Patagonia | Ethical Recruitment
Leveraging an NGO partnership to secure fair working conditions for migrant workers.
Apparel brand Patagonia conducted multiple audits into their supply chain.
In response to the alarming results of an audit into recruitment and employment practices of migrant workers, Patagonia collaborated with Verité to develop a migrant worker standard. The standard outlined Patagonia’s expectations for its suppliers in its treatment of workers before, during and after a worker’s employment. Significantly, the standard bans payments of fees by workers and withholding of identification documents. It includes a requirement for contracts to be written in the employee’s language.
Patagonia publicly provides information on their standards to enhance suppliers’ understanding of the issues, offers incentives to firms that are making impressive progress, and collaborates with governments and NGOs to tackle forced migrant labour.
Example from Best Practice Guidance on Ethical Recruitment of Migrant Workers, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.
Key learnings from Patagonia
- Policy: Adoption of a Migrant Worker Employment Standard and ensuring supply chain transparency.
- Working with suppliers: Building the capacity of firms to meet expectations of ethical recruitment requirements.
- Collaboration: Working with other stakeholders to address modern slavery.
