On Tuesday May 14th, the Dutch Senate adopted a child labour due diligence bill (initiatiefwetsvoorstel zorgplicht kinderarbeid). The bill asks companies to declare that they are taking the necessary steps to prevent child labour.
Parties in the Agreement in the insurance sector have jointly worked out a first case for international responsible investment (IMVO). During the session, a practical case study was conducted to discuss the positive impact that Dutch insurers can make in an international sector.
The Dutch and Flemish natural stone industry, the Dutch and Flemish governments, NGOs and trade unions have agreed to work together towards more responsible production and procurement of natural stone. The ‘IRBC TruStone Initiative’ came about after extensive discussions led by the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands.
Multiple clothing brands within the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile have signed a letter to the government of Cambodia to express their concerns regarding the labour and human rights situation in the garments and textile industry.
Representatives of parties and adhering banks to the Dutch Banking Sector Agreement recently visited Indonesia as a part of their efforts to map the palm oil value chain. The main purpose of this visit was to get workers on the plantations, trade unions and banks at one table to discuss with the direct stakeholders how the right information from plantations and mills could reach the banks in the most efficient way.
An assessment shows that 86% of brands participating in the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile (AGT) are well on the way to meeting the AGT targets. This is a conclusion of the annual report published by the parties to the AGT today. By gaining a clearer picture of conditions at a larger number of production sites and of the materials used by companies, and by analysing their own supply chain, companies took specific action in 2018 to change their operational management in a way that makes them better able to tackle abuses in their supply chain.
On Wednesday March 27th, signatories of the AGT attended a workshop on the key sustainability risks related to water, energy and chemicals in the garment and textile supply chain.
A number of clothing companies that signed the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile, are actively speaking out in favor of preserving the Bangladesh Accord. On Monday April 15th, the Bangladesh Supreme Court is expected to reach a decision on whether the Accord has to close its offices in Bangladesh. The hearing has already been postponed several times.
The Leiden Asia Centre (LAC) today published a research report entitled ‘Tightening Belts: Two Regional Case Studies on Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia’.
The signatories to the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile (AGT) have studied the report with great interest. The Secretariat has been interviewed regarding the case study that the LAC published about the textile sector.
Today the Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile in cooperation with Fair Wear Foundation hosts a learning seminar: ‘Sourcing responsibly in Turkey. How to do due diligence?’ for garment brands sourcing from Turkey. More than 70 participants from brands learn about specific risks in the garment industry in Turkey. During this seminar, brands learn from experts and experienced brands on how to do their due diligence in this country.
