PUMA GAINS REACCREDITATION BY THE FAIR LABOR ASSOCIATION

Strictly no child labor, harassment or abuse in PUMA’s suppliers’ factories Fair Labor Association verifies that international labor standards are upheld in PUMA’s supply chain

The program of Sportlifestlye company PUMA to monitor suppliers for labor standards – puma.safe – has been reaccredited by the Fair Labor Association (FLA). The FLA, a nonprofit organization that promotes improved working conditions in supply chains worldwide, has reaffirmed PUMA’s protection of workers’ rights.

The accreditation means that puma.safe fully complies with the Fair Labor Association’s Code of Conduct and regulations. The FLA Workplace Code of Conduct is based on labor standards established by the International Labor Organization. It bans forced labor, child labor, harassment, abuse, and discrimination, and requires that companies promote health and safety, freedom of association and collective bargaining.

“FLA accreditation speaks to the integrity of a company compliance programme,” said Auret van Heerden, President and CEO of the Fair Labor Association. “We review the affiliated company’s compliance activities from HQ all the way down to the factory level to ensure that they are meeting the ten Obligations of Companies set out in the FLA Charter. PUMA has met or exceeded those standards and has taken many additional steps to enhance its programme.” PUMA has been an FLA member since 2004, when the company opened operations to external monitoring with the goal of demonstrating more transparency throughout its supply chain. PUMA received full FLA accreditation in 2007, and has just been reaccredited for its continued adherence to fair labor standards. To earn accreditation, a company must undergo an extensive performance review. Since 2004, PUMA’s suppliers have been monitored through unannounced audits by a third party organization accredited by the FLA. Up to three percent of PUMA suppliers are externally audited by FLA approved auditors each year, with over 60 external audits conducted since PUMA joined the Fair Labor Association. These come in addition to over 3000 internal puma.safe audits since 2001. Results from the external audits are published online on the FLA website in accordance with puma.safe’s aim of transparency. A list of PUMA suppliers is publicly available via the FLA, and a formal third party complaint procedure is also available to NGOs, unions and other interested partied via the organization.

Originally published by Puma.