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Country Reports of the CCC's, June-November 2000
FRENCH CCC (Ethique sur L'étiquette)
The main campaign running in France is the campaign "for
schools: be ethical consumers" The content was reported in
the CCC newsletter nr 12 (may 2000). Find below an overview of
the results.
Municipalities (towns)
80 municipalities voted a statement in which they say they want
to be ethical consumers and will act accordingly: some of the larger
ones: Tourcoing, Calais, Valence, Lyon... (Our goal was 50). Now,
we are trying to create a network of cities that are "ethical
consumers". Activities: · to work with us on the creation
of a 'social label'. This means: o to ask their suppliers to adopt
our code of conduct (for technical reasons, the text will be adapted
to public procurements) o to participate in pilot project on independent
verification with some of their suppliers · to lobby toward
the government to increase the possibility to link public procurements
and good working conditions. In France, the government is now working
on new rules (the new text will be probably published in December
2000 or January 2001). We have asked the 80 "ethical"
cities to write to the minister of economy and have met, last week,
the member of cabinet in charge with public procurement. She said
that the new code on public procurements would give larger possibilities
to use social, environmental and fair trade criteria's.
The towns of Tourcoing and Sisteron (socialist) and Epinal (conservative)
agreed to coordinate such a network. The Regional council Nord-Pas
de Calais (near Belgium) will soon decide if they join/coordinate
the network. We are waiting for other answers.
Next campaign: we will lobby the candidates at the next municipalities'
election, in March 2001. (campagne "achats publics : achats
éthique ?")
Companies
We have published a "report" card (carnet de note),
inspired by the reports that are given to the students by schools,
to evaluate their work. We have decided to do the same with the
main French retailers in two sectors we have targeted during our
campaigns: hypermarkets and sporting goods retailers (14 companies).
When we have launched our 1st campaign, in 1995, no French retailer
had any code of conduct. In the beginning of 2000: 9 retailers out
of 14 have a code or a similar kind of engagement. 2 of them (Auchan
and Promodès, since recently owned by Carrefour) refer to
all the standards included in our model code and began to implement
their engagement. 5 companies didn't take any engagement.
The publication of the report, the publicity in the medias and
the letters sent by consumers had a good impact: · Leclerc
and Intermarché nominate someone in their staff to work on
a strategy about ethical trade, code of conduct... (We have met
two people from Intermarché) · Super U is working
on a social charter · Cora and Casino, which have a common
buying office ("Opera") now refers on Sa 8000 standards
and will finance external social audits ("SGS style")
Other contacts with retailers
Since 1998, we meet each year with Fédération des
entreprises du commerce et de la distribution/FCD: employers fédération
of retailers (all hypermarkets except Intermarché and Leclerc).
4 of their members: Auchan, Carrefour/Promodès and Monoprix
asked companies like SGS, ITS etc. to make social audits in their
suppliers (100 during the last 2 years). During the next 2 years
they will pay for 200 audits. Casino and Cora are now part of that
program.
FCD has agreed to have more cooperation with the French CCC. They
promised to create a working group with us and companies that are
not members of FCD but are interested in code of conducts and monitoring
(for example Camif, mailing order company)
With FCD, we have insisted on a real involvement of the workers
before, during and after the audits (negotiations to improve working
conditions...). With Auchan, we will organise a pilot testing this
kind of process/audit in Madagascar before June 2001. Local partners
(one NGO and one trade union) came to France in May to discuss this
and work out the details. We are now finishing the documents and
CFDT (trade union) will go to Madagascar at the end of the month.
French government
3 weeks ago, the French ministry of social affairs has contacted
us. 4 and 5th of December, in Paris, before the end of the French
"presidence" of EU, they will organise a European meeting
on socially responsible companies, code of conducts... They want
to create a network of contact persons in the 15th ministries of
social affairs of EU and begin a work on a statement of EU on these
issues (it will have to be continued by the next presidencies: Sweden,
Belgium...) The 5th, the meeting will be open to European NGO's,
trade unions, companies.We will make a presentation of the French
and European work of CCC.
