@bsr.org with the relevant information.
Abrinq Foundation for Childrens Rights
http://www.fundabrinq.org.br/
Abrinq Foundation for Childrens Rights is a Brazilian non-governmental organization whose mission is to defend childrens rights in Brazil. Abrinq engages with the Brazilian private sector in a number of campaigns against child labor in Brazil and has been recognized as one of Brazils 100 most efficient non-profit organizations. The group houses information on child labor in Brazil, sponsors events to increase exposure on childrens rights and labor issues, works directly with companies to end child labor practices and publishes monthly bulletins. As part of their Child-Friendly Company Program, Abrinq confers a Seal of Certification to companies in Brazil that undertake the following actions to end child labor: commit to not use child labor; to promote similar policies among their suppliers; and to support actions in favor of children (nursery schools, schools, sports activities or health initiatives, etc.).
These companies can than use this seal on marketing material and advertisements as a Child Friendly company.
Business for Social Responsibility
www.bsr.org
Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) helps companies of all sizes and from all sectors achieve commercial success in ways that respect ethical values, people, communities and the environment. A leading global business partner, BSR provides information, tools and advisory services to make corporate social responsibility (CSR) an integral part of business operations and strategies. BSR promotes cross sector collaborations and contributes to global efforts to advance the field of corporate social responsibility.
Child Labor Coalition (CLC)
www.nclnet.org/clc.htm
The Child Labor Coalition (CLC) is a U.S. coalition of over 60 advocacy, labor, consumer, and other organizations. The CLC is a national network for the exchange of information about child labor, providing a forum and a unified voice on protecting working minors and ending child labor exploitation. The CLC also helps coordinate anti-sweatshop consumer campaigns. The CLC is coordinated by the National Consumers League (NCL), a nonprofit founded in 1899 to ensure food safety and eliminate sweatshops and child labor.
Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)
www.ethicaltrade.org/
The Ethical Trading Initiative is an alliance of retail companies, trade unions and NGOs working toward the adoption of acceptable ethical sourcing codes and associated systems for monitoring and external verification. ETI primarily exists to share experience and learning about implementing international labor standards in international supply chains.
Fair Labor Association (FLA)
www.fairlabor.org/
A group of NGOs, companies and unions, the FLA has created a code of conduct based on international labor standards and various local laws, and accredits
third-party monitors to assess compliance with the code.
Global Alliance for Workers and Communities (GA)
www.theglobalalliance.org/
A partnership of foundations, global companies, and international institutions, The Global Alliance for Workers and Communities (GA) was launched in April 1999 to improve the workplace experience and life opportunities for workers in developing countries, particularly young adult workers involved in global production and service supply chains worldwide. GA uses an assessment process of worker surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups to identify the needs of workers and then designs and delivers education, training,
personal development, and other programs that respond directly to workers identified needs, both inside and outside the workplace. Committed to the principles of transparency and accountability, the GA publishes regular public reports and updates on its work, and posts assessment tools and results, as well as full GA country reports, on its website. The long-term goal of the Global Alliance is to develop practical, sustainable multi-sector partnerships that deliver mutual benefits to workers, factory owners, local NGOs, and global companies. Corporate members include NIKE and The Gap.
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR)
www.iccr.org/
The ICCR is a U.S.-based
association of religious institutional investors, in conjunction with the United Kingdom's Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility and Canada's Taskforce on the Churches and Corporate Responsibility. The group promotes socially responsible investing and shareholder resolutions.
International Initiative to End Child Labor (IIECL)
www.iiecl.org/
The IIECL is a U.S.-based nonprofit founded in 1998 to eliminate exploitative forms of child labor in the United States and throughout the world. The group has helped to lead an initiative to introduce a child labor-free label for agriculture in the United States.
International Labour Organization: International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC)
www.ilo.org/childlabor
The ILOs International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor works with governments and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in participating countries to prevent child labor, withdraw children from hazardous work and improve working conditions as a transitional measure towards the elimination of child labor. The priority target groups are bonded child laborers, children in hazardous working conditions and occupations and children who are particularly vulnerable.
International Save the Children Alliance
http://www.savethechildren.net/homepage/
Based in London, the International Save the Children Alliance has 20 member organizations working in 120 countries to alleviate child poverty and advocate for childrens rights. The alliance opposes Exploitation and abuse, one of five program areas, including child labor. Working children need to be protected in such a way that their rights are respected while at the same time their livelihoods are not severely compromised. There are various levels by which a child is exploited in the workplace and it is vital that we work from the worst forms of child labour down.
RUGMARK
www.rugmark.org/
Founded in India, RUGMARK is a nonprofit organization working in the textile industries of India, Nepal and Pakistan. Over 3 million carpets with the RUGMARK label have been made and exported by manufacturers that agree to use no illegal child labor, permit random inspections, and give a portion of profits to rehabilitate and educate former child weavers.
Social Accountability International (SAI)
http://www.cepaa.org//
Social Accountability
International (SAI) is a charitable human rights organization dedicated to improving workplaces and communities by developing and implementing socially responsible standards. Representatives of unions, human rights and childrens rights organizations, academia, retailers, manufacturers, contractors, consulting, accounting and certification firms helped to develop Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000), a workplace standard that covers all key labor rights and certifies compliance through independent, accredited auditors. Both the standard and the monitoring system can be used in any industry and in any country. SAI has accredited eight companies to perform SA8000 certification audits.
UNICEF (United Nations Childrens Fund)
www.unicef.org/
Created by the United Nations in 1946, UNICEF is an advocate for childrens rights, and particularly helps children living in poverty in developing countries. In a 2001 report, Beyond Child Labour, UNICEF argued for a rights-based approach to eliminating child labor.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Forced or Indentured Child Labor
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/home.xml
The U.S. Customs Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for preventing imports of goods made with bonded labor. The agency makes available a Forced Child Labor Advisory that includes a list Red Flags and Yellow Flags that should prompt suspicions of forced child labor.
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB): International Child Labor Program
http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/programs/iclp/main.htm
In response to a direct request from Congress in 1994, the Department of Labors Bureau of International Labor Affairs established a specialized unit to investigate, research and report on the plight of child labor around the world. The International Child Labor Program has since published numerous reports on aspects of international child labor, held annual public hearings on child labor matters, and supported efforts to eliminate child labor through the International Labor Organizations International
Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC). The programs website has summaries and complete texts of its annual reports.
U.S. Department of State Human Rights Reports
www.state.gov/g/drl/hr/
The State Department releases annual human rights country reports, which include information on national laws regarding child labor and how vigorously they are enforced.
Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production (WRAP)
www.wrapapparel.org/
WRAP is a factory-based certification program for manufacturers of sewn products, including apparel, footwear and accessories.
Workers Rights Consortium (WRC)
www.workersrights.org/
The 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 to ensure that factories producing clothing and other goods bearing their
names respect the basic rights of workers. More than 100 colleges and universities are affiliated with the WRC.
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