The number of organisations involved in promoting and implementing voluntary labour codes has grown dramatically since ETI was established. It has therefore become increasingly important to share our learning and experience and co-operate effectively with other organisations, so that we can use resources more effectively and maximise the consistency of approach to code implementation. Indeed, some are concerned that failing to do so may confuse suppliers and workers, and may drive up the costs of compliance.There are many types of organisation with whom we wish to develop stronger alliances and relationships, including trade unions, NGOs and government institutions in supplier countries, private auditing/ corporate social responsibility companies, the UK government, the European Commission and Parliament, relevant UN organisations and the media. But an immediate concern was to develop closer working relationships with those organisations which have a similar remit to our own, that is, other multi-stakeholder initiatives promoting voluntary labour codes. Developing a common approachIn pursuit of this end, we invited the five other multi-stakeholder code initiatives with a key international presence to a meeting in February 2003, to explore options for improved collaboration. Following from this meeting, the Clean Clothes Campaign (Europe), Fair Wear Foundation (The Netherlands), Fair Labor Association (USA), Social Accountability International (international), Worker Rights Consortium (USA) and ETI agreed to work together on a collaborative project in the garment sector in a specific country. The aim of the project will be to develop common guidelines on aspects of monitoring and implementing the provisions of voluntary codes of labour practice.
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