The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is a UK-based independent body founded on 9 June 1998,[1] which brings together companies, trade unions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to ensure compliance with international labour standards in the global supply chains of member companies.
As of 2019[update], ETI membership includes 90 companies, employing 10 million workers globally within their supply chains.
This came after the UK Environmental Audit Committee’s inquiry into the fashion industry, recommended that the retailer engaged with USDAW in a bid to repair their damaged reputation.
[14] The committee also suggested becoming a member of the ETI which would bind the retailer into ethical practices, including paying a living wage and protecting workers' freedom of association.
Fyffes, an Ireland-based banana supplier, was suspended and eventually expelled, due to repeated failure to enforce the base code.
During this period Fyffes were encouraged by the ETI to reform their practices in line with the code; specifically to allow their farmers in Honduras to join trade unions at their discretion.
Banana link, a not-for-profit co-operative aiming to protect and restore plantation workers’ rights, also told The Grocer that they will press Fyffes on their agreement put in place in January 2019.
The agreement states that they would reinstate sacked union members, while also raising wages and conditions for their workers, thus supported by STAS.
A group of academics in 2016 condemned a United Nations convention banning child labour as promoting a particularly Western view of childhood as innocent and labour-free.
[20][21] They argue that banning child labour, without effective actions against the large-scale poverty that necessitates it, can be futile or counterproductive.
These operations are illegal and unregulated, so the employers can pay much less and often have harsher conditions, pushing other children into work to supplement the lost wages.