The garment industry is being called to closer scrutiny by regulatory bodies, with issues in supply chains being scrutinised by the media also becoming commonplace. What this spotlight has shown is the repeating nature of core issues within supply chains and the necessity to remedy problematic practices.
Many stakeholders have remediated to the best of their abilities, but time and time again one area that remains unregulated – and has the potential to be the most damaging for all participants in the supply chain, from top to bottom – is Retailers Purchasing Practices.
In 2014 the UK launched a Grocery Trading Adjudicator which is an independent regulator, ensuring that regulated retailers treat their direct suppliers lawfully and fairly. This year they reported that supplier complaints were down to 29% from 79% in 2014.
In March 2021, the Environmental Audit Committee after receiving on-going reports of underpayment of wages and poor working conditions, has recommended to BEIS the introduction of a Garment Trading Adjudicator, to help stamp out non-compliance with labour market regulation in the UK garment industry.
On the Friday the 23th July, Fashion Revolution Scotland will be bringing this conversation to a live cross-party MSPs event, with Fiona Gooch, Senior Policy advisor from Traidcraft and Jenny Holloway from Fashion Enter, to discuss the critical need for Government intervention on Brands Purchasing Practices, and solutions on how that can be achieved with Government support. We warmly invite you to be part of this discussion, visit below to register.
The speakers’ biographies for the July 23rd
Fiona Gooch is the senior private sector policy adviser at Traidcraft Exchange. As an experienced spokesperson on impacts of conditions on workers within supply chains in terms of Corporate Governance, Competition Law and Corporate Criminal Liability, Fiona has been interviewed by the BBC, Dispatches and World Tonight. Traidcraft Exchange was instrumental in the most recent Environmental Audit Committee inquiry Fixing fashion: clothing consumption and sustainability, as well as the call to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Business (BEIS) for a Garment Trading Adjudicator/ Fashion Watchdog, to regulate apparel brands, and prevent exploitation of workers by brands’ buying-in practices. In the early 2010s Traidcraft won a campaign for a Supermarket Watchdog which undertakes for food what the Fashion Watchdog would achieve for garments, and they have recently launched a Fashion Watchdog campaign. Fiona will deliver a short presentation posing the question to MSPs, ‘What is the Scottish Parliament doing to become a leader in sustainable apparel policy, and to stop abusive buying practices by Scottish businesses and businesses selling clothes to Scottish citizens?’
Followed by an open discussion.
Jenny Holloway was described by Drapers Magazine in March as “the UK’s first lady of manufacturing”, and is Founder and CEO of not-for-profit London-based apparel manufacturer Fashion Enter Ltd (FEL) Incorporated in 2006, Fashion Enter is a social enterprise working to generate self-sustaining funds for skills development and production, that impacts the fashion industry at many levels. An Industry Advisor on Government funded initiatives, Jenny will discuss the boom in sustainable and ethical garment making in the UK today, machinery driven efficiencies and the necessity for an adjudicator to eradicate illegal and unethical brand practices, ensuring that legitimate brands and suppliers can function on a level-playing field.
Registration details
We warmly invite you to our online event,
‘In Conversation with Fiona Gooch and Jenny Holloway’.
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Jul 23, 2021 10:00 AM London
Topic: Fashion Action: leading a green recovery in Scotland
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.