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| Law |
Breaking a Sweatshop
Philip M. Berkowitz
05/03/2004
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The following is a
blueprint for best practices:
• Adopt practices embracing core labor
standards. Multinationals are increasingly recognizing that these standards are
consistent with their corporate codes of conduct.
• Implement procedures to
reasonably ensure that policies are translated into fair employment practices.
These steps include developing labor audit procedures, including detailed
questionnaires for overseas partners.
• Make sure that your
partner is committed to your goals. Create a confidential communications channel
to handle complaints from your contractors’ employees. No facility is perfect;
there is never total compliance. But rather than walking away from difficult
situations, a responsible multinational will try to work with its local
contractor and help the workers. If the company leaves when it finds a problem,
the employees may be out of a job.
• Engage as many auditors as are
necessary to assure that quality standards are met. Issues such as the
facility’s prior history, reputation, housing for workers, size and location are
factors that independent monitoring companies usually consider. Pre-production
surprise audits are most effective.
Exporting labor overseas carries
substantial responsibility as well as risk. It also gives multinationals the
unique opportunity to showcase, on an international stage, their essential, core
values. Exporting socially responsible values is the key to success for the 21st
century multinational. | Philip M. Berkowitz practices labor and employment law on behalf of employers in
New York City and is a frequent lecturer on employment law. |
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