In a significant move towards ensuring fair treatment of workers, UK retailer New Look has partnered with the International Transport Workers Union (ITF) to enhance the rights of transport workers in its supply chain.
- New Look has 391 stores in the UK and Ireland and is collaborating with ITF to protect transport workers’ rights.
- A memorandum of understanding has been signed to conduct human rights due diligence in New Look’s supply chain.
- Sue Fairley, New Look’s senior head of ESG, highlighted the partnership’s role in combating modern slavery in transport operations.
- ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton emphasized the crucial role of transport workers in the global economy.
New Look, a prominent UK clothing retailer, has established a strategic partnership with the International Transport Workers Union (ITF) to bolster the protection of human and labor rights for transport workers involved in its supply chain. With a robust presence comprising 391 stores across the UK and Ireland, New Look demonstrates its commitment to ethical practices by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the ITF. This collaboration underscores their joint effort to ensure the safeguarding of transport workers’ rights, a critical component of New Look’s broader strategy to promote sustainability and resilience in its operations.
The agreement mandates New Look to carry out comprehensive human rights due diligence (HRDD) within its transport supply chain, encompassing both directly operated and subcontracted logistics operations. By doing so, the retailer pledges to uphold the principles of safety, resilience, and sustainability, while also addressing the potential for exploitation and labor rights abuses. Sue Fairley, New Look’s senior head of ESG, quality, and sourcing, expressed the importance of formalizing the relationship with ITF, describing it as a practical partnership that facilitates vigilant monitoring and diligence in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking.
Moreover, New Look sources its products from 19 countries globally, utilizing a combination of sea, road, and limited air transport to supply its UK and Ireland stores. This international scope adds layers of complexity to its supply chain, reinforcing the critical need to ensure that transport workers’ rights are respected and protected across all logistics channels. In this context, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton highlighted the pivotal role of transport workers, stating, ‘Transport workers play a central role in ensuring our clothing, often produced far away, reaches the shops on UK high streets. They are key workers in our global economy, and like all workers, they deserve to have their rights respected.’
Furthermore, the agreement with ITF encompasses several other strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing workers’ rights and protections. Notably, New Look has committed to promoting freedom of association for transport workers in its supply chain by recognizing the rights of ITF-affiliated trade unions to organize and access supplier premises. This initiative extends to the provision of joint training sessions for both New Look personnel and its suppliers, emphasizing the importance of collaborative learning and awareness-raising efforts.
New Look’s pledge also includes the provision for remediation, whenever necessary, through collective bargaining processes in cooperation with ITF and its affiliated unions within the relevant jurisdictions. These measures demonstrate New Look’s proactive approach to fostering a fair and equitable working environment for transport workers, further solidifying its standing as a leader in ethical retail practices.
This partnership exemplifies New Look’s dedication to sustainable and ethical supply chain management.
