Clean Clothes Campaign

The Clean Clothes Campaign (also Clean Clothes Campaign and the Clean Clothes Campaign CCC) is a non-governmental organization that campaigns for rights of workers and the improvement of working conditions in the international textile and clothing industry and in the sporting goods industry. These industries have a lot of their products in less developed countries or low-wage countries produce. The CCC is supported by many NGOs and labor unions around the world. The organization has its headquarters in Amsterdam.

History and organization

1989 campaign in the Netherlands in response to reports of scandalous working conditions in supplier factories of C & A Schone kleren ( German: Clean Clothes Campaign ) was founded. Today, there are 15 European countries such campaigns. The independent national platforms of the campaign co-ordinate with the help of the international CCC Secretariat in Amsterdam ( a port town where for centuries a lot of textile trade and overseas trade is driven ).

The CCC is a network that cooperate to the more than 300 trade unions and NGOs, consumer organizations, church groups, one-world shops, research institutions and women's rights organizations. The German carrier organizations include the Christian Initiative Romero (CIR ), IG Metall, the INKOTA network, the Institute for Economics and Ecumenism southerly Institute, Terre des Femmes and the United Services Union Ver.di. In Switzerland, the Berne Declaration coordinates the activities of the CCC. There is a close cooperation with partner organizations in developing and emerging countries.

Objectives and activities

The goal is to improve the working conditions in the global garment and sporting goods industry. To this end, the CCC informed consumer, negotiating with companies that support workers' organizations and conducts public campaigns.

The CCC makes known with press releases, television and radio broadcasts, with letters of protest and public street actions labor rights violations and advocates for the interests of workers. About 30 acute grievances per year are taken up in protest actions ( Urgent Actions ).

Ahead of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the CCC, the campaign organized in collaboration with other organizations "Play Fair at the Olympics " This should draw attention to their responsibility for the working conditions in the factories for a major sporting goods companies, . Was on the other hand, the International Olympic Committee (IOC ), called to demand the sponsorship contracts fair working conditions. More than half a million signatures were collected for these concerns. Several sporting goods manufacturers were willing to make changes, the IOC showed up at that time, however, not very receptive.

With the success of CCC calls in recent years municipalities and communities in European countries to take into account in public procurement of clothing ethical criteria. For example, took 250 municipalities in France at a resolution providing for the observance of labor standards in contracts for ordering clothes. This Clean Clothes Campaign communities now exists in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Sweden and the UK. At the European Parliament and the European Commission lobbying work is done. Member organizations involved in training programs. Numerous developments initiated the Institute for Economics and Ecumenism southerly Institute and the Friedrich- Ebert -Stiftung.

In February 1998, the CCC adopted after close consultation with its worldwide partners and the unions the "Code of Labour Practices for the Apparel Industry including Sportswear" (Code on the working conditions in the apparel and sporting goods industry ), to which all clothing manufacturers should keep. The Code requires a living wage, no excessive working hours, freedom of association, prohibition of child and forced labor, safe working conditions and an independent monitoring of compliance with these criteria.

For practical application of the CCC Code could in the years 1985 to 2005 a number of pilot projects with buyers and brand manufacturers in the Netherlands, to be implemented in France, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Germany. The CCC Code was directly applied in all of these pilot projects or rated as a long term reference document. However, the CCC is not a multi-stakeholder initiative. The pilot projects will be understood as a preparation to create long-term comprehensive verification systems. The latter is an important requirement for real improvements; just partner organizations warn against overly euphoric assessment of the first improvements in working conditions in the wake of pilot projects.

In the Netherlands and in the UK, the national platforms are both also members of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF ) and the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI). After successful completion of a pilot project with three retailers in 2004 in the establishment of the verification system, the CCC of Switzerland was included ISCOM (Independent Social Compliance Monitoring). In Germany, the company Hess ended nature in 2005 a pilot project and was subsequently a member of FWF. This decision was seen as a crucial step to ensure that the FWF evolved towards a European verify society.

In April 2010, the CCC successfully supported a complaint by the Consumer Hamburg against the discounter Lidl. The discounter had not adhered to the given in its advertising promises fair working conditions in textile suppliers in Bangladesh. Lidl committed itself in a failure notice to the consumer center to withdraw the offending advertising promises with regard to fair working conditions worldwide.

Bangladesh Agreement

In the spring of 2013, 32 (as of mid-May 2013) have leading trading companies in the textile sector signed the so-called Bangladesh Agreement. It is intended to increase the fire protection and safety in the textile factories of the country with its four million employees. For five years, the signatories to bind to the obligation to include, among other

  • Checks by independent experts
  • Training programs for employees
  • The right to be allowed to resign for violations of the agreement work.

A large part of the textile industry in Bangladesh is included in this manner. Shortly before - on April 24, 2013 - were at the building collapse in Sabhar in Bangladesh in 1127 people were killed and 2438 injured.

Against this avoidable disaster only Tchibo and the U.S. company Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH ) had signed the agreement (with the brands Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein).

Stand May 16, 2013 signed ( in alphabetical order):

  • Aldi
  • Abercrombie & Fitch
  • Benetton
  • C & A
  • Carrefour
  • El Corte Inglés
  • Esprit
  • G-Star
  • H & M
  • Hema
  • Helly Hansen
  • Hess Natur
  • Inditex ( Zara )
  • JBC
  • KIK
  • LIDL
  • Loblaws (Canada)
  • Mango
  • Marks & Spencer
  • Mothercare (UK retailer )
  • N. Brown group ( SimplyBe, High & Mighty, etc.)
  • New Look Textiles
  • Next
  • Primark (Ireland )
  • PVH ( Tommy Hill Figer, Calvin Klein)
  • Rewe
  • Sainsbury's
  • Stockmann
  • Switcher ( Switzerland )
  • Tchibo
  • Tesco
  • WE Group

There is also the BSCI ( " Business Social Compliance Initiative " The BSCI is an initiative of the Foreign Trade Association (FTA ), the FTA represents, among other things, the Foreign Trade Association of German Retailers to European and international institutions The CCC criticizes the BSCI sharply. The. BSCI Code of Conduct contains no obligation to comply with social standards ( however, provisions regarding working hours, wage and to freedom of association ). Audits of the factories would find no coverage and not be unannounced ( but usually coordinated with the factory owners ). Moreover, the results would not be published.

International Olympic Committee Friedrich Ebert Foundation PVH (company) Benetton Group Esprit Holdings G-Star Raw Zara (retailer) Mango (clothing) Next plc
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