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
    • Case studies
    • 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. Eti base code

Base code clause 4: Child labour shall not be used

4.1 There shall be no new recruitment of child labour.


4.2 Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child; "child" and "child labour" being defined in the appendices.


4.3 Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.


4.4 These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards.

ETI resources

  • Base Code Guidance: Child labour

Other online resources

  • UNICEF report on the State of the World's Children
  • UNICEF's Innocenti Research Centre
  • ILO International Programme on the elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
  • ILO child labour statistics
  • Global March Against Child Labour
  • Save the Children UK
  • ECLT Foundation - focuses on child labour in the tobacco industry

Relevant ILO conventions

C138 - Minimum Age Convention, 1973


This Convention provides that the minimum working age should not be less than the age for completing compulsory schooling and in no event less than 15 (14 in limited circumstances in less developed countries).


More rigorous standards apply in the case of hazardous work where the minimum age may not be less than 18.


Also relevant to this Convention: R146 Minimum Age Recommendation, 1973


C182 - Worst Forms of Child labour Convention 1999


This Convention calls for a proactive strategy to achieve the elimination of child slavery, forced or compulsory labour, child prostitution, pornography, drug trafficking or other work which is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.


Also relevant to this Convention: R190 Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation, 1999

Main menu (sub nav)

  • 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

Related content

  • Our impact on workers
  • What we do
  • Modern Slavery Act: is your business ready?
  • ETI Base Code poster
  • The ETI Base Code
  • Why we exist

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: Denmark, Norway, Sweden
Ethical Trading Initiative | Registered No. 3578127