FDRA Releases 'Code of Conduct' for Labor Conditions at Footwear Factories
The Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America announced on July 9 a new guide on acceptable practices at footwear factories. The “Footwear Production Code of Conduct” will help “clearly communicate and uphold the social norms and values commonly held by FDRA members,” said FDRA in its release (here). The code of conduct includes sections on working conditions, hours, wages and benefits, as well as business integrity, compliance with the law, and subcontracting.
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Among other things, the guide says workers should only have to work 60 hours per week with one day off, and identifies four “zero tolerance issues:” human trafficking, slavery, forced labor, and child labor. It sets workplace safety standards, like the availability of fire extinguishers at a reasonable distance. It also says manufacturers should only subcontract work with written consent from the customer, and only if the subcontractor complies with the FDRA code of conduct.
The code of conduct, which is also available in Chinese for distribution to factories (here), “ensures any factories that adhere to its standards are compliant with industry expectations,” said FDRA. "This Code will help all footwear companies, large and small, establish key uniform standards for all of their suppliers, all around the world,” said FDRA Chairman Greg Tunney. “This will help us create clear lines of communication and push compliance-troubled factories to conform or risk their business shutting down,” he said.