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NEWSLETTER 13, NOVEMBER 2000
What is the WFSGI?
And what about their code of conduct?
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The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) was
formed in 1978 to promote the world's sporting activities, to
standardize the size of equipment and the rules of sport, to improve
the standards of quality for sporting goods and to promote fair
trade in sporting goods internationally. The WFSGI's Committee
on Ethics and Fair Trade (CEFT) developed a Model Code of Conduct
in 1997, revising it in 2000. The first code was made after the
FIFA, the International Football Association, draw up a code of
conduct together with the international trade unions in 1996 --
a good code of conduct with recognition of the need for independent
verification. The FIFA code has not been implemented however,
and instead the WFSGI came up with its own code, which calls for
much weaker standards. Adidas is one of the companies who has
drawn up its own code based on the WFSGI code.
The revised code does reflect some positive changes. For example,
the code now states that, "These Principles are based on the
international labour standards outlined in the relevant Conventions
of the International Labour Organization (ILO)." This reference
to ILO norms is a new addition to the code. Collective bargaining
has been added to the code, as well as a sentence to the paragraph
on wages: "Employers recognize that wages are essential to
meeting employees' basic needs and that employees should be fully
compensated for all time worked." Although it is interesting
that a reference to the basic needs is made it still seems that
a recognition of the fact that wages are essential to meet basic
needs is not enough. What about making sure that a wage will meet
basic needs? Regarding verification, a new paragraph has been added
in which members are encouraged to establish their own internal
management systems to monitor and implement action plans for continuous
improvements. Members are encouraged to have their factories monitored
by appropriately qualified external third party organizations. For
the full text of the WFSGI codes, please see here
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