How is ETI engaging with its members to protect workers during Covid-19?

We know that ETI members, as responsible businesses, are working as hard as ever. 

Throughout the pandemic ETI has continued to support, learn from and guide our corporate members on responsible business behaviour by, among other things, developing up to date guidance documents and briefings.  

Reflecting the reality for workers as business and supply chains start to recover, we have now drawn on this guidance and communications to collate a set of Enhanced Expectations.  

We aim to help members deliver on this set of requirements and we encourage an open and engaged approach to meeting these expectations, sharing good practice, collaborating on solutions where appropriate, and continuously learning.  

While the primary aim is to help and support members, if a company is not meeting these expectations, and fails to engage with ETI in a transparent and timely manner we will follow-up with companies individually. 

Key points 

Workers’ rights, enshrined in the ETI Base Code, are as relevant as ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, as is constructive engagement with workers and accountability. 

ETI expects its members, as responsible businesses, to protect workers, ensure supply chain resilience and conduct thorough due diligence. 

We expect members to work to ensure international labour standards are adhered to by suppliers, regardless of whether States have intervened to lower labour standards. 

Members are expected to

  • Engage with the enhanced expectations with full transparency 
  • Engage with suppliers to help them implement WHO guidelines on Health and Safety, PPE and social distancing 
  • Pay for finished products so workers can be paid for past work 
  • Pay suppliers for finished products so workers can be paid for past work 
  • Engage with suppliers to cover costs for orders that could not be completed, so workers can be paid for past work 
  • Pay suppliers agreed amounts 
  • Not impose sanctions for delayed orders 
  • Avoid cancelling orders - members should look at all the alternatives and only cancel as a last resort  
  • Engage with suppliers so workers are not penalised for refusing to work due to real or perceived risk of Covid-19 infection 
  • Ensure overtime practices meet Base Code requirements 

Further information