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Ethical trade – the first decade ETI was established in 1998. Since its inception, ETI has established itself as a global authority on corporate responsibility for workers’ rights. It has demonstrated that ETI members’ activities are bringing material benefits to workers: last year, member companies registered over 50,000 separate improvements to workers’ conditions, collectively touching the lives of over 6 million workers. In its first ten years the Ethical Trading Initiative has: demonstrated that its members’ activities have brought material benefits to workers, including safer and healthier working environments; a reduction in the incidence of child labour, better pay and fewer hours. Last year, ETI member companies registered over 50,000 separate improvements to workers’ conditions and their ethical trade activities now touch the lives of over 6 million workers; galvanised alliances that have brought about widespread change for workers around the world, for example: in South Africa, ETI helped create the Wine and Agricultural Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA); and in the UK, ETI led a cross-industry alliance that successfully lobbied the Government to introduce licensing of temporary labour providers to the agricultural industry. established itself as a global authority on corporate responsibility for workers in supply chains and developed a raft of practical tools and resources to help companies put their ethical trade principles into practice. ETI’s aims going into the next decade include: driving ethical trade to the heart of business practice, particularly in making sure that the prices paid by companies to their suppliers allows them to pay their workers a living wage they can afford to live on, and in making sure that lead times to not create unnecessary pressure on suppliers to cut corners and force unnecessary overtime. helping workers help themselves - making sure workers are actively engaged in ethical trade, which includes helping them learn about their rights and creating the space for them to organise themselves and bargain with management through trade unions and other structures; working towards making a ‘living wage’ a reality, not an abstract concept – given that progress in this area has been limited, yet it is the most consistent and pressing need identified by workers in supply chains. tackling the issues of particularly vulnerable workers: continuing to develop concerted approaches to tackling the needs of vulnerable workers, including homeworkers; smallholders and their workers; migrant and contract workers; Further information from Julia Hawkins/Jane Lyons at the Ethical Trading Initiative
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