12 March 2018 
Emma Keenan, Procurement Specialist
If you are responsible for the procurement of clothing or footwear in your University, a recently published guidance document from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will be of interest to you. The Guidance will help you implement the due diligence recommendations contained in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises along the garment and footwear supply chain in order to avoid and address the potential negative impacts of their activities and supply chains. Additionally, it will also support enterprises in implementing the due diligence recommendations contained in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The Guidance is aligned with the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, relevant ILO Conventions and Recommendations and the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy. Together with its modules on due diligence for specific risk areas, this Guidance provides enterprises with a complete package to operate and source responsibly in the garment and footwear sector.
The Guidance was developed through a multi-stakeholder process with in-depth engagement from OECD and non-OECD countries, representatives from business, trade unions and civil society and was overseen by the Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct. It is practically-oriented, with an emphasis on collaborative constructive approaches to complex challenges. The Guidance builds on the in-depth reports of the National Contact Points (NCPs) of France and Italy on the implementation of the OECD Guidelines in the textile and garment sector and responds to statements made in June 2013 and 2014 by NCPs following the tragic collapse of Rana Plaza. You can access the document here.
