Textile, clothing and footwear workers in Australia will be protected for another ten years under Ethical Clothing Australia’s Homeworkers Code of Practice.
The code has been reauthorised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and will continue to obligate retail employers to demonstrate that they provide award wages and conditions to their workers.
ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said being accredited under the code will allow businesses to promote their ethical credentials to consumers.
“The certification trademark for ethical textiles, clothing, and footwear, allows consumers to choose products with confidence that the businesses they are buying from aren’t exploiting workers.”
“Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of unethical practices on vulnerable workers and some are changing their buying habits as a result.”
The ACCC believes the code is key in giving businesses incentive to observe their obligations to vulnerable workers in the TCF industry and manage legal and reputational risks in their outsourced supply chains.