20. Dr. Tony WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the role of company codes of conduct in protecting labour standards in developing countries. [73850]
§ Clare ShortCodes of conduct have considerable potential as a tool for protecting labour rights in developing countries. Last year, my department produced a widely circulated report entitled "A review of UK company codes of conduct". The report contained an analysis of the content of UK company's voluntary codes and showed that codes of conduct are being used by a224W small, but growing, number of UK companies which source their products from overseas. The best of these codes included specific references to the International Labour Office's (ILO) core labour conventions. There is less consensus on the best means of monitoring the effectiveness of codes. We are working to find ways of implementing and monitoring codes in order to assist UK companies work with their suppliers to improve the conditions of workers in poorer countries. My Department is also supporting the Ethical Trading Initiative whose members—companies, development NGOs and Trades Unions—are piloting best practice through monitoring the ETI code of conduct.
§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support the Government are giving to initiatives to raise public awareness in developing countries on codes of conduct on labour standards. [75234]
§ Clare ShortThe Department for International Development has supported the following initiatives to assist in raising awareness of codes of conduct on labour standards in developing countries
The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which provides practical support to efforts to develop codes of conduct and promote positive engagement between UK importers and their developing country suppliers to improve workers conditions (£530,400 over 3 years).ETI is currently carrying out three pilot projects in the horticulture industry in Zimbabwe; the wine industry in South Africa and the clothing industry in China. The pilot projects are designed to identify ways that companies can improve labour standards amongst their suppliers by addressing the ETI code of conduct. This involves building capacity locally to ensure that there is an understanding of how the ETI code of conduct works.ETI has also conducted a consultation exercise of developing country based NGOs for their views on codes of conduct (£25,000).Support to a British based NGO—Women Working World wide—to carry out work in Asia (Bangladesh, Philippines, Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka) and Central America (Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic and Guatemala) to inform women workers about company's codes of conduct as a part of a workers' awareness and education campaign. (£44,000).