The Fair Labor Association released its 2007 annual public report, which offers data from nearly 150 surprise factory inspections conducted by independent auditors during 2006, detailed information on the labor compliance programs of 38 affiliated companies, and a look at several parts of the FLA program, including updates on special projects and the FLA's new Enhanced Licensee program.
More than one third of the factories inspected by FLA-accredited auditors last year were in China, demonstrating the continuing shift in sourcing toward the nation. Indeed, the reallocation in manufacturing — to China from the Americas and elsewhere — is a recurring theme in the Annual Report.
"I am very pleased by the trends documented in this year's report, which shows continued growth both in the number of major companies affiliated with the FLA and their level of commitment as well as in the FLA program itself," said Auret van Heerden. "All of these factors together are a strong indicator that we are making a real difference in improving the lives of workers in factories around the world."
The report, which is the fifth such report to be published by the FLA, is part of the organization's ongoing commitment to public transparency and accountability, for both the organization and its affiliated companies. The
organization also publishes on its web site all of the results of the factory inspections. By combining documentation of the labor compliance programs of affiliated companies and of the labor conditions at many of the factories they source from, the FLA is able to provide a comprehensive view of the labor compliance activities of those companies.
The Fair Labor Association is a non-profit organization in America that combines the efforts of companies, colleges, universities, and non-governmental organizations to promote adherence to international labor standards and improve working conditions and treatment of workers worldwide. The FLA holds companies accountable to the Fair Labor Association Workplace Code of Conduct, which bans forced labor, child labor, harassment, abuse, and discrimination, and requires that companies promote health and safety, respect for freedom of association and collective bargaining, payment of wages and benefits, and appropriate compensation for overtime.
