Who we are

ETI is a leading alliance of trade unions, NGOs and companies, working together with key stakeholders to promote practical solutions to end the abuse of human rights at work.

Our vision

Our vision is a world that protects human rights, ensures dignity for all, provides opportunity and is free of exploitation and abuse.

Our mission

Our mission is to advocate for the most vulnerable workers, by harnessing the power of a diverse and growing membership. ​Through collaboration and innovation, we work to drive engagement, challenge barriers to change and ensure respect for human rights at work. 

What is ethical trade?

Ethical trade means that retailers, brands and their suppliers take responsibility for improving the working conditions of the people who make the products they sell. Most of these workers are employed by supplier companies around the world, many of them based in poor countries where laws designed to protect workers' rights are inadequate or not enforced.

Companies with a commitment to ethical trade adopt a code of labour practice that they expect all their suppliers to work towards. Such codes address issues like wages, hours of work, health and safety and the right to join free trade unions.

Why is ETI needed?

'Doing' ethical trade is much harder than it sounds. Modern supply chains are vast, complex and span the globe. Labour issues are themselves challenging. For example, what exactly is ‘a living wage'? What should a company do if it finds children working in a supplier's worksite? Evicting children from the workplace can, paradoxically, make their lives worse.

ETI brings corporate, trade union and voluntary sector members together in a unique alliance that enables us to collectively tackle many thorny issues that cannot be addressed by individual companies working alone.

Contact us

To get in touch with ETI, please visit our Contact page.