Toy campaign 2001
At Christmas 2001 we will launch a toy campaign (it will be probably
a 2 years campaign toward toys retailers) and will publish a petition
and a new report card. Cooperation with Hong Kong groups, in coordination
with other CCC, if some are interested.
UK CCC (Labour behind the Label)
1) LBL OUTREACH A survey of 1000 LBL supporters was carried out
in July: 107 questionnaires were returned, most of them urging
LBL to intensify its activities.
A national conference was organised to bring LBL supporters together
with Southern colleagues and LBL staff, and nurture supporters'
commitment - on 1 October. The day was designed for beginners and
activists alike. Approx. 100 participants from all over the country
gave very positive feedback - evaluation interviews with 15 participants
are under way now. Nine Southern partners took part, who had also
taken part in Women Working Worldwide's seminar on sub-contracting.
Rosa Marina Escobar from Guatemala, May Wong from Hong Kong and
one LBL staff were invited to address a public meeting in Glasgow,
Scotland - to introduce the campaign in Scotland. LBL was invited
to contribute a presentation on 'Why the fashion industry must take
note of the ethical trade movement' at a conference organised by
Nottingham Trent University. Exploratory work is underway to assess
the possibility of designing modules for integration into the fashion
and design courses of UK colleges and universities.
2) Women Working Worldwide (WWW) two day seminar on subcontracting
(September 2000) The seminar was attended by some 50 participants
from Southern and European workers' organisations, NGOs, campaigns
and academic institutions. In depth presentations were given on
developments in sub-contracting - discussion followed on the last
afternoon. A report will be available from WWW. A joint research
project with the same Southern and European partners is being developed.
WWW now participate in the ETI's Sri Lanka pilot on the garment
industry.
3) EURO 2000 FOLLOW UP All 30, 000 cards have been distributed.
LBL continues to lobby the FA to include the FIFA code in contracts
with sponsors and suppliers.
4) Materials: a video and a brochure for use by and with young
people are to be ready soon.
DUTCH CCC (Schone Kleren Kampagne)
1. Fair Wear Charter:
· New money is organized for follow-up of the project plan
(underlying the foundations work) and a new coordinator will be
hired. · New plan is made for the pilot, to involve 4 companies
and 4 different production locations. Accepted by expert board,
will be brought to total board. The first phase has in fact only
tested the management system outline; the next phase will involve
local level organizations "correspondents". · Schedule
for working on certification adapted, more attention now to pilots,
less to how this in the end should lead to a functioning foundation
3. Euro 2000
· Action to hand over all the signatures, photo's etc. at
the Euro 2000 committee. Some press, Nike showed, Adidas send a
representative, follow up to be organized in the new project ·
Poster action follow up: Nike and Adidas refused the living wage
extra money, so now all donators (7000) will be send a letter that
the money will go to trade unions instead plus a protest letter
to send to the companies (and a request to become protest letter
writer)
4. Biological cotton in baby clothes (Alternative Consumers Union)
· Ministry of Environment has a "chain of responsibility
platform" on clothing and textiles in which the AKB participates
and the branche organisations. The sector is part of three selected
sectors for future work. Our aim: increase the percentage of biological
cotton. · Studies done and reports made available (partly
in English) aimed at companies on how to change form regular cotton
to organic cotton · Popular brochure · Video India
"Slow Poison" · Meetings with companies and a "directors
day", idea is to enable a selection between those willing and
those unwilling, and thus we can campaign.
5. Companies: · SOMO research in India and Sri Lanka on
Dutch companies fieldwork finished, production found in 7 locations
also for many other labels, report in English will be send around
7. Lobby towards the government · Letter send with 12 other
organisations to the state secretary on corporate social responsibility
on October 9, follow up of earlier letters concerning steps the
Dutch government should take (model code, law on social reporting,
active attitude where they are themselves shareholder, social standards
concerning subsidies given to Dutch companies operating abroad,
consultation of NGOs, OECD guidelines).
