The solar sector has joined the process for the development of an international RBC Agreement for the Renewable Energy Sector. Holland Solar and Vereniging Eigen Huis are now official participants. Previously, the initiative primarily consisted of actors active in the wind energy industry.
The international RBC Agreement for the Food Products Sector had an interview with Heineken’s Benjamin Gatland, Director Social Sustainability and Diane Zivkovic, Director Global Business Conduct, to discuss their approach to access to remedy and their grievance mechanism. This mechanism is critical to enforce Heineken’s Code of Business Conduct.
A group of multi-stakeholder initiatives, including the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile, has drafted a common framework for responsible purchasing practices. These are essential to achieve improvements in working conditions in supply chains in the garments and textile sector.
The Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile, the German Partnership for Sustainable Textiles (PST) and the Fair Wear Foundation join hands in improving access to remedy for workers in a number of garment factories in India and Vietnam. This means that participating brands will make it easier for workers in garment factories to file their complaints.
The annual report of the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile shows that visible steps forward have been taken, despite the corona pandemic. For example, the percentage of participating companies that meet the Agreement’s requirements rose from 63 to 80 percent.
Under the Dutch Agreement for Sustainable Garments and Textile, UNICEF started a collective project with clothing companies America Today, Company Fits and Zeeman to protect the rights of children in their Turkish supply chains.
The Agreement on Sustainable Garments & Textile and most of its affiliated companies that produce in Tamil Nadu have sent a joint letter to a new Minimum Wages Committee in India. They welcome the establishment of this committee for the textile industry by the government of Tamil Nadu.
Headed by Arcadis, six participating brands of the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile have finished a 2.5 year clothing dye house improvement program in China. The goal of the program was making the dye houses a safer and healthier place to work. By bringing the brands closer to their supply chain, they understand better what challenges the dye houses are facing and how they can collaboratively overcome these challenges.
The Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile has expanded its assessment framework with a practical explanation of each assessment criterion. It clarifies what is expected of participating garments and textile companies in the field of international responsible business conduct. The framework describes how the annual assessment of companies is conducted.
Smart-M, producer of semi-finished products in the metal sector, has signed the International RBC Agreement for the Metals Sector. By signing this agreement, Smart-M commits to taking responsibility for all aspects in its supply chain.
