Our work has shown that code implementation is most successful when it is backed up by local trade unions and other local organisations. However these local bodies often lack the resources to contribute effectively. That is why we have invested in building local capacity.

Trade unions and other local organisations working to improve working conditions have unique local knowledge, influence and staying power to ensure that improvements in labour conditions are appropriate and sustained over time. However, in many developing countries it has proved difficult to find appropriate organisations with the capacity to engage effectively with companies on code implementation issues. We are therefore investing in building capacity in two significant export industries in Africa – wine and flowers – to start to address this need.

The Kenya flower trade

When Women Working Worldwide alerted us to serious labour rights abuses in the Kenya flower industry, our retailer members and Secretariat staff visited Kenya to learn more from workers and other local stakeholders. The latter were particularly concerned that routine auditing of labour practices in the flower industry had previously failed to reveal the extent of these issues. We were asked to mediate between different stakeholders and help broker a solution to these problems, but trade unions have not supported this process. ETI has responded by funding a training programme to increase the industry’s understanding of the main issues facing workers, and to provide an introduction to participatory social auditing – an approach that has proved successful in other parts of Eastern/Southern Africa. Further training of local auditors on participatory social audit methodology took place in August 2003.

Wine in South Africa - WIETA

Our now completed project in South Africa provided local stakeholders with the impetus to develop their own multi-stakeholder body, the Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA). This will inspect and improve labour conditions in the Western Cape wine industry, using the methodology developed by the project. We have supported the development of this body by funding the training of local auditors and development of a members’ manual and educational material for workers.

WIETA has recruited its first chief executive, who is now implementing plans to train inspectors and put in place a registration and improvement scheme. A report documenting the learning from this project is described on page 17.