COMPLIANCE

COMPLIANCE IN APPAREL SECTOR

Compliance is generally defined as conforming to
a specification, standard or law that has been
clearly defined. In RMG industry it is commonly
enforced as code of conduct by the buyers,
which refers to a list of labor standards.
CODE OF CONDUCT (COC)
Social Accountability standards have been developed by the international
organizations such as FLA, WRAP, SA8000, ETI and BSR. Reputed brand buyers
in large supply chain have taken the guideline from those organizations and
formulated their own standard of COC and also the acceptance criteria.
The basic principles of COC have been derived from the principles of
international human rights norms as delineated in International Labour
Organization Conventions, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
There is a lack of harmony in the code of conducts followed by the different
brands such as Wal-Mart, Reebok, FLA etc. particularly in the cases of
minimum age requirements, wages and benefits and overtime payment.
It has nine core areas to be addressed upon. These are as follows:
1. Child labor
2. Forced labor
3. Health and safety
4. Compensation
5. Working hours
6. Discrimination
7. Discipline
8. Free association and collective bargaining
NONDISCRIMINATION
We will not do business with any vendor who
discriminates in employment, including
hiring, salary, benefits, advancement,
discipline, termination or retirement, on the
basis of gender, race, religion, age, disability,
sexual orientation, nationality or, social or
ethnic origin
NONDISCRIMINATION
CHILD LABOR
Employees of our vendors must be over the applicable
minimum legal age requirement or be at least 14 years
old or older than the age for completing compulsory
education in the country of manufacture, whichever is
greater.
CHILD LABOR & YOUNG LABOR.
Example of Health Facility.
POSTERS ON HEALTHIER PRACTICES
FACTORIES MUST PROVIDE SAFE DRINKING WATERS FOR
WORKERS
GENERAL SAFETY
PPE
Use of Gloves
Use of Ear Muff
Use of Ear Plugs
FIRE SAFETY.
Extinguisher placement and marking
FIRE SAFETY
Extinguisher/Emergency light placement on stairwell
FIRE SAFETY.
Aisles Arrow Marking
CAUSES OF FIRE IN RMG FACTORY
CAUSE FOR CASUALTY
CAUSE FOR CASUALTY
HOURS OF WORK
1. Normal Work hours per week will not exceed 48 Hours.
2. Maximum Overtime hours will not exceed 12 Hours.
3. Average overtime per week will not exceed 10 hours.
4. Overtime wages to be paid as per law.
5. Factory need to communicate hours of work policy-including overtime and overtime
wages clearly to all workers.
6. Factory need to have an effective , reliable time recording system in place.
7. Factory need to maintain under 60 working hours per week.
8. Factory need to serve notice to workers if overtime is required due to extraordinary
business circumstances.
9. Factory need to document reasons for excessive overtime.
10. Overtime should be voluntary.
11. Factory need to have a system in place to ensure that overtime is voluntary.
12. Factory need to make effort to reduce excessive overtime.
13. When overtime is required factory should provide Meal/Meal allowance, Beverage
/beverage allowance and transportation or Conveyance allowance.
14. Workers should get normally at least one day off per seven-day week.
TRADE UNION
Trade Unions are the organizations which are engaged in protecting the rights
of the labor force of the country. They are the registered unions which are
devoted for the betterment of the workforce in the following aspects:
Quality of Work Life (QWL)
Legal Proceedings
Resolving Industrial Disputes
Working Conditions
Welfare of the Work force etc.
Trade Union movements are essential for a country, especially for the
betterment for the existing and potential workforce. Trade unions are the
Collective Bargaining Agents (CBA) which speaks for the workers rights.