Committees

Fashion retailers questioned on human rights responsibilities abroad

25 January 2017

The Joint Committee on Human Rights hears from leading fashion retailers Mulberry, M&S, Asos and Next. The session examines whether successful fashion retailers are able to ensure that human rights abuses, particularly in relation to the use of child labour, do not occur in their supply chains, and what action they take if abuses are uncovered.

Witnesses

Wednesday 25 January 2017, Committee Room 5, Palace of Westminster

At 3.15pm

  • Rob Billington, Director, Group Production and Sourcing, Mulberry
  • Mike Barry, Director, Sustainable Business, Marks and Spencer
  • Nick Beighton, Chief Executive, ASOS
  • Chris Grayer, Manager, Global Code of Practice, Next

Key issues to be addressed

The Committee plans to ask questions on:

  • The prohibition of child labour, the prohibition of forced labour and the right to trade union representation – the ILO (International Labour Organization) standards
  • Has the UK National Action Plan been effective in ensuring businesses in meeting human rights standards?
  • How confident are companies that their supply chains ensure that there is opportunity for workers to "whistle blow"?
  • Have there been instances when human rights abuses in their supply chain have been brought to their attention?
  • Do companies consider that different rights apply abroad than in the UK? What do they regard as the minimum acceptable standards that need to be met?

Chair's comment

Ahead of the session, Committee Chair Harriet Harman said:

"No one wants to be wearing clothes made by child labour, or slave labour. UK companies need to have high standards abroad as well as here at home.

Representatives of M&S, Asos, Next and Mulberry have agreed to appear before the committee. What reassurances can they give consumers, that the clothes we buy are not made in conditions that we would find unacceptable for UK workers? How do they monitor their supply chains and ensure good working practices among their suppliers. More can be done by the UK government to ensure that human rights are respected by UK companies in their operations outside the UK."

Further information

Image: iStockphoto