FaRev is convinced that change is needed in the textile industry and wants to play an active role in shaping it. Currently, too many people work under undignified conditions and can only provide for themselves and their families inadequately from their low wages.
We see it as our responsibility to align our business activities with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in order to protect people and the environment in the best possible way and to enable our customers to behave sustainably and responsibly in their consumption decisions.
Therefore, one focus of our actions is on continuous risk analysis and the selection of our producers based on this analysis. The basis for this is:
- the ILO core labor standards
- the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
- the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Promoting Responsible Supply Chains in the Apparel and Footwear Industry
- the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
From this, we derive the following risk areas, among others:
Child labor, discrimination, abuse/sexual harassment, forced labor, working hours, occupational health & safety, lack of freedom of association, remuneration, corruption & bribery, conduct towards homeworkers, hazardous chemicals, water pollution & consumption, greenhouse gas emissions.
As part of a risk analysis, we analyze the impact of country- or company-specific risks on the above risk areas. Based on the findings of the risk analysis, risk-minimizing measures can be developed and the business model adapted accordingly to reduce negative impacts. The concerns of the identified vulnerable stakeholder groups are to be addressed in particular.
Our risk analysis identifies children and women as particularly vulnerable stakeholder groups. The most serious risks in textile processing in India are child labor as well as discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Child labor is particularly prevalent in the domestic environment. Discrimination and harassment in the workplace mostly affect women. In addition, long working days and overtime are widespread, and at wages that are below subsistence level.
FaRev counteracts these problems with various measures. For example, we are willing to pay our producers fair prices to enable them to provide fair working conditions and pay. In this way, we can fight against the poverty of the people, which is often the cause of child labor. In addition, we do not give our suppliers fixed delivery dates to prevent potential overtime. Every year, we also receive reports on the problems and complaints reported by workers to the manufacturer's internal Compliance Committee.
We are glad that all our products are allowed to carry the "Fairtrade Textile Production" seal. Manufacturing companies must take a variety of measures to improve people's working and living conditions and to protect the environment in order to receive the Fairtrade Textile Standard. Under the Fairtrade Textile Standard, manufacturing companies must commit to paying living wages to their workers by a specified deadline. FaRev wants to support the new textile standard, and especially participating companies, by selecting suppliers who are willing to implement these measures. Any subcontracting by our manufacturers must be reported to FaRev or the relevant certifying company and should only be awarded to equally qualified companies. At the same time, we are committed to preventing, mitigating and remediating any actual negative impacts caused by our procurement practices. To this end, we commit to discreetly pursue and remedy complaints from affected parties, which can also be reported directly to FaRev (info@FaRev.de), for their protection.
In addition to the above-mentioned social aspects, ecological considerations play an overriding role for FaRev. For example, it is a matter of course for us that the cotton we use comes exclusively from organic cultivation. In this way, we want to contribute to reducing environmental risks such as water consumption and soil contamination. We are against the use of hazardous chemicals in the manufacturing process. To ensure this, all our products are produced according to the GOTS standard. The Fairtrade Textile Standard also prohibits hazardous chemicals based on the findings of REACH, OekoTex and GOTS.
In order to fulfill our corporate due diligence and meet the high importance of supplier selection, the responsibility for this lies with FaRev's management, which is committed to responsible sourcing and purchasing practices, promoting living wages and continuously increasing the use of sustainable materials or monitoring developments in the textile sector regarding alternative/sustainable materials.
Malte Gausepohl, Founder of FaRev
(03/2024)
