The Global Living Wage Coalition is proud to extend our support to two inspiring advocacy campaigns. We have recently signed up to the ‘Good Clothes Fair Pay’ campaign, a global call for action in the garment sector, and we’ve joined over 60 companies and organisations to call on the European Parliament to ensure living wages are included as a human right. At the Global Living Wage Coalition (GLWC), our ambition is a living wage for all. The GLWC believes research, practice-based learning, and collaborative action are essential ingredients for achieving this ambition. We’re therefore excited to support these two ground-breaking initiatives.
The Good Clothes Fair Pay Campaign is a global call for brands and retailers in the garment sector to take responsibility and ensure workers are paid living wages across their supply chains, and to be held accountable when they don’t. We’re joining many other companies and organisations such as Fashion Revolution, Clean Clothes Campaign and Fairtrade International on this EU-wide goal. The campaign hopes to secure 1 million signatures to help turn this commitment into legal action.
The GLWC has also joined over 60 other companies and NGOs to call on the European Parliament to ensure that living wages and incomes are included as a human right in the final corporate sustainability due diligence directive (EU CSDDD) and to demand that the definition of a living wage isn’t compromised. This call to action, initiated by Fairphone, is signed by companies across different industries ranging from SMES to large multinationals. Signatories include companies like Unilever, Nudie Jeans, Fairphone, Tony’s Chocolonely, L’Oréal and Nestlé, as well as initiatives such as UN Global Compact, Fairtrade, Fair Wear Foundation, Solidaridad, and more.
Companies are not currently required by law to pay living wages. This has resulted in increased poverty in communities around the world. Legal minimum wages in manufacturing countries do not represent the true cost of living. Introducing legislation will mean that companies in the manufacturing sector have a legal responsibility to pay living wages across their global supply chains.
We believe that companies need to recognise the business case for living wages, which help retain a stable and skilled workforce, and a productive, resilient value chain. We proudly join these campaigns and offer them our full support.