Company / Ownership: There are two Edun companies: Edun Live is a high volume blank t-shirt company, and Edun Collection is a men's and women's clothing collection. Edun Live states it is a for-profit business that aims to 'provide long-term sustainable employment in developing countries to help foster economic growth rather than provide charity'(1). The two companies are linked to Ali Hewson and Bono.

linked to Ali Hewson and Bono...

Share ownership: unknown

Markets: Edun Live t-shirts are sold through the website.
Edun Collection is sold in Australia, Canada, Greece, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Turkey, UAE, Japan, UK and USA amongst others.

Manufacturers: Edun Live t-shirts are manufactured in factories in sub-Saharan African countries, such as Uganda, Lesotho and South Africa(2).

Edun Collection produces in India, Peru, Tunisia, Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Mauritius and Madagascar(3).

Standards: Edun Live has a code of conduct called Terms of Reference on its website. It includes standards on legal compliance, forced labour workplace discrimination, child labour, freedom of association, wages and benefits, hours, dormitories, harrassment and abuse, health and safety, implementation, children and wages. The Terms of Reference include preferred standards in relation to wages and child labour. Contractors, subcontractors, principal suppliers and licensees found to be in breach of one or more terms of the code or failing to implement the corrective action plan, shall lose the right to produce or organize production of goods for EDUN or to provide services for EDUN(4).

It was not possible to find a code of conduct on Edun Collection's website, although one is referred to in the frequently asked questions.

'Our decision to do business with a factory is based not only on price / margins and quick delivery, but also on where trade is needed the most as well as the social and environmental performance of our business. Through our assessment, remediation and capacity building programs Edun will ensure our suppliers meet all legal labor and health and safety requirments, including paying workers their legal wages and benefits. It is for both a deeper commitment - working with the factories to grow their capabilities so they are a viable resource for us as well as other brands'(5).

Reporting: Edun Live's website contains a staff blog(6), including videos, about visits to factories. It was not possible to find detailed reports about conditions in factories, nor a full list of factory locations.

Monitoring and verification: Edun Collection uses non-profit auditing company Verite for carrying out audits. Staff visit factories at least twice a year and works with them to 'improve compliance infractions through coaching and feedback'. They state that the context of each supplier's situation will determine the best approach for dealing with non-compliance(7).

We didn't find any available information on Edun Live's policies and practices relating to monitoring and verification.

Comments and questions Disappointingly, neither Edun nor its PR company responded to our questions.

Edun Live's decision to commit to long term sourcing in sub-Saharan Africa is welcome as the industry there is highly vulnerable to changes in trade rules and increased competition. However, if employment is to be sustainable it needs to ensure that workers have access to decent work. On the basis of available information it is not clear that this is the case for workers producing Edun products and there is little to distinguish their policies from those of other large mainstream retailers.

For example, in relation to wages, the Edun Live Terms of Reference request that the workers are paid either the legal minimum wage or the local industry standard wage, whichever is greater. Payment of a living wage that is 'always sufficient to meet the basic needs of employees (that standard for which is to be identified), their families, and to provide some discretionary income(8)' is a "preferred practice".' In other words, workers do not need to be paid a living wage to be involved in making Edun's products.

Edun does not produce a list of factories or publish a report about conditions online. It is also not clear if or how they work collaboratively with other buyers to work to improve conditions in their factories.

Whilst Edun Collection website states the company 'maintains a positive, open attitude towards the organizational and administrative activities of trade unions', it is not clear whether the factories that Edun works with are unionised or not or what steps Edun take to ensure workers are aware of their openness to union organising.