B&C AWARDED LEADER BRAND STATUS FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR BY FAIR WEAR FOUNDATION
In a resounding testament to our commitment to ethical practices and the well-being of the workers in our partner factories, B&C is thrilled to announce that we have once again achieved Leader Brand status from the esteemed Fair Wear Foundation (FWF).
“B&C has shown advanced results on performance indicators and has made exceptional progress.”
FWF Brand Performance Check – Report 2023
This recognition marks the second consecutive year that B&C has been honoured with this distinction, reaffirming our unwavering dedication to social compliance and responsible business conduct.
The Fair Wear Foundation, a Dutch organisation set-up in 1999, has a noble mission at its core: to improve working conditions within the textile industry, particularly in South Asia, where most B&C partner factories are located. To that end, FWF conducts regular and comprehensive audits in factories and meticulously evaluates each member brand’s purchasing practices, risk analysis, remediation efforts, and complaints handling through its annual “Brand Performance Check” (BPC).
This year, FWF raised the bar by adapting its assessment grid for the BPC to align with the new HRDD (Human Rights Due Diligence) protocol (based on the OECD guidelines for responsible business conduct). This revised framework considers policies, risk assessment, prevention and remediation measures, complaints handling, and reporting.
In light of these heightened evaluation criteria, we’re even prouder that B&C has once again emerged as a Leader Brand!
Beyond the annual Brand Performance Check, FWF continues to challenge and inspire us to push the boundaries of better conditions for workers. We eagerly welcome their insights and feedback, viewing them as catalysts for ongoing progress. Working with FWF and with our partner factories we strive for continuous improvements in living wages for factory workers. In addition to improved working conditions, health&safety and fairness in the workplace are things which enhance the lives of the community too.
Having a local CSR office in Bangladesh and a dedicated CSR manager, the brand has a strong follow-up plan for its Bangladeshi suppliers. Improvements and preventions are ensured through, e.g. regular worker dialogue sessions and a customised training plan matching audit findings or needs identified through the dialogues. B&C demonstrated good practices on gender and FoA (Freedom of Association)
FWF Brand Performance Check – Report 2023
Our Leader status serves as compelling evidence that B&C is HRDD ready. Moreover, it assures our customers across Europe that they can readily demonstrate their own compliance with future EU legislation, just by choosing B&C styles for their projects.
As we celebrate this achievement, we remain steadfast in our mission to lead the industry in the implementation of ethical business practises. B&C is dedicated to making a positive impact, one step at a time, and we hope our customers will join us, supporting our efforts by making B&C their ethical brand of choice.