SWISS CCC: Clean Clothes Campaign
Perspectives The Swiss CCC has been extended. Despite bad financial
situations for most of our supporting organisations, we could decide
to continue our work as long as the pilot project lasts (June 2002).
We are going to work for a public campaign, lobbying within the
companies and accompanying works for the pilot project. It is a
main goal to find solutions for the institutionalisation of the
independent verification (kind of monitoring body). That's why we
are very interested in what is going on at the European level (what
institutions with what competence do we need, what is the duty for
the CCC).
In Switzerland we now registered the name "Clean Clothes Campaign"
and the emblem as a trade mark (TM). If in an other country the
same logo will be used, the TM could be extended (but not for "saubere
Kleidung" etc.).
Campaign Till today almost 60'000 postcards were send to 15 Swiss
retailers. Beside press releases, public information meetings and
the work with schools/teachers no BIG events took place this year.
The broadcast on the Swiss TV about child labour for Jumbo and
Vögele was very well perceived by the public (Oct. 24. And
31. 2000). Other specific cases still followed up, where we asked
the public / the consumers to write protest cards to the companies:
Adidas, Triumph. We did some media work for that and updated our
www-site. But we did not print postcards again in large scale. In
the case of Vögele we went on the street for a direct action,
which showed it's effect on the behaviour of the media / journalists
(see: www.cleanclothes.ch/d/Kinderarbeit.htm).
We planed to follow the cases of Triumph, Vögele, Jumbo. We
got in contact now with people (journalists) travelling to India
and the Philippines. Also with local organisations (in India: SAVE)
The case of Vögele is of interest for Belgium, Austria, Germany,
Netherlands (where they just bought a chain of some 150 shops) and
Switzerland. Vögele just refused any co-operation with the
CCC and announced some social projects together with LINK. Jumbo
is a subsidiary of the French "Carrefour" and is connected
with the owners of Manor. But the pressure on the other companies
should go on as well.
As a main event for next year, we planned a co-operation with trade
unions and related organisations (1st of Mai...). Goal: show the
importance of labour rights and the freedom of organisation as an
angle for further empowerment; show possibilities of co-operation
between workers + consumers / between Unions + NGOs. In Mai we want
to invite some representatives from producing countries. Later in
the year should be a follow up with some more research / facts.
Therefore we are interested in any contacts with trade unions, worker
committees (specially from the South) etc.
Pilot project In October the Coordinator of the pilot started work
in Lausanne. According to our Pilot project, monitoring and verification
practices should not just enable an evaluation of the working conditions,
but also promote social dialogue and development at the local level.
The direct involvement of workers, trade unions and labour related
NGOs in all stages of the monitoring and verification process is
essential. Social questions like empowerment, participation of labour,
complaint mechanism and interviews will be the main aspects of the
pilot.
In the end we hope to find a way for a system of independent verification.
We are in close contact with the Swedish Pilot project and we want
to take advantage of possible synergies. Not at least, we participate
at the meetings on pilot project at the European level for to co-ordinate
the pilots as well as the beginning processes of institutionalisation.
Contact: Projet-pilote Clean Clothes, Isabelle Scherrer, c/o Pain
pour le Prochain, Av. du Grammont 9, CH-1007 Lausanne (Tél:
021 601 14 66, Fax: 021 6 175 175, E-Mail pilot@cleanclothes.ch)
Other: - In March LINK (AMANA SA, a "fair trade" label)
went public with it's project. There were some polemic in Swiss
media between them and CCC. Since a "round table meeting"
we stopped mentioning each other in public statements. Till now,
only one retailer (Spengler SA) works together with LINK. But there
are good connections to Swiss and European Retailer Associations.
Some contacts exist with Calida and Triumph International.
