Skip to main content
Home

User Menu

  • Perspective
  • Log in

Main menu

  • Home
  • About ETI
    • Our members
      • Previous members
    • What we do
      • Resolving violations
    • Why we exist
      • ETI's origins
    • Our impact on workers
    • Accountability
    • Funding
    • Our strategy
    • Our team
      • ETI Board members
    • Contact
  • ETI Base Code
    • 1. Employment is freely chosen
    • 2. Freedom of association
    • 3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic
    • 4. Child labour shall not be used
    • 5. Living wages are paid
    • 6. Working hours are not excessive
    • 7. No discrimination is practiced
    • 8. Regular employment is provided
    • 9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
  • Programmes
  • Join ETI
    • How to apply
    • What members sign up to
    • The business case
  • Training
    • All courses
    • Essentials of ethical trade series
    • Human rights due diligence series
    • China series
    • ETI trainers
    • Bespoke training
  • Resources
    • Newsletters
    • Useful links
  • Issues
    • Union rights at work
    • COVID-19
    • Modern slavery
      • Modern slavery and transparency standards
      • Modern slavery initiatives
      • Modern slavery resources
      • Modern slavery evaluation framework
    • Due diligence
      • ETI’s work on human rights due diligence
        • ETI’s work in Pakistan
        • Pakistan, labour rights resources
      • Resources on human rights due diligence
    • Public procurement & responsible business
    • Company purchasing practices
      • Working conditions in the Leicester garment industry
    • Grievance mechanisms & remedy
    • Gender equity
      • Gender equality - initiatives
      • Gender equality - international standards
      • Gender equality - resources
    • A living wage for workers
      • Living wage initiatives
      • Living wage resources
      • Living wage standards
      • Wages and purchasing theories
    • Business and human rights in India
    • Child labour
    • Homeworkers
    • Migrant workers
    • HIV at work
    • Ethical trade and fairtrade
  • Blog
  • Events
    • Ethical Insights series

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Blog

New member focus: Schoolblazer

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Jane Moyo
  • 27 August 2019
Image courtesy of ETI member, Schoolblazer

We are very pleased to introduce new ETI member, Schoolblazer

Northamptonshire-based Schoolblazer, which became a member of ETI in July, was founded in 2004 and is a leading supplier of uniforms and sportswear to independent schools.

The company employs 50 people in the UK; 30 at Head Office, and 20 in its warehouse. It currently looks after around 170 UK schools, and adds about 15 new schools to its portfolio every year.

Schoolblazer adopted the ETI Base Code of labour standards in 2010 and works to ensure that its suppliers abide by it.

Core suppliers from whom the company sources products directly, are already required to attest in writing that they comply with its own Code of Conduct, which includes the Base Code.

In addition, independent inspections take place every two years and the company visits suppliers annually to ensure compliance through visual checks and discussions with boards, staff and management.

Steve Tuck, Schoolblazer’s Head of Buying seeks to operate predominantly in countries with a consistent track record on ethical trading compliance. “In our secondary tier, we prefer to work with factories which have been audited by major global brands with well-documented compliance procedures,” he says.

“Our main areas of concern are with ‘agents’, and our Tier 3 supplier base, where auditing is challenging and there is greater potential for non-compliance, particularly in relation to farm workers in cotton production.”

Steve believes that joining ETI will help them address and mitigate these risks, and he is also looking forward to ETI support in developing a Modern Slavery statement. “One of our key objectives as a company is to improve the lives of everybody who contributes to making our garments.”

Schoolblazer is often asked to talk to school sixth forms about ethical and environmental issues in fashion and Steve concludes that, “another benefit of ETI membership will be ensuring that the information we provide is accurate and up to date.”

Kate Lewis, ETI’s Head of Member Services welcomes that commitment and is delighted to have Schoolblazer join as an ETI member.

She says, “As young people become increasingly aware and interested in the ethics behind the clothes they wear and the food they eat, it is fantastic to have one of the UK’s leading uniform suppliers on board and leading the way to address human rights in supply chains.”

Comments

ETI's blog covers issues at the intersection of business, news and ethical trade. We welcome a range of insights and opinions from our guest bloggers, though don't necessarily agree with everything they say.

Stay up to date

Stay up to date with the latest from ETI via the following channels:
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Blog RSS

Related content

  • Investors urged to look beyond the glib optimism of the Levitt report and hold boohoo execs properly to account
  • Transitions & Futures: Apparel & Textile member discussion
  • Statement to the EAC regarding ETI and Boohoo
  • Working conditions in the Leicester garment industry
  • ETI calls for government commitment to tackle abuses in Leicester
  • Why Fashion must help Bangladeshi workers survive Coronavirus

Get the latest

Subscribe to our email newsletters and stay up to speed on ethical trade.
Subscribe

ETI elsewhere

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Footer

  • Accessibility
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Jobs at ETI
  • Press resources
  • Privacy
  • Modern slavery statement
Other ETIs: Norway, Denmark
Ethical Trading Initiative | Registered No. 3578127