company initiatives
Fashion brands and retailers are voluntarily starting to take some steps towards ensuring that the rights of the workers' producing their clothes are respected - this process falls under the banner of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Fashion students with an understanding of these initiatives are in a position to build upon the work that is being done when they enter the industry.
This section of the website explores what corporate social responsibility means and evaluates the main tools currently used in the approach - codes of conduct, social audits, reporting and multi-stakeholder initiatives. The work being done around the impact of purchasing or buying practices on working conditions, a hot topic in ethical fashion, is considered. Finally the impact of small ethical and eco brands and niche initiatives is discussed.
If you get lost in the jargon don't get put off- refer to the Fashioning an Ethical Industry Factsheet 20: Glossary of terms and organisations.
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