Corporate brands and retailers have long been the subject of campaigns by NGOs and trade unions for poor working conditions in their global supply base. In response, a large number of global buyers and retailers have introduced codes of labour practice to ensure their suppliers observe minimum international labour standards.
But codes implemented through global value chains are often failing to reach casual, migrant and contract workers. This Policy Briefing asks whether and how codes of labour practice can help improve conditions for more vulnerable workers. It argues that global buyers need to better integrate the principles of ethical sourcing into their own business practices if sustainable benefits are to reach all workers in global production.