Asos heads up modern slavery risks event
Asos is today co-hosting an event at the House of Lords with Baroness Lola Young, Co-Chair All Party Parliamentary Group on Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion, to identify and address modern slavery risks in the apparel sector.
The two and half hour meeting will cover key sourcing regions and seek a commitment from Asos third party-brand-attendees (including Missguided, BooHoo, New Look, Lipsy, French Connection) to increase transparency and build capability to tackle the issue. Nick Beighton, CEO, Asos, says: “A lack of transparency in the supply chain can lead to issues like poor working conditions business and genuine business risk. It’s only by working together, sharing experiences and committing to common goals that we can truly tackle modern slavery.”
Baroness Young adds: “Exploitative, forced and child labour is bigger than any single company so it’s hugely encouraging to see competitive businesses recognising the role they can play in addressing the labour abuses that are sadly still so prevalent in fashion manufacturing around the world.”
The House of Lords meeting comes in the same week Asos releases its second Modern Slavery Statement in line with UK legislation and five weeks after it hosted an event with the British High Commission in Mauritius, which brought together local and international stakeholders to discuss the challenges in managing labour migration and agree a common framework for improving worker protection in Mauritius and beyond.
