Ethical Trading Initiative Biennial Conference Report 2003

Key challenges in ethical trade: Report on the ETI Biennial Conference 2003

Glossary and abbreviations

ACFTU	All China Federation of Trade Unions
Audit/ing	A thorough, formal examination of the labour practices of a particular workplace or company, based on corroborated evidence. In this report, the examination usually refers to an assessment of actual practices against the labour standards contained in the ETI Base Code, or in a company code of conduct based on the ETI Base Code.
Code implementation	The policies, procedures and activities that a company needs to put in place in order to implement a code of practice. This includes raising awareness about the code, understanding labour conditions in the supply chain, monitoring labour conditions in supplier workplaces, and ensuring that appropriate corrective actions are implemented if problems are found.
Code initiatives	Organisations, such as ETI, whose role is to establish and/or encourage the implementation of codes of labour practice.
Code of practice/conduct	In the context of ethical trading, a code of practice (or code of conduct) is a set of standards concerning labour practices adopted by a company and meant to apply internationally, and, in particular, to the labour practices of its suppliers and subcontractors.
Collective bargaining	The right to collective bargaining refers to the right for workersÍ organisations to negotiate with employers or employersÍ organisations on behalf of their members to determine working conditions and terms of employment.
Ethical trade/ ethical sourcing	The assumption of responsibility by a company for the labour and human rights practices within its supply chain. One of the most common means for companies to meet these responsibilities is by adopting a code of practice setting out minimum labour standards that they expect their suppliers to comply with.
ETI	Ethical Trading Initiative, UK
ETI Base Code	The code of labour practice, based on key conventions of the ILO, that ETI requires its members to uphold. Its content was negotiated and agreed by the founding trade union, NGO and corporate members of ETI. It is accompanied by a set of general principles governing its implementation.
Freedom of association	The right of all workers to join or form a trade union of their own choosing and carry out trade union activities without interference from their employer or from public authorities.
GMIES	Grupo de Monitoreo Independiente de El Salvador
HS	Health and safety
IDS	Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK
ILO and ILO Conventions	International Labour Organisation. The ILO is the UN specialised agency which seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognised human and labour rights. It formulates international labour standards in the form of Conventions and Recommendations setting minimum standards of basic labour rights. ILO Conventions have the force of international law, and states that ratify them are required to incorporate the principles in national law and to ensure the implementation of the law. In addition, all ILO member states, regardless of ratification, are obliged to respect, promote and realise the principles contained in the core ILO Conventions, which address freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, forced labour, child labour, discrimination and equal remuneration.
Informal work/er	Informal work refers to work performed in an employment relationship that is not recognised or protected under legal or regulatory frameworks. The employment relationship is therefore not subject to standard labour legislation, taxation, social protection or entitlement to certain employment benefits (eg, paid annual or sick leave). Informal work is found in a range of situations including the following: where the job or employee is undeclared (eg, the employment of illegal immigrants); where the job is casual or of short duration; where hours of work or wages are below a certain threshold; where the employer is an unregistered enterprise or a person in a household; or where the employeeÍs place of work is outside the premises of the employerÍs enterprise.
IPEC	International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, an ILO programme
IRFT	International Resources for Fairer Trade, India
ITGLWF	International Textile, Garment and Leather WorkersÍ Federation. The ITGLWF is the Global Union Federation that brings together trade union organisations representing workers in the textile, garment and leather industries in 110 countries.
NGO	Non-governmental organisation
North/ Northern	A loose term used to describe high-income countries in the Northern hemisphere, including countries in Europe and North America.
Participatory approaches	In the context of workplace auditing, this refers to approaches that create awareness of labour issues, and provide the opportunity for both workers and employers to: share their ideas and perceptions about labour issues, identify problems and priorities for action, and be actively involved in planning and implementing workplace improvements.
SAI	Social Accountability International, USA
SEDEX	Supplier Ethical Data Exchange Initiative
Sourcing company	A company that purchases product from another company, for either direct or indirect onward sale to the consumer.
South/Southern	A loose term used to describe low-income countries south of Europe and North America, including countries in Africa, Asia and Central and South America.
Supplier	A company that sells product to a ïsourcing companyÍ (see definition above). In many circumstances, the supplier will be involved in manufacturing or processing. N.B. A company that performs an intermediary role, eg, a company that imports fresh produce from packhouses in Africa and then sells this on to supermarkets, may be considered both as a ïsourcing companyÍ and as a ïsupplierÍ.
TGWU	Transport and General Workers Union, UK
WIETA	Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association, South Africa

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