Leading brands take steps towards living wages

AMSTERDAM – Leading international apparel brands, including PVH, Bestseller, H&M, ASOS, Inditex, Primark and Esprit have adopted a joint due diligence agreement which aims to ensure their purchasing practices facilitate the payment of a living wage for garment workers. The move is the first-time brands have collectively agreed to be held accountable by a global union federation for changing their purchasing practices and is – potentially – a watershed moment for the industry.

All brands are members of ACT (Action, Collaboration, Transformation), an agreement between global brands and retailers and trade unions to press for living wages for workers through collective bargaining at industry level which is linked to purchasing practices.