- The Berne Declaration started a project for a "Ombudsstelle"
for human rights (following a Norwegian Model, see new EvB publication,
in german). It is though to be a watchdog for the support of human
rights, especially in the work of TNCs and Export trade guarantee
agencies. The process of the Howitt resolution could be a good example.
An other initiative in Switzerland claims a "Commission on
human rights".
- A meeting on codes and social responsibility was organized by
UNRISD (United Nations Reseach Institute on Social Development),
as a follow up of a series of discussion papers. The Swiss CCC attended
the meeting.
AUSTRIAN CCC: Clean Clothes Kampagne
· About 30 CCC lectures: at schools and different Organisations
(women's organisation, political organisations...) partly as follow
up of an appeal send out to teachers · Press work: preparing
articles for several newspapers, interviews for radio stations and
newspapers · Finalization of Report on Social Standards:
within the textile branches in Austria (conventional and ecological)
It was difficult to get info on social standards, only eco and not
strong on this. · Installation of an Urgent Appeal system
to send protest letters to companies per e-mail: till now about
60 participants have emailed protest letters in support of the following
cases: for Honduras Yoo Yung/SITRAIMASH union, Philippines TRIUMPH
International, Philippines MAISTO Master, Thailand Thai Kriang Durable,
Bangladesh NGDW, Thailand British Thai Synthetic Textile Co., Cambodia
Garment Manufacturers Association · Visit of the VKI Symposium
"Ethical Consum": VKI = "Verein für Konsumenteninformation"
(austrian consumer organization) on 24. and 25. October ·
coordinating and organizing of the CCC Forum on informalization
of (Women's)Work "Making invisible Work visible" (with
women's referents from the south and north) on 21 March 2001 in
Vienna with a trip around Austria with three referents from the
south; two referents should be go to two other CCCs in Europe on
7 April (who's interested?) · coordinating and organizing
of the action- and filmday on the international women's day on 8
march 2001: info desks in the main shopping mile in Vienna, handing
over of the action cards to the chairman of NIKE in Austria (and
ADIDAS) and transmission of the CCC demands with activists; several
films to the CCC topic in the evening · CCC information work
for all interested people: from march on about 650 inquiries
A new idea within the campaign is the idea of houseparties, which
has similarities with the idea of tupperware parties. One person
invites friends and tells about the subject, while they for example
drink a glass of wine and eat something. The idea is that on of
the guests takes it over and organises a new houseparty, of course
with new guests...
Theatre plays in public spaces on clean clothes in which the public
is invited to join in, participate through a moderator in the play.
Schools workshops with children
· CCC Youth Project "Show it: public awareness - clean
clothes" from October 2000 till June 2001: CCC as example for
global fairness in fashion (theatre performance, fashion workshops,
poster competion, placarding of the best posters in the whole district...,
chill-out party for all) · publishing a CCC-poster with sneaker
· travelling-exhibition since 1998 in Austria with CCC part
including a documentation in paper · sending out to 2000
trade union members working in clothing industry in Austria: info
material included CCC-poster, documentation of the exhibition and
signature folder against NIKE and ADIDAS
Belgium CCC: Flemish speaking part, Schone Kleren
Campagne
Sports Next year the focus will be on other sports, and then some
work on the world championship football. Plans concerning volleyball,
1/10th of marathon in Leuven, and an action week 6 or 13 of may
2001
Legal Contacts made with a University to do a very detailed study
on the court cases done in the garment industry in the last two
years, to get a clearer picture on possibilities for liability of
retailers.
