Natalie SedaccaNew report from Human Rights Watch on the proliferation of private inspections or ‘social audits’ - it highlights their flaws as a way of enforcing labour standards, including conflicts of interest, attempts by suppliers to hide actual working conditions and lack of powers to force improvements
“Obsessed with Audit Tools, Missing the Goal”
The 28-page report, “‘Obsessed with Audit Tools, Missing the Goal’: Why Social Audits Can’t Fix Labor Rights Abuses in Global Supply Chains,” highlights the problems with social audits and certifications for suppliers, including in the apparel sector, and is focused on labor rights abuses. Policymakers in the European Union and elsewhere considering legislation to regulate how corporations respect rights and environmental standards in their own operations and global value chains should not rely on such audits or certifications as proof of compliance.
Nadia Bernaz