Ladies fashion retailer New Look is to send copies of a new ethical aims statement to suppliers of accessories such as lingerie, hats, bags and shoes.
The high street clothes chain, which runs almost 500 stores in the UK and France, will distribute the aims to suppliers throughout the world as part of a drive to establish a strong ethical framework for its business.
Supply chain controller Jacki Collins said suppliers of accessories are to receive the statement ‘imminently’, and will be expected to take part in a follow-up monitoring exercise to see if they conform to its principles.
More than 150 garment suppliers have already received the statement and are in the process of being monitored. In all, more than 400 factory units in China, the Far East, the Indian sub-continent and Europe could be involved.
Collins said monitoring would rely initially on self-assessment forms devised inhouse and piloted this summer at several factories in India.
Once the forms have been filled in and sent back, any suppliers that appear to have difficulties complying with the aims will be given a second party audit by Collins or the SGS consultancy. Additional help may be provided by New Look quality controllers based locally.
‘Self-assessment has its pitfalls, but we need to start somewhere and we are doing this in bite-sized chunks as our resources will allow us,’ she said.
‘The whole process will be reviewed as we go along. Nothing will be set in stone and we will work with NGOs to take account of special local conditions and issues.’
Collins stressed that New Look would be searching for ‘continual improvement’ from suppliers rather than requiring them to reach a one-off benchmark.
‘We’ll work with suppliers to correct problems, but we want them not only to take on board these aims but to make sure they are followed by their own suppliers,’ she said.
The ethical aims, which were finalised in May with the help of Dr Keith Jones, SGS UK manager for social accountability, lay down expectations on health and safety, welfare, employment of children, freedom of expression, pay, working hours, discrimination, harsh or abusive treatment, freedom of association and environmental matters.