Other Introduction on CCC at international training course for
trade unionists (WCL) Open information session with Renée
Andersson and Isabel Chaudet Questionnaire on the CCC to 180 key
members of KAV (women's organisation) and ACV (trade union). 180
replies out 400. Some work going on concerning Migration and the
garment industry focusing on Dominican Republic The King Baudouin
Foundation has made an agreement with Nike, and paid 6 million Belgian
francs. Protest made, meeting, press release etc. ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS
(Sep - Nov) ¨ News Letter ¨ Article on Liability of Garment
Companies ¨ Jeans MEDIA (Oct - Nov) ¨ Nike and BBC program
¨ Swedish verification project ¨ TV Program on corporate
responsibility, aired next week
BELGIUM CCC French speaking part: Vetements Propres
Awareness Raising: · Press release about the Nike campaign
- CAA action in Sydney · Reaction on the sponsoring of the
King Baudouin Foundation by Nike · several conferences in
the frame of the projection of "Ouvrières du monde":
The video made on production for Levi Strauss by women in Indonesia,
Turkey, Philippines and Belgium (available in French and soon in
English). · The 7th newsletter of the campaign will be published
at the end of this month including Interview with May Wong (AMRC)
on the labour conditions in China, info on SA8000 and a Presentation
of the pilot projects in Switzerland and Sweden to go to 7.352 addresses
· In the magasins du monde forum at the end of this year
a part will focus on ccc.
Companies: Discussions with GB / Carrefour Belgium towards a code
of conduct and a pilot project for independent monitoring. ·
Renée Andersson and Isabelle Chaudet (Swedish and Swiss pilotprojects)
came on 6 and 7th november for an information meeting for the member
organisations and a seminar with GB / Carrefour Belgium
Legal Initiatives: Preparation of a seminar on legal initiatives
to be held in Brussels on the 18th of December 2000 (see the programme)
The Belgian government is still studying the possibilities for a
social label but the campaigns are not very enthusiastic because
the proposed monitoring system is very bad.
Partnerships: An attempt towards more serious consideration of
partners from production countries in our campaign · Urgent
appeal of Bataye Ouvriye (Haïti) about labour conditions in
the orange plantations of Cointreau · From January 2001,
field work from Laos and the region (living wages and evaluation
questionnaires and structural relationship)
GERMAN CCC: Kampagne fur Saubere Kleidung
Coordination office: Nw colleague in the office for two years to
follow up urgent appeals
Companies: · On the CCC meeting in October we decided to
concentrate next year on german retailers more intensive, actions,
material etc. · But, also continue work on sporting goods
companies also as a mobilisation issue. On Sporting goods the focus
will be on Adidas and PUMA. · It was tried to re-enter negotiations
with adidas, concerning a possible pilot project. adidas came with
conditions (after protest letter from CCC on cutting off relations
with Formosa). CCC answered, send reply in September, but then adidas
did not reply back.. · A second talk with PUMA took place
after the first meeting in June. · The Foreign Trade Association
FTA is apparently testing the independent monitoring chapter of
the AVE code, in India, according to them with and NGO and with
funds from German government (Public Private Partnership programme).
· IEPCE roundtable was organized in June: presently there
is an informal follow up round table to prepare another formal roundtable
(January 2001) with also government.
Mobilization focuses: · General decentralized actions on
summer and winter sales days · Sports congress at the end
of 2001 or 2002 · The catholic students make a sport event
in summer 2001 in Koblenz
Publications/Research: · Trade Union Congress in Indonesia
organized by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) · FES and Südwind
publish a report: Ethical consumption and production trade related
initiatives focused on Codes of Conduct · CIR doing permanent
research on Central America, Sudwind continuation of cooperation
with UCM Indonesia
SPANISH CCC: Ropa Limpia
· In the last months we've prepared the action "Made
in DD.HH" (DD.HH. is the · Abbreviation of Human Rights).
subtitle: it is a responsibility for all. The action will go on
up to July 2001. · Previous to the start of this actions,
we sent a questionnaire with 30 questions about "Corporate
Social Responsability" to 12 clothes brands (Spanish or foreigners
based in Spain). There was a poor answer (no surprise), 3 out of
12 · We decided start a postcards campaign against the 5
biggest Spanish brands: Adolfo Dominguez, Burberrys, Cortefiel,
Mango and Zara, asking for more social transparency (see postcards).
· It's the first time that CCC-Spain put pressure on Spanish
multinational companies. We want to force them to answer the consumers.
Up to now, they have no social responsibility policy (code of conduct
or similar). · We've created a personage called "La
Filo" (funny name similar to the word "hilo"). Hilo
means yarn. She represents a sort of "social label".
Next activities:
· Seminar with journalists (in Madrid and Barcelona, Nov.
30th Des. 1st). · Street actions (January) · CCC International
Meeting ( March 7-11th.) · Presentation of the results of
"Made in DD.HH." (July)
SWEDISH CCC: Rena Klader
The project for independent verification:
The project for independent verification has throughout the summer
and autumn developed criteria's for the implementation of codes
from the importing companies side. It has been shown that this is
needed. Difficult questions has been the issue of economical incentives.
We have succeeded in getting criteria in regarding the responsibility
for that the importing company towards the supplier company concerning
the costs of implementing the code. At the same time the plans for
the structure of a foundation is more and more concrete. We are
also in the middle of new pilots in North India and China. Again
the time for the project are running out, and we are now discussing
to prolong the project the whole of 2001.
Talks and workshops:
In the autumn we been participating in around 8 different projects
around the country. It´s workshops with youngsters in schools
who calls retailers or go to shops and ask questions. We have had
debate with the Textile importers organisation. Apart of this, the
member organisations have made their own activities around the campaigns
issue.
Project "We act":
A new report ("What is on your feets?") is almost finalised.
The report is made together with Studiefrämjandet, Fair Trade
Center and Valla people's high school. Together we are running the
project that aims to educate educators who later will go out in
schools and talk about garment and leather production and ethical
trade.
Four weekends of education has been arranged and study tours to
Vietnam, India and Pakistan are planned. A film/documentary about
the same is planned and the first part is filmed in India in January
2001.
Sportswear campaign:
Our postcards are almost ended and that means that about 9000 cards
totally has been spread to the companies. The working group of the
campaign has now taken contact to meet with the companies. We got
one meeting with The Stadium the 11th of December and one with TEAM
sportia in January. Intersport is right now the most difficult to
discuss with.
The Stadium has got a code of conduct since march, but they do
not want to make it public and they don´t know how to implement
it. We have told that if they cannot show their code, we will regard
it as non-being.
We will end the sportswear campaign with an action the 9th of December.
We are now investigating for a new focus on a campaign. Member organisations:
One small member organisation has left the campaign in may. After
January 2001, the trade unions will take over the co-ordination
of the campaign from fair Trade Center.
EASTERN EUROPE:
· A very promising meeting was held in September with organisations
in Bulgaria and Romania. The following structure for future work
was set up: for Bulgaria the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation
(a women's NGO) will serve as coordinator, on the trade union side
the second biggest union Podkrepa is involved. The third partner
is coordinator of the balkan for the ICFTU women Eastern European
programme is now also coordinating for our project and three Romanian
trade unions are directly involved. On the side of the CCC, Terre
des Femmes of the German campaign is the partner. The September
meeting was a planning meeting and very well prepared and promising.
All the paperwork is done and there is and agreement on the budget.
· Participation at the WWW subcontracting meeting in Manchester
to give details on Eastern Europe. The follow-up of this meeting
will also include partners in Eastern Europe. · Representatives
from Bulgaria also participated in the Labour workshops during the
ASEM Peoples Forum in Korea.
ITALY:
· A foreseen meeting with unions and NGOs in October got
cancelled · The urgent appeal mailing list is steadily growing.
They keep receiving messages from people who want to be included
in the mailing list; the story of the American labour rights activists
starving on Nike wages in Indonesia that was sent through different
mailing lists was published by a magazine and mentioned in a radio
program without making any effort to get to it. · The CCC
and the urgent appeal mailing list were presented at the first national
meeting of Rete di Lilliput, a new established network linking together
fair trade groups, ethical consumers, ngos and associations working
on social and environmental issues in order to join forces on common
goals and initiatives
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