"Ethical Trading Initiative: Base Code and Priciples of Implementation, 1998" [2005] ELECD 262; in Tully, Stephen (ed), "International Documents on Corporate Responsibility" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2005)

Book Title: International Documents on Corporate Responsibility

Editor(s): Tully, Stephen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781843768197

Section: Chapter 39

Section Title: Ethical Trading Initiative: Base Code and Priciples of Implementation, 1998

Number of pages: 4

Extract:

39. Ethical Trading Initiative: Base Code and
Principles of Implementation, 1998

Commentary: The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI, www.ethicaltrade.org/) is an
alliance of companies, NGOs and trade union organisations concerned with the labour
issues arising from international supply chains. The Initiative is intended to promote ethi-
cal sourcing, a concept defined as `a company taking responsibility to work with its suppli-
ers to implement internationally-accepted labour standards in the workplace'. The Base
Code draws upon ILO Conventions with respect to workers' rights as well as interna-
tional human rights standards. ETI member companies are expected to adopt this code
of labour practice or formulate their own, provided that it incorporates the Base Code.
However, member companies may limit the application of the Code by division or prod-
uct line and ETI accepts that some non-compliances may take time to fix, for example, if
there are constraints arising beyond the supplier's control, if they are constrained by
national law or if the Code is otherwise not realisable. The ETI does not audit or certify
corporate compliance, but member companies share experiences. See further, ETI
(1997), `Eliminating World Poverty: A Challenge for the Twenty-First Century', White
Paper, Cmnd 3789; ETI (2004), `Putting Ethics to Work: Annual Report', London.



The Base Code

1. Employment is Freely Chosen
1.1 There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.
1.2 Workers are not required to lodge `deposits' or their identity papers with their
employer and are free to ...