Ads
Published
Oct 6, 2017
Reading time
2 minutes
Download
Download the article
Print
Text size

Fashion industry meets with regulators to address unethical labour practices

Published
Oct 6, 2017

Senior representatives from national fashion brands and enforcement agencies attended on Friday an event in Leicester with the aim of stamping out illegal practices in the clothing industry.


AFP


With 1,500 businesses employing 10,000 people, the Leicester and Leicestershire area has the second highest concentration of textile manufacturing in the UK.

The sector is worth more than £500m to the local economy and has great potential for future growth, however workers are still sometimes enduring poor working conditions and insufficient pay.

The event, hosted by Leicester’s City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, brought together the full range of regulators involved with the textiles sector for the first meeting of its kind.

Soulsby said: “Leicester has a long and proud history of textile manufacturing and we want to ensure it plays an important role in our future. Many retailers now want to source more garments from the UK, and this gives Leicester a great opportunity given the concentration and breadth of textiles manufacturing businesses we have here.

“However, we have to acknowledge there are unethical and illegal working practices in the industry, which are preventing retailers from buying more locally.

“This is not just an issue for Leicester, but a national one. However, in Leicester we want to make sure that we have the highest standards of employment; that workers are properly paid, well-trained, and work in safe environments. We want to support our factories to be the best they can, and to set an example that others can follow.”

The event was attended by senior representatives from Asos and New Look, as well as executives from agencies like the Health and Safety Executive, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, UK Visa and Immigration, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, Trading Standards, ACAS, the police, Citizens Advice Bureau and The Insolvency Service.

Copyright © 2024 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.