Pilot Interim Review
Appendix: Summary of Pilot Projects' Progress to November 1999.
1. China (Clothing) Pilot
- Pentland internal monitoring completed.
- TESCO third party supplier monitoring (BVQI) completed,
with suggestions made to BVQI for audit enhancements and an improvement plan
pending.
- Academic monitoring - still under investigation.
- NGO/TU monitoring. Attempt to use Hong Kong based NGO and
TU contacts has proven impracticable. Parties have agreed to stay in touch, but
accept that priorities differ.
- Further contacts are being sought via UK-based academics
with China speciality.
- Possibility of working with Verité is being
explored.
- A seminar series on China has been commenced. The first
topic was "Governance in China" (Sept 1999). The second (early 2000) is likely
to be on British policy towards China with input from the Foreign Office, DTI
and DFID, and the third on freedom of association and trade unions in China.
- The difficulty of establishing normal relationships with civil society organisations continues to be the main problem faced by the China pilot, due to the particular political conditions prevailing in the People's Republic of China.
2. Zimbabwe (Horticulture) Pilot
- ETI Zimbabwe group formed.
- The first two rounds of inspections have been completed and
some issues addressed. Inspection team led by Zimbabwe-based person from Save
the Children Fund with researchers from the University of Zimbabwe, a technical
and a social auditor and representatives from Horticulture Promotion Council
(HPC) and National Employment Council.
- Refinements made to technical aspects of inspection model.
Inspection Visit Guidelines and Management Briefing protocol produced.
- The local industry is keen to promote the HPC's own code and the relationship between this and the ETI Code is being negotiated.
3. South Africa (Wine) Pilot
- Inspection visits completed testing three approaches -
academic interviewer, technologist co-interviewing with union official and
technologist interviewing with interpreter. Lessons learned regarding use of
appropriate interpreters, selection of interviewees and presence/absence of
supervisors. Some important issues identified (e.g. non-observance of certain
labour laws by some producers).
- November 1999 visit to South Africa by UK ETI
multi-stakeholder group.
- ETI Winelands Forum (multi-stakeholder) established to give
local oversight to ETI pilot.
- Temporary worker to be seconded for one month to ensure that the local organisation is established and preparations made for February 1999 round of inspections (harvest time). This person to be based at the Centre for Rural Legal Studies in Stellenbosch.
Published by the Ethical Trading Initiative
December 1999
See also:
activities > experimental projects
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