Interpretation is available in French.

This first session will consider the role that legally binding agreements, voluntarily entered into by companies and global trade unions, can play in identifying and addressing labour and human rights risks in garment and footwear supply chains. Representatives from brands, manufacturers, trade unions and government will share learnings from the negotiation and implementation of a number of existing agreements, as well as consider the importance of such agreements in the context of mandatory due diligence legislation. Interpretation is available in French.

A growing number of garment and footwear companies have made commitments to net zero by the mid-century in response to growing awareness about the key role industry sectors have to play to combat climate change. However, climate change is already negatively impacting workers and communities around key production hubs and agricultural regions relevant for the sector, with water availability, worker safety, and business continuity all in question. This panel will explore what garment and footwear companies can do to increase their adaptation engagement, drawing from the OECD Due Diligence Guidance and MNE Guidelines. Interpretation is available in French.

Wages that don’t satisfy the basic needs of workers and their families are a prevalent risk across the garment and footwear global industry. While wages in the supply chain are in practice a function of a number of factors, some outside of a buying firm’s direct control, this panel will examine different type of strategies and tools brands can use to increase their leverage and mitigate wage risk in their supply chain, taking these factors into consideration. Discussion will particularly highlight how industry collaboration, government engagement and sourcing model structure may be crucial to move towards living wage in their supply chain. Interpretation is available in French.

For onsite participants only: Deepen your understanding of due diligence by working through a series of example scenarios common in the sector with other onsite participants.

Retailers hold a powerful but rarely discussed position in advancing due diligence uptake among the thousands of brands they promote on their online marketplaces and in their department stores. The session will explore how retailers are conducting due diligence on RBC risks and reflect where retailers stand at effectively leveraging their influence and meeting their responsibilities under the OECD Guidance. The session will also provide an opportunity to learn from strategies applied in the finance sector given significant parallels between the management of brand and sustainable investment portfolios. Interpretation is available